Abstract:
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) requires that projects identified in a region's long range plan be financially constrained. As a metropolitan planning organization, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) developed a plan that not only met the ISTEA requirements and served the needs of its member communities, but that also was consistent and comparable with forecasts developed by the state's other urban areas and with the state plan developed by the Michigan Department of Transportation. This paper describes the method, development of assumptions and databases and the validation of the forecast with local and state transportation agencies. SEMCOG focused on identifying and matching resources to meet the region's capital needs, which involved roadway, transit, non-motorized and intermodal projects. Future revenues were used to constrain the projects, with unmet needs being defined as the shortfall of financial resources necessary to meet all needs identified in the deficiency analysis stage. In a survey that identified revenue resources, revenues were anticipated as being "available" from federal, state and local sources.
