1、449 Federal Transit Admin., DOT 611.3 temporary handicaps may not be recognized as handicapped by social service agencies. 9. Question: Can the operator require that elderly and handicapped persons come to a central office to register for an off-peak half- fare program? Answer: FTA strongly encourag
2、es opera-tors to develop procedures which maximize the availability of off-peak half-fares to eli-gible individuals. Requiring individuals to travel to a single office which may be incon-veniently located is not consistent with this policy, although it is not strictly prohibited. FTA reserves the ri
3、ght to review such local requirements on a case-by-case basis. 10. Question: Must ID cards issued by one operator be transferable to another? Answer: No. However, FTA encourages con-sistency among off-peak procedures and the maximizing of availability to eligible indi-viduals, especially among opera
4、tors within a single urban area. Nevertheless, each oper-ator is permitted to require its own certifi-cation of individuals using its service. 11. Question: Can an operator require an el-derly or handicapped person to submit to a procedure certifying their eligibility before they can receive half-fa
5、re? For example, if an operator requires eligible individuals to have a special ID card, can the half-fare be denied to an individual who can otherwise give proof of age, etc, but does not have an ID card? Answer: Yes, although FTA does not en-dorse this practice. 53 FR 53356, Dec. 30, 1988. Redesig
6、nated and amended at 61 FR 19562, May 2, 1996 PART 611MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECTS Sec. 611.1 Purpose and contents. 611.3 Applicability. 611.5 Definitions. 611.7 Relation to planning and project de-velopment processes. 611.9 Project justification criteria for grants and loans for fixed guideway
7、 sys-tems. 611.11 Local financial commitment criteria. 611.13 Overall project ratings. APPENDIX A TO PART 611DESCRIPTION OF MEASURES FOR PROJECT EVALUATION. AUTHORITY: 49 U.S.C. 5309; 49 CFR 1.51 SOURCE: 65 FR 76880, Dec. 7, 2000, unless otherwise noted. 611.1 Purpose and contents. (a) This part pre
8、scribes the process that applicants must follow to be con-sidered eligible for capital investment grants and loans for new fixed guide-way systems or extensions to existing systems (new starts). Also, this part prescribes the procedures used by FTA to evaluate proposed new starts projects as require
9、d by 49 U.S.C. 5309(e), and the scheduling of project reviews required by 49 U.S.C. 5328(a). (b) This part defines how the results of the evaluation described in para-graph (a) of this section will be used to: (1) Approve entry into preliminary engineering and final design, as re-quired by 49 U.S.C.
10、 309(e)(6); (2) Rate projects as highly rec-ommended, recommended, or not recommended, as required by 49 U.S.C. 5309(e)(6); (3) Assign individual ratings for each of the project justification criteria specified in 49 U.S.C. 5309(e)(1)(B) and (C); (4) Determine project eligibility for Federal funding
11、 commitments, in the form of Full Funding Grant Agree-ments; (5) Support funding recommendations for this program for the Administra-tions annual budget request; and (6) Fulfill the reporting requirements under 49 U.S.C. 5309(o)(1), Funding Lev-els and Allocations of Funds, Annual Report, and 5309(o
12、)(2), Supplemental Report on New Starts. (c) The information collected and ratings developed under this part will form the basis for the annual reports to Congress, required by 49 U.S.C. 5309(o)(1) and (2). 611.3 Applicability. (a) This part applies to all proposals for Federal capital investment fu
13、nds under 49 U.S.C. 5309 for new transit fixed guideway systems and extensions to existing systems. (b) Projects described in paragraph (a) of this section are not subject to evaluation under this part if the total amount of funding from 49 U.S.C. 5309 will be less than $25 million, or if such proje
14、cts are otherwise exempt from evaluation by statute. (1) Exempt projects must still be rated by FTA for purposes of entering into a Federal funding commitment as VerDate Mar2010 10:10 Dec 13, 2010 Jkt 220218 PO 00000 Frm 00459 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:SGML220218.XXX 220218wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with
15、CFRProvided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-450 49 CFR Ch. VI (10110 Edition) 611.5 required by 49 U.S.C. 5309(e)(7). Spon-sors who believe their projects to be ex-empt are nonetheless strongly encour-aged to submit data for project evalua-tio
