Professional Traffic Operations Engineer
Certification Program Refresher Course
Module 6
Social, Environmental, and
Institutional Issues
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Presenter
Pete Yauch, P.E., PTOE, RSP2i
TSM&O Program Manager
Iteris, Inc.
Tampa, Florida, USA
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the module, participants should be able to:
1. Understand the basics of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements for
environmental impact studies.
2. Recognize the major types of transportation related air pollutants.
3. Understand the impacts of transportation related noise.
4. Follow the processes used in transportation and land use planning.
5. Learn considerations for multimodal transportation.
6. Recognize the legal considerations of transportation.
7. Understand Equity and Access issues.
8. Recognize the relationship between transportation and public health.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Presentation Overview
• Environmental Considerations
• Transportation and Land Use Planning
• Multimodal Considerations
• Legal Considerations
• Equity and Access
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Considerations
• Transportation can have a significant impact on the
environment.
• Therefore, we must balance the need for safe and efficient
transportation with the associated environmental impacts to
wetlands, historic sites, neighborhoods, businesses, places of
worship, parks and recreation facilities, and similar resources.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Policy
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
– Signed into law on January 1, 1970
– Requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental and related
social and economic effects of proposed actions
– All federal agencies prepare detailed statements commonly referred
to as Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental
Assessments (EA)
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Policy
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
– In surface transportation, recipients of federal funds must first
disclose any environmental consequences and evaluate alternatives
that would avoid or lessen a project’s impacts.
– This means that before proceeding with final design, right-of-way
acquisition, and construction, the requirements of the Act must be
addressed through a systematic, interdisciplinary approach.
– For non-federal funded projects, state regulations would apply.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Impact Studies
• Projects normally having no significant impact can obtain a
Categorical Exclusion (CE)
– Example projects include:
• Activities that do not involve or lead directly to construction, such as planning, research, and
training
• Approval of utility installations along or across a transportation facility
• Construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths, and facilities
• Activities included in the State's highway safety plan
• The installation of noise barriers or alterations to existing publicly owned buildings to provide
for noise reduction
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Impact Studies
• For a project not eligible for a CE, an Environmental
Assessment (EA) is prepared.
– The EA determines if the project has the potential to cause significant
environmental impacts.
• If determined to have no significant impacts, a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) is issued.
• If determined to have significant impacts, an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) is prepared.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Impact Studies
• An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required if a
proposed action is determined to significantly affect the quality
of the human environment.
• The regulatory requirements for an EIS are more detailed and
rigorous than the requirements for an EA.
• The EIS process includes significant opportunity for public
review and input.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Emission and Air Quality Analysis
• Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
• Four major transportation-related criteria pollutants are:
– Ozone (O3) and its precursors: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of
nitrogen (NOX)
– Particulate matter (PM)
– Carbon monoxide (CO)
– Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Ozone (O3)
• Ground-level ozone is the major component of smog and is
formed by the reaction of NOX and VOCs in the presence of
sunlight.
• Ozone is a severe irritant, responsible for the choking,
coughing, and stinging eyes associated with smog.
• Ozone damages lung tissue, aggravates respiratory disease,
and makes people more susceptible to respiratory infections.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Particulate Matter (PM)
• Mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.
• PM can be emitted directly by a source or formed in the
atmosphere by the transformation of gaseous emissions, such
as SO2, NOX, and VOCs.
• PM irritates the membranes of the respiratory system, causing
increased respiratory problems and disease, decreased lung
function, alterations of the body’s defense systems, and
premature mortality.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• CO is an odorless, colorless gas that interferes with the delivery
of oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues.
• The incomplete burning of carbon in fuels such as gasoline
produces CO.
• Effects of CO include dizziness, headaches, fatigue, visual
impairment, reduced work capacity, reduced manual dexterity,
and poor learning ability.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
• NO2 is one of a group of highly reactive gases known as “oxides
of nitrogen,” or “nitrogen oxides (NOX).”
• NO2 forms quickly from emissions from cars, trucks and buses,
power plants, and off-road equipment.
• In addition to contributing to the formation of ground-level
ozone and fine particle pollution, NO2 is linked with several
adverse effects on the respiratory system.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Attainment and Maintenance Areas
• Areas that do not meet the NAAQS are designated as
nonattainment areas.
– States are required to develop plans to attain standards in these
areas
– If the standards are not attained, sanctions and penalties may be
issued
• A maintenance area is a previous nonattainment area that has
reached attainment but must have a maintenance plan
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement (CMAQ) Program
• CMAQ provides a flexible funding source for State and local
governments to fund transportation projects and programs to help
meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act
• CMAQ money supports transportation projects that reduce mobile
source emissions in nonattainment or maintenance of the national
ambient air quality standards.
