Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Compliance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Federal highway certification praises Forward Pinellas for bike, transit and planning practices; issues four recommendations
Summary
A Federal Highway Administration certification review presented Sept. 10 commended Forward Pinellas for MPO structure improvements, bicycle and pedestrian efforts, transit corridor planning and safety measurement, and issued four recommendations on coordination with FDOT and transit planning documentation.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) presented its quadrennial certification review findings to the Forward Pinellas board on Sept. 10, commending the MPO for governance and planning practices and issuing four recommendations to improve coordination and documentation.
Teresa Parker, representing the FHWA certification team, said the review found six noteworthy practices and four recommendations for Forward Pinellas. Noteworthy practices included expansion of the MPO board from 13 to 19 members and quarterly board workshops, bicyclist and pedestrian education and training programs, an active‑transportation plan prioritizing $68 million for ten corridors through 2050, transit‑oriented station planning connected to the Sunrunner BRT study, a corridor investment strategy including the Advantage Alt‑19 plan, and use of before‑and‑after studies to measure safety benefits and build public support.
The four recommendations focus on documentation and coordination: evaluate coordination with FDOT to ensure obligated project lists include transit projects; ensure Transit Asset Management (TAM) plan elements and transit safety targets are reflected in or referenced by the long‑range transportation plan (LRTP) and Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan; clearly identify all federal funding sources in the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), including FTA formula and discretionary planning awards; and consider a more user‑friendly guide to navigate the LRTP financial plan.
Parker said the FHWA found no corrective actions for Forward Pinellas. Board members praised staff for the noted practices and thanked the federal reviewers for their work.
Why it matters: the certification review assesses compliance with federal planning requirements and identifies best practices and improvements to ensure federally funded projects remain eligible and coordinated. FHWA recommendations, while not corrective, signal documentation and coordination steps the MPO should take to strengthen integration of transit and federal funding in planning documents.
