Develop a handbook for implementing planning and environmental linkages (PEL) into the transportation planning and environmental review processes. This guidebook seeks to compile the PEL information practitioners use into one source that conveys the range of notable practices that support PEL. It will both inform and provide practical advice to practitioners on how documenting analysis and decisions conducted during the transportation planning process can be used by adopting or incorporating by reference in the planning analysis and decisions into the environmental review process.

• DTFH6116D00013

• Planning, Environment, and Realty

• FY 2002-2022 / Planning, Environment, and Realty / Accelerating Project Delivery
• FY 2002-2022 / Planning, Environment, and Realty / Performance Based Planning

• Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation
• Data and Analysis
• Local and Rural Roads

This project developed a PEL handbook.  The handbook is under review by the Federal Highway Administration and expected to be available soon.

Through use of the PEL handbook, State DOTs and planning agencies are better informed of the PEL statutes and regulations that help to ensure that the planning products can be adopted, used and/or incorporated by reference during the NEPA process.

The handbook encourages early resource agency coordination that can provide important information on resources and potential impacts. The environmental context information derived from the PEL process can be used to avoid and/or minimize environmental effects.

The handbook reinforces early and continuous outreach and coordination enabling agencies to engage stakeholders and to build understanding and support of the project. This can contribute to more collaboration with the community on their needs, to increased trust, and to reduced controversy.