• CMAQ funds must be invested in a State’s nonattainment or
maintenance areas, on projects that reduce transportation related
pollutant emissions.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Noise Analysis
• Noise Control Act of 1972
• Direct links between noise and health, including stress related
illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing
loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.
• Noise from highway traffic are affected by three factors:
– Traffic Volume
– Traffic Speed
– Percentage of Trucks
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Weather
• Adverse weather can have a significant effect on surface
transportation and our highways, with capacity reductions,
increased crash risks, and increased maintenance costs.
– Rain and Flooding
– Snow and Ice
– Low Visibility
– Hurricanes
– High Winds
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Transportation and Land Use Planning
• Transportation planning is the functional area within
transportation engineering that deals with the relationship of
land use to travel patterns and travel demands, and the
planning, evaluation, and programming of transportation
facilities, including roadways, transit, terminals, parking,
pedestrian facilities, bikeways, and goods movement.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Land Use Planning and Regulation
• Important function for state governments, particularly in rapid
growth areas.
• In many cases, the development of land has outpaced the
government’s ability to provide the necessary public facilities
and infrastructure, including transportation.
• In addition, the concerns about environmental issues and the
quality of life for residents has led to increased state
legislation.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Land Use Planning and Regulation
• Regulation of Land Development
– Can range from permits for driveway connections to state highways to governing
the type and amount of development allowed.
– Can be implemented at either state or local level, though state requirements
typically govern
• Access Management is the regulation of access to a roadway
• Local agencies can implement zoning ordinances, development
regulations, and impact fees
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Travel Demand Modeling
• Travel demand models are used to identify and predict the mass
movements of persons within a specified study area.
• Typically prepared on a regional basis and serve as an integral part of
transportation infrastructure investment decisions.
• Models are used to represent the transportation network – for example,
streets and highways – through a series of nodes (intersections) and
links (roadway segments).
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Travel Demand Modeling
• Most travel demand models are based on four primary steps:
– Trip Generation – to predict the number of person trip ends that are generated
by and attracted to each defined zone in a study area.
– Trip Distribution – connects trip ends, estimated in the trip generation model, to
determine the number of trips between each zone.
– Mode Choice – determines the mode of transportation to be used on each zone
connection.
– Trip Assignment – assigns trips to specific highways and determines the resulting
projected highway volumes.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Types of Land Development
• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Agricultural
• Public
• Infrastructure
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Public Involvement
• Meaningful public involvement is a process that proactively
seeks full representation from the community, considers public
comments and feedback, and incorporates that feedback into a
project, program, or plan when possible
• This process enables the community and agencies to make
better-informed decisions through collaborative efforts and
improves the decision-making process.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Complete Streets and Context-Sensitive
Solutions
• Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to enable safe use
and support mobility for all users.
– The concept encompasses many approaches to planning, designing, and
operating roadways and rights of way with all users in mind to make the
transportation network safer and more efficient.
• Context sensitive solutions (CSS) refer to those the planning, design,
construction, and operation of transportation facilities to enhance
community livability.
– CSS considers not only the goals of safety and mobility for a facility, but also the
goals of the surrounding community in which the facility exists.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Multimodal Considerations
• Public Transportation
– A system providing for users from the public to travel in a multi-
passenger vehicle, typically on a schedule and operated on
established routes, on a fee per trip basis.
– Examples of public transport include buses, cable cars, commuter
trains, light rail trains, subways, monorails, street cars and trolleys,
and ferries. Public transportation can also refer to taxi and vanpool
services, shuttle services, and paratransit (dial-a-ride) transport
services.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Multimodal Considerations
• Public Transportation
– In the past, mobility for the transportation disadvantaged.
– Now recognized for many additional benefits:
• Helping to reduce urban congestion
• Enhancing productivity
• Increasing land value
• Saving money for the traveler
• Reducing air pollution emissions
• Improving health
• Assisting the population with non-automobile-based transportation needs
• Improving safety
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Multimodal Considerations
• Public Transportation
– Considerations include:
• Benches and shelters at public transportation stops
• Sidewalks, multi-use paths, and other pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure connections to public transportation
• Crosswalks, pedestrian signals, and sufficient crossing times
• Capacity to carry bikes on public transportation
• Parking and storage of bicycles at public transportation centers and stops
• Availability of shared bike services
• Amenities such as showers and changing areas
• Parking for vehicles
• Coordination of regional public transportation systems and services
• Informational and navigational support
• Transit-oriented development
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Intermodal Transportation Centers
• An intermodal transportation center provides for many modes
of transportation to come together and is strategically located
to increase destination alternatives.
