Evaluation of the ADOT Small Area Transportation Studies and Planning Assistance for Rural Areas Programs.

摘要

The Planning Assistance for Rural Areas (PARA) program, sponsored by the Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT) Multimodal Planning Division (MPD), dedicates funding and staff to conduct multimodal transportation planning studies for local jurisdictions. This research study's goal was to evaluate and refine ADOT's PARA program to better meet the goals of both ADOT and its local jurisdictional partners. This study had four phases: database development and evaluation of PARA studies from 2002 to 2012, peer state interviews and assessment of similar programs, in-state surveys and interviews with key stakeholders, and PARA program evaluation and recommendations. The study found that overall, PARA stakeholders were satisfied with the PARA program. Stakeholders stated that PARA programs provided resources for identifying needs and addressing issues that were not otherwise readily available to small communities with budget constraints. Based on the stakeholder assessment, this study made recommendations to strengthen ADOT's ability to address diverse transportation planning issues, streamline the PARA study process, and improve MPD's interaction with PARA stakeholders.