Episode Summary: Listen to national experts and certified planners, Keli Kemp, Kirsten Mote, and Matt Reeves with Modern Mobility Partners, talk about what planners can do to develop better planning-level transportation cost estimates. Listeners will learn the following in Episode 34:
How better planning level cost estimates help in the transportation planning process, including:
Reduce time needed to develop cost estimates through a reliable and standardized methodology
Instill confidence in long-term programming of transportation plans
General overview of steps to developing a planning-level cost estimate process, including:
Review national best practices and current internal procedures
Analyze historical costs and beta test the process
Apply cost estimates and incorporate USDOT Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance
Links:
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers a wealth of knowledge on best practices for processes, guidance, and additional resources for cost estimation of major projects. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/majorprojects/cost_estimating/
National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI) includes an interactive dashboard and pricing index that can be used to analyze historical cost trends associated with highway construction projects. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/nhcci/
United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs provides an overview of how to calculate benefit-cost ratios of major transportation projects, particularly when applying for federal grant opportunities. https://www.transportation.gov/mission/office-secretary/office-policy/transportation-policy/benefit-cost-analysis-guidance
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) also offers guidance for establishing reliable baseline cost estimates for major capital transit project delivery. https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/cost-estimation-fta-funded-transit-projects
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) provides general guidance on key considerations for developing cost estimation processes and a 12-step methodology for implementation. https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/706933.pdf
Co-Hosts:
Keli Kemp, AICP, PTP has 25 years of experience in transportation planning and consulting and co-founded Modern Mobility Partners in early 2018 with Jennifer Zhan. Keli holds a M.S. degree in Urban Planning from Texas A&M University.
Kirsten Mote, AICP has 15 years of experience in transportation planning and is certified by MIT Media Lab’s Beyond Smart Cities program. Kirsten is an Associate Vice President and Director of Smart Mobility Planning with Modern Mobility Partners. Kirsten holds a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Guest Speaker:
Hunter Abel, AICP has seven years of experience in transportation planning with previous experience in developing cost estimation tools for state DOTs and transit service planning. Hunter is a Transportation Planner with Modern Mobility Partners and holds a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Modern Mobility Partners is an Atlanta-based women and minority-owned transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. Service areas include smart mobility and transportation planning, demand modeling and traffic engineering, and data analytics and visualization.
If you are interested in learning more about Modern Mobility Partners, please visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
To obtain AICP CM credits, search for “Modern Mobility Partners” in the https://planning.org AICP CM portal to find all episodes.
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28:50
Ep. 33: USDOT Discretionary Grant Applications…This…Not That (10 Strategies for a Successful Grant Application)
Episode Summary: Listen to national experts and certified planners, Keli Kemp and Kirsten Mote, both with Modern Mobility Partners, talk about the best practices planners need to know about USDOT grant applications. Listeners will learn 10 strategies to apply to the following components of grant writing in Episode 033:
How to identify a grant program for which a project is best suited.
How to ensure that a project has enough preliminary documentation to be ready to apply for federal funding.
How to write strong project narratives.
How to maximize information within a grant application’s page limit.
Links:
USDOT’s Discretionary Grants Dashboard. https://www.transportation.gov/grants/dashboard
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool for Justice40 data. https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/
MMP’s IIJA Funding Cheat Sheets. https://www.modernmobilitypartners.com/iija-funding-cheat-sheets
Co-Hosts:
Keli Kemp, AICP, PTP has 25 years of experience in transportation planning and consulting and co-founded Modern Mobility Partners in early 2018 with Jennifer Zhan. Keli holds a M.S. degree in Urban Planning from Texas A&M University.
Kirsten Mote, AICP has over 14 years of experience in transportation planning and is certified by MIT Media Lab’s Beyond Smart Cities program. Kirsten is an Associate Vice President and Director of Smart Mobility Planning with Modern Mobility Partners. Kirsten holds a M.S. degree in City Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Guest Speaker:
Amber Berg, AICP, RSP1 has five years of experience as a transportation planner, specializing in active transportation, visual communication, and roadway safety. She has a master’s degree in Regional and Community Planning from Kansas State University.