16、n as described in this part. (2) Such projects are still subject to the requirements of 23 CFR part 450 and 23 CFR part 771. (3) This part does not apply to projects for which a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) has already been executed. (c) Consistent with 49 U.S.C. 5309(e)(8)(B), FTA will make
17、project ap-proval decisions on proposed projects using expedited procedures as appro-priate, for proposed projects that are: (1) Located in a nonattainment area; (2) Transportation control measures as defined by the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); and (3) Required to carry out a State Im-ple
18、mentation Plan. 611.5 Definitions. The definitions established by Titles 12 and 49 of the United States Code, the Council on Environmental Qualitys regulation at 40 CFR parts 15001508, and FHWAFTA regulations at 23 CFR parts 450 and 771 are applicable. In ad-dition, the following definitions apply:
19、Alternatives analysis is a corridor level analysis which evaluates all rea-sonable mode and alignment alter-natives for addressing a transportation problem, and results in the adoption of a locally preferred alternative by the appropriate State and local agencies and official boards through a public
20、 process. Baseline alternative is the alternative against which the proposed new starts project is compared to develop project justification measures. Relative to the no build alternative, it should include transit improvements lower in cost than the new start which result in a better ratio of measu
21、res of transit mo-bility compared to cost than the no build alternative. BRT means bus rapid transit. Bus Rapid Transit refers to coordi-nated improvements in a transit sys-tems infrastructure, equipment, oper-ations, and technology that give pref-erential treatment to buses on fixed guideways and u
22、rban roadways. The in-tention of Bus Rapid Transit is to re-duce bus travel time, improve service reliability, increase the convenience of users, and ultimately, increase bus rid-ership. Extension to existing fixed-guideway system means a project to extend an ex-isting fixed guideway system. FFGA me
23、ans a Full Funding Grant Agreement. Final Design is the final phase of project development, and includes (but is not limited to) the preparation of final construction plans (including con-struction management plans), detailed specifications, construction cost esti-mates, and bid documents. Fixed gui
24、deway system means a mass transportation facility which utilizes and occupies a separate right-of-way, or rail line, for the exclusive use of mass transportation and other high oc-cupancy vehicles, or uses a fixed cat-enary system and a right of way usable by other forms of transportation. This incl
25、udes, but is not limited to, rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, auto-mated guideway transit, people mov-ers, ferry boat service, and fixed-guide-way facilities for buses (such as bus rapid transit) and other high occu-pancy vehicles. A new fixed guideway system means a newly-constructed fixed gu
26、ideway system in a corridor or align-ment where no such system exists. FTA means the Federal Transit Ad-ministration. Full Funding Grant Agreement means an instrument that defines the scope of a project, the Federal financial con-tribution, and other terms and condi-tions. Major transit investment m
27、eans any project that involves the construction of a new fixed guideway system or ex-tension of an existing fixed guideway system for use by mass transit vehi-cles. NEPA process means those procedures necessary to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NE
28、PA), at 23 CFR part 771; the NEPA process is com-pleted when a Record of Decision (ROD) or Finding of No Significant Im-pact (FONSI) is issued. New start means a new fixed guideway system, or an extension to an existing fixed guideway system. VerDate Mar2010 10:10 Dec 13, 2010 Jkt 220218 PO 00000 Fr
29、m 00460 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:SGML220218.XXX 220218wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with CFRProvided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-451 Federal Transit Admin., DOT 611.7 Preliminary Engineering is the process by which the scope of the proposed projec
30、t is finalized, estimates of project costs, benefits and impacts are refined, NEPA requirements are com-pleted, project management plans and fleet management plans are further de-veloped, and local funding commit-ments are put in place. Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation. TEA21 means th
