AASHTO | Roadmap for Developing Programmatic Agreements

ROADMAP FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTS Programmatic Agreements (PAs) reduce project delivery time by specifying the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved. PAs also standardize coordination and compliance procedures, facilitate trust relationships between a Department of Transportation (DOT) and regulatory agency staff, and help limited staff and resources to be more focused and pro- ductive by promoting better project decisions and more positive outcomes. Using PAs also improves compliance efficiency by establishing consistent expectations for review times and processing options. They also encourage communication and are instrumental in building cooperative relationships

Despite these benefits, and their availability for many years, not everyone takes advantage of them. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) EVERY DAY COUNTS (EDC) INITIATIVE has identified PAs as a focus for expanded adoption and implementation. Expanded use of PAs can improve and expedite transportation project delivery processes across the Nation as well as improving environmental outcomes. PAs are encouraged to eliminate repetitive discussions of the same issues between relevant Federal agencies and State resource agencies, State Departments of Transportation, and tribal governments. PAs previously implemented by FHWA include, but are not limited to:

• Programmatic agreements that address process relat- ed to consultation, coordination, and decision-making; • Review of individual impacts of a particular resource at a regional/national level for certain categories of projects for reference in subsequent project-level environmental reviews; • Resource-focused agreements (e.g., mitigation for wet- land, water quality, and endangered species impacts); or • Section 404/NEPA merger agreements. Expanding the use of PAs requires creating a usable guide- book or roadmap to their development and implementa- tion. This document does just that, providing examples and recommendations on developing various types of PAs.

WHAT’S IN THE ROADMAP? The roadmap consists of six sections:

Is a Programmatic Agreement Needed? »

Principles of Developing a Programmatic Agreement. »

Steps in Developing a Programmatic Agreement. »

Supporting Materials for Programmatic Agreements »

What is a Programmatic Agreement? »

Other Useful Stuff.

Implementation

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The content of the roadmap is presented in a sequential manner with each section informing the next, providing a tutorial on considering, developing and implementing a PA. However, each section can stand on its own should the reader have questions about specific topics. Just click on a section above to go directly to that content.

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