Modern Mobility Partners is an Atlanta-based women and minority-owned transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. Service areas include smart mobility and transportation planning, demand modeling and traffic engineering, and data analytics and visualization.
If you are interested in learning more about Modern Mobility Partners, please visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
To obtain AICP CM credits, search for “Modern Mobility Partners” in the https://planning.org AICP CM portal to find all episodes.
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30:47
Ep. 32: Has the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Moved the Needle on Equity?
Episode Summary: Listen to national experts and certified planners, Keli Kemp and Kirsten Mote, both with Modern Mobility Partners, talk about what planners can do to approach transportation decision-making with an equity mindset. Listeners will learn the answers to the following questions in Episode 32:
How does the Biden Administration define equity?
What is Justice40, and why should transportation planners care about it?
How are these equity initiatives included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law?
Has the BIL moved the needle on equity?
What else can be done to advance equity in transportation?
Links:
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (colloquially the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL) allocated $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending, with $550 billion for new investments and programs. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/
The Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative is a commitment that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/
The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) is a useful tool for decision makers to use to identify projects in disadvantaged communities. https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en
USDOT’s Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer tool allows decisionmakers to identify projects in disadvantaged communities, with an emphasis on transportation burdened communities. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/0920984aa80a4362b8778d779b090723/page/ETC-Explorer---Homepage/
Check out USDOT’s Equity webpage to see how the Federal government is prioritizing equity across policies and programs, with the aim of reducing transportation-related inequities nationwide. https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity
Co-Hosts:
Keli Kemp, AICP, PTP has 25 years of experience in transportation planning and consulting and co-founded Modern Mobility Partners in early 2018 with Jennifer Zhan. Keli holds a M.S. degree in Urban Planning from Texas A&M University.
Kirsten Mote, AICP has over 14 years of experience in transportation planning and is certified by MIT Media Lab’s Beyond Smart Cities program. Kirsten is an Associate Vice President and Director of Smart Mobility Planning with Modern Mobility Partners. Kirsten holds a M.S. degree in City Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Guest Speaker:
Yasamin Khorashahi has over two years of experience in planning and local government decision making, and over five years of experience researching equity issues in STEM. She has a B.S. in Public Policy and a Master of City and Regional Planning, both from Georgia Tech. Yasamin joined Modern Mobility Partners as a Transportation Planner in January of 2024.
Modern Mobility Partners is an Atlanta-based women and minority-owned transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. Service areas include smart mobility and transportation planning, demand modeling and traffic engineering, and data analytics and visualization.
If you are interested in learning more about Modern Mobility Partners, please visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
To obtain AICP CM credits, search for “Modern Mobility Partners” in the https://planning.org AICP CM portal to find all episodes.
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26:13
Ep. 31: 8 Steps to Conducting a Regional Transit Development Plan
Episode Summary: Listen to national experts and certified planners, Keli Kemp and Kirsten Mote, both with Modern Mobility Partners, talk about what planners can do to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing transit services using a Transit Development Plan (TDP). Listeners will learn the following in Episode 31:
The importance of establishing the context of where a TDP is developed to make a plan that is customized for the study area
How to approach public and stakeholder involvement to integrate community voices in the TDP
How to shape the vision and goals of the TDP to have clear direction and actionable goals to help ground practical solutions
The importance of establishing existing conditions that review demographics and transit demand to understand gaps in transit service
How to assess needs to identify overlaps with the community goals and gaps in transit service
How to develop alternatives through potential scenarios that could help address community needs
Where to look for funding opportunities for transit service improvement projects that meet specific funding criteria
How to develop recommendations and implement final project ideas
Links:
Georgia’s current vision for regional transit development in the state: https://regionaltdp-gdot.hub.arcgis.com/
Co-Hosts:
Keli Kemp, AICP, PTP, has 25 years of experience in transportation planning and consulting and co-founded Modern Mobility Partners in early 2018 with Jennifer Zhan, AICP, PTP. Keli holds a M.S. degree in Urban Planning from Texas A&M University.