• Intermodal facilities often have services and amenities for
transportation patrons, such as ticket booths, secure and
comfortable waiting rooms, restrooms, food service,
newsstands, and gift shops.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Shared Mobility
• Bike Sharing
• Car Sharing
• Ride Sourcing*
• Ride Sharing
• Electric Bicycles
• Electric Scooters
*Ride Sourcing includes Transportation Network Companies such as Uber and Lyft
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Transit Stop Design and Location
• Considerations in designing a transit stop include:
– Access to the shelter for all users, including those using mobility aids, with a
good connection to the ramp or lift on the bus
– The use of vandal-resistant and graffiti-resistant materials and an easy to clean
and maintain design
– A design that provides for good security with no hidden areas
– A shelter location that prevents interference with pedestrian circulation
– Designs that permit efficient, orderly and rapid flow of alighting and boarding
passengers from the stop to the vehicle.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Freight Movement
• Freight operations are an
important consideration
with respect to improving
mobility and productivity.
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Transportation Legal Considerations
• Governmental transportation agencies are administrative in nature.
• Agency direction originates at the legislative level through laws, statutes
and ordinances, legislative controls, and court decisions.
• Statutes are acts of a legislature (federal or state); legislative controls
exist as part of the execution of statutes.
• Local laws and ordinances provide direction to local agencies, but those
agencies may be subordinate to federal and state legislation.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Legal Authorities
• United States Department of Transportation
– National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
– Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
– Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
– Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
– Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
– Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Legal Authorities
• Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)
– Responsible for the following:
• Accessible Canada Act, 2019
• Canada Marine Act
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act
• Coasting Trade Act
• Energy Supplies Emergency Act
• Pilotage Act
• Railway Relocation and Crossing Act
• Railway Safety Act
• Shipping Conferences Exemption Act, 1987
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Equity and Access
• Equity in transportation seeks fairness in mobility and
accessibility to meet the needs of all community members.
• A central goal of transportation is to facilitate social and
economic opportunities by providing equitable levels of access
to affordable and reliable transportation options based on the
needs of the populations being served, particularly populations
that are traditionally underserved.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Equity and Access
• Executive Order 13985 - Advancing Racial Equity and Support
for Underserved Communities (2021) defines “equity” as:
– the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals,
including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been
denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native
American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of
color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural
areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or
inequality.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Justice
• Environmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful
involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, income,
national origin, or educational level with respect to the
development, implementation and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations and policies.
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination
based on race, color, and national origin in programs and
activities receiving Federal financial assistance.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Environmental Justice
• "Nondiscrimination" is more inclusive than the Title VI statute
as it covers additional classes of individuals and pertains to
other civil rights authorities with which funding recipients
must comply.
• Under the Title VI statute, protected classes include race, color,
and national origin; limited English proficiency is included
within the class of national origin.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Accessibility
• Accessibility to transportation means
a system that is accessible to
everyone, including those who need it
most.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
– Civil Rights Legislation
– To be protected by the ADA, one must
have a disability
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Economic Impacts of Equity and Access
• Increased access to job opportunities
• Increased mental wellbeing through increased social access
• Increased health and access to physical activities
• Increased access to necessities, such as groceries and
healthcare
• Increased economic stimulation through increased mobility.
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Transportation and Public Health
• Transportation Affects Health:
– Access to Health-Promoting Destinations
– Traffic Safety
– Active Living
– Air Pollution
– Noise Pollution
– Greenhouse Gas Emissions
– Equity
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 1 1
Following the NEPA process, the initial determination that a
project will have no significant impact is called a:
a. Environmental Assessment (EA)
b. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
c. Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
d. Categorical Exclusion (CE)
Slide 6-45
© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 1 1
Following the NEPA process, the initial determination that a
project will have no significant impact is called a:
a. Environmental Assessment (EA)
b. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
c. Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
d. Categorical Exclusion (CE)
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 2
The incomplete burning of carbon in fuels such as
gasoline produces:
a. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
b. Particulate Matter (PM)
c. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
d. Ozone (O3)
Slide 6-47
© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 2
The incomplete burning of carbon in fuels such as
gasoline produces:
a. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
b. Particulate Matter (PM)
c. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
d. Ozone (O3)
Slide 6-48
© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 3
The prediction of the number of person trip ends that are
generated by and attracted to each defined zone in a study
area is called:
a. Trip Assignment
b. Trip Generation
c. Mode Choice
d. Trip Distribution
Slide 6-49
© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
Sample Question 3
The prediction of the number of person trip ends that are
generated by and attracted to each defined zone in a study
area is called:
a. Trip Assignment
b. Trip Generation
c. Mode Choice
d. Trip Distribution
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© PTOE Refresher Course 2022 - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
