This endorsement will establish the project prioritization process for the Needs Assessment of the Route to 2050 MTP. The project prioritization process will be applied to all projects identified and received through the MTP Needs Assessment (including the Call for Projects) and be used to develop a Cost Feasible Plan with ranked projects for the MTP.

On December 8, 2022, MPO staff introduced the Route to 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and identified the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) as the formal Route to 2050 MTP Steering Committee. Since the introduction of the MTP, MPO staff have been providing regular monthly updates to the TAC, Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC), and the MPO Board in order to keep them involved in the Plan's development. MPO staff is now seeking feedback on the proposed funding programs and the project prioritization approach for the 2050 MTP.

Broward MPO staff and the MTP consultant have developed a project prioritization process for the Route to 2050 MTP and presented parts of the process in three steps over the last few months, working with the TAC, CAC, and MPO Board. Step 1 focused on developing the MTP funding programs and prioritization factors. Step 2 identified the scoring criteria for each of the prioritization factors and outlined a proposed weighting approach. Step 3 includes endorsement of the MTP prioritization process.

On July 13, 2023, MPO staff presented Step 1 of the project prioritization development process to the MPO Board. MPO staff proposed six funding programs to support the Route to 2050 MTP: 

• Complete Streets
• Resiliency
• Roadway
• Safety
• Technology
• Transit & Hubs

These programs build upon the existing programs from the 2045 MTP and align with the planning emphasis areas provided by the Federal Highway Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation. Projects identified through the MTP Call for Projects and MPO Needs Assessment will be categorized into these funding programs based on their type of work and will be utilized for the development of the final cost-feasible plan. The "Complete Streets," "Roadway," "Transit & Hubs," and "Technology" programs will be subject to the Route to 2050 MTP project prioritization process. The "Safety" and "Resiliency" funding programs are proposed to be specialized programs utilizing specific crash severity measures (for Safety) and vulnerability measures (for Resiliency). The "Technology" funding program may also include an annual competitive program, similar to the MPO's Complete Streets and other Localized Initiatives Program, to allow partner agencies to apply for local technology projects (such as electric vehicle infrastructure, connected vehicle infrastructure, and other emerging technologies).  

The proposed Route to 2050 MTP project prioritization process approach builds on the 2045 MTP prioritization process and is geared toward aligning project prioritization with the Goals, Objectives, and Indicators of the 2050 MTP while guiding investment through a "program-neutral" assessment process. To realize these objectives, MPO staff is proposing to retain the six planning and prioritization factors from the 2045 MTP:

• Mobility - Supporting safe and reliable travel for longer trips.
• Accessibility - Supporting access and circulation (shorter trips) within higher-density, mixed-use places.
• Safety - Reducing the number and severity of crashes.
• Equity - Ensuring benefits and impacts are shared.
• Resiliency (formerly "Environmental Stewardship") - Protecting natural and built environment and investing in resilient infrastructure. 
• Economic Vitality - Supporting economic activity and businesses.

The above factors will be used as part of the simple scoring and weighting component of the project prioritization process for the "Complete Streets," "Roadway," and "Transit & Hubs" programs (as described above). 

At the September 14, 2023 Board meeting, MPO staff presented Step 2 of the project prioritization process, including a discussion on the proposed criteria and weight of the proposed prioritization factors. The MPO Board was asked to provide input on criteria definitions and the weighting of the proposed prioritization factors, which was used to inform Broward MPO staff and the consultant team in developing the criteria, scoring, and weighting approach for the final MTP project prioritization process. 

At the upcoming Board meeting, the final proposed weighting and project prioritization process will be presented for endorsement, and questions and comments will be addressed. For the PowerPoint presentation, including the prioritization factors, criteria, and weighting, please see the Attachment.

The TAC and CAC recommend endorsement of the proposed Route to 2050 MTP project prioritization process.

MPO staff recommends endorsement of the proposed Route to 2050 MTP project prioritization process.

If you have any questions about this item, please contact Christopher Restrepo at (954) 876-0061 or restrepoc@browardmpo.org.