Kirsten Mote, AICP, has over 15 years of experience in transportation planning and is certified by MIT Media Lab’s Beyond Smart Cities program. Kirsten is an Associate Vice President and Director of Smart Mobility Planning with Modern Mobility Partners. Kirsten holds a M.S. degree in City Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Guest Speaker:
Malavika Murali has recently begun her career in the transportation planning industry and has been a part of the Modern Mobility Partners team since 2022. Malavika holds dual M.S. degrees in City Planning and Geographic Information Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Modern Mobility Partners is an Atlanta-based women and minority-owned transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. Service areas include smart mobility and transportation planning, demand modeling and traffic engineering, and data analytics and visualization.
If you are interested in learning more about Modern Mobility Partners, please visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
To obtain AICP CM credits, search for “Modern Mobility Partners” in the https://planning.org AICP CM portal to find all episodes.
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28:50
Ep. 30: 3 Things to Know About FRA's Corridor ID Passenger Rail Program
Episode Summary: Listen to national experts and certified planners, Keli Kemp and Kirsten Mote, both with Modern Mobility Partners, talk about how the Corridor ID program is progressing the future of high-speed rail in the US. Listeners will learn the answers to the following questions in Episode 30:
How the Corridor ID program started and why it is important?
What are the different selection criteria for the Corridor ID program
What are the three steps in the Corridor ID program and what is required for each step?
Where does the funding for the different steps come from?
What comes after the Corridor ID program?
Links:
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (colloquially the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL) allocated $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending, with $550 billion for new investments and programs. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/
The Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program is a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program that will help guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and create a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation. https://railroads.dot.gov/corridor-ID-program
The new Corridor Identification Program is managed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). It will be the pathway to federal financial support and technical assistance for new or improved intercity passenger rail routes across the country. https://https://www.hsrail.org/blog/corridor-id/
Notice of Solicitation of Corridor Proposals and Funding Opportunity for the Corridor Identification and Development Program
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/20/2022-27559/notice-of-solicitation-of-corridor-proposals-and-funding-opportunity-for-the-corridor-identification
FY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program Selections
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fy22-CID-program-selections
Co-Hosts:
Keli Kemp, AICP, PTP has 25 years of experience in transportation planning and consulting and co-founded Modern Mobility Partners in early 2018 with Jennifer Zhan. Keli holds a M.S. degree in Urban Planning from Texas A&M University.
Kirsten Mote, AICP has over 14 years of experience in transportation planning and is certified by MIT Media Lab’s Beyond Smart Cities program. Kirsten is an Associate Vice President and Director of Smart Mobility Planning with Modern Mobility Partners. Kirsten holds a M.S. degree in City Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Guest Speaker:
Yu Lin is a Transportation Planner with Modern Mobility Partners with over 2 years of professional experience. He graduated from New York University with a M.S. degree in Transportation Engineering/Planning. His interests include Sustainable Transportation, Micro-mobility, and Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Modern Mobility Partners is an Atlanta-based women and minority-owned transportation planning and traffic engineering consulting firm. Service areas include smart mobility and transportation planning, demand modeling and traffic engineering, and data analytics and visualization.
If you are interested in learning more about Modern Mobility Partners, please visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
To obtain AICP CM credits, search for “Modern Mobility Partners” in the https://planning.org AICP CM portal to find all episodes.
This podcast is for transportation planners and enthusiasts who want to learn PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS to modern day transportation challenges. Learn step-by-step how to plan for new and emerging technologies, increasing e-commerce, resiliency, micromobility, and equity, just to name a few. Co-hosts, Keli Kemp and Kirsten Mote, are certified transportation planners, national experts, and thought leaders at Modern Mobility Partners, a female and minority-owned transportation planning and engineering consulting firm in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit www.modernmobilitypartners.com.
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