On November 30, 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 begun the process of developing a project priorization process for the Route to 2050 MTP and plans to develop the process in three steps over the next several months working with the TAC, CAC, and MPO Board. Step 1 focuses on developing the MTP funding programs and prioritization factors. Step 2 will identify the scoring criteria for each of the prioritization factors and outline a proposed weighting approach with sample project scoring through a workshop format. Step 3 will include adoption of the MTP prioritization process.

On June 28, 2023, MPO staff presented Step 1 of the project prioritization development process at the TAC and CAC meetings. 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 August 2023 TAC and CAC and September 2023 Board meetings, MPO staff will present Step 2 of the project prioritization process, including a discussion on the proposed criteria and weight of the proposed prioritization factors. At the upcoming meetings, The TAC and CAC will be asked to provide input on criteria definitions and the weighting of the proposed prioritization factors, which will be used to inform Broward MPO staff and the consultant team in developing the criteria, scoring, and weighting approach for the MTP project prioritization process. The final, proposed weighting and project prioritization process will be presented to the TAC and CAC for approval at the September 2023 meeting, with final Board approval anticipated in October 2023 (Step 3).

For the PowerPoint presentation, please see the Attachment. Questions and comments will be addressed at the meeting.

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