Federal transportation agencies want feedback on NWA planning commission

Federal highway and transit agencies are seeking public comment on the planning process of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission as part of their review of how the commission makes plans.

The commission, as a metropolitan planning organization in a region with a population of at least 200,000, is required to be certified by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration every four years. In Arkansas, the commission is one of three metropolitan planning organizations that must be federally certified. Little Rock will require recertification in two years and West Memphis will require recertification next year, said Valera McDaniel, transportation planner for the Federal Highway Administration, Arkansas Division, based in the Little Rock.

Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission was based in a region large enough to require certification after the 2010 Census, and it was first federally certified in 2014. This is the second time the commission has been reviewed for certification.

Staff of the federal agencies have been in the area since Monday (June 18), and are expected to remain through Wednesday (June 20). In 90 days, they will complete a report on the findings. People can comment on the commission’s planning process up until the report is released, said Amy Heflin, team leader for the planning and air quality team for the Federal Highway Administration, Arkansas Division.

Metropolitan planning organizations with a population of at least 200,000 that are not federally certified could face delays in transportation projects, but Heflin said she doesn’t see this being an issue for Northwest Arkansas.

Also, McDaniel said if there were issues, they would likely be addressed as they arise because cities and counties don’t want problems that might delay federal funding for transportation projects. After the 2014 certification planning process, the federal agencies had recommended to add a seat for Missouri on the technical advisory committee, and the planning commission has since done so, McDaniel said. Other issues, which also were addressed, related to the timing of updates to plans and bylaws.

One of the biggest changes since the previous certification process is the planning commission’s new performance measures, said Tim Conklin, transportation programs manager for the commission. In this process, the Missouri and Arkansas departments of transportation, Razorback Transit and Ozark Regional Transit took part to show how they are planning for projects.

Conklin is unaware of any concerns with the planning process and has submitted all planning documents on time and met all requirements. One aspect of the process is it allows one-on-one time with federal transportation staff, he added.

Smaller metropolitan planning organizations, such as in Fort Smith and Jonesboro, must self-certify their planning process but are not required to be federally certified. One of the differences between the two processes is a public meeting for federal certification is required to receive feedback on the planning process.

On Tuesday (June 19), a public meeting was hosted at the Northwest Regional Planning Commission office in Springdale. Comments can be emailed to Heflin at [email protected], McDaniel at [email protected] or Lynn Hayes, with the Federal Transit Administration, at [email protected].

“We want to know from you is this process really working for you because after all the public is the whole reason why we’re going through this process,” Heflin said.