31、e Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. 611.7 Relation to planning and project development processes. All new start projects proposed for funding assistance under 49 USC 5309 must emerge from the metropolitan and Statewide planning process, con-sistent with 23 CFR part 450. To be eli-gible
32、 for FTA capital investment fund-ing, a proposed project must be based on the results of alternatives analysis and preliminary engineering. (a) Alternatives Analysis. (1) To be eli-gible for FTA capital investment fund-ing for a major fixed guideway transit project, local project sponsors must perfo
33、rm an alternatives analysis. (2) The alternatives analysis develops information on the benefits, costs, and impacts of alternative strategies to ad-dress a transportation problem in a given corridor, leading to the adoption of a locally preferred alternative. (3) The alternative strategies evalu-ate
34、d in an alternatives analysis must include a no-build alternative, a base-line alternative, and an appropriate number of build alternatives. Where project sponsors believe the no-build alternative fulfills the requirements for a baseline alternative, FTA will de-termine whether to require a separate
35、 baseline alternative on a case-by-case basis. (4) The locally preferred alternative must be selected from among the eval-uated alternative strategies and for-mally adopted and included in the met-ropolitan planning organizations fi-nancially-constrained long-range re-gional transportation plan. (b)
36、 Preliminary Engineering. Con-sistent with 49 USC 5309(e)(6) and 5328(a)(2), FTA will approve/disapprove entry of a proposed project into pre-liminary engineering within 30 days of receipt of a formal request from the project sponsor(s). (1) A proposed project can be consid-ered for advancement into
37、 preliminary engineering only if: (i) Alternatives analysis has been completed (ii) The proposed project is adopted as the locally preferred alternative by the Metropolitan Planning Organiza-tion into its financially constrained metropolitan transportation plan; (iii) Project sponsors have dem-onstr
38、ated adequate technical capa-bility to carry out preliminary engi-neering for the proposed project; and (iv) All other applicable Federal and FTA program requirements have been met. (2) FTAs approval will be based on the results of its evaluation as de-scribed in 611.9611.13. (3) At a minimum, a pro
39、posed project must receive an overall rating of rec-ommended to be approved for entry into preliminary engineering. (4) This part does not in any way re-voke prior FTA approvals to enter pre-liminary engineering made prior to February 5, 2001. (5) Projects approved to advance into preliminary engine
40、ering receive blan-ket pre-award authority to incur project costs for preliminary engineer-ing activities prior to grant approval. (i) This pre-award authority does not constitute a commitment by FTA that future Federal funds will be approved for this project. (ii) All Federal requirements must be m
41、et prior to incurring costs in order to retain eligibility of the costs for future FTA grant assistance. (c) Final Design. Consistent with 49 USC 5309(e)(6) and 5328(a)(3), FTA will approve/disapprove entry of a proposed project into final design within 120 days of receipt of a formal request from t
42、he project sponsor(s). (1) A proposed project can be consid-ered for advancement into final design only if: (i) The NEPA process has been com-pleted; (ii) Project sponsors have dem-onstrated adequate technical capa-bility to carry out final design for the proposed project; and VerDate Mar2010 10:10
43、Dec 13, 2010 Jkt 220218 PO 00000 Frm 00461 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:SGML220218.XXX 220218wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with CFRProvided by IHSNot for ResaleNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS-,-,-452 49 CFR Ch. VI (10110 Edition) 611.7 (iii) All other applicable Federal and FTA
44、program requirements have been met. (2) FTAs approval will be based on the results of its evaluation as de-scribed in Parts 611.9611.13 of this Rule. (3) At a minimum, a proposed project must receive an overall rating of rec-ommended to be approved for entry into final design. (4) Consistent with th
45、e Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, project sponsors seeking FFGAs shall submit a complete plan for collection and analysis of information to identify the impacts of the new start project and the accuracy of the forecasts pre-pared during development of the project. (i) The plan shall
46、provide for: Collec-tion of before data on the current transit system; documentation of the predicted scope, service levels, cap-ital costs, operating costs, and rider-ship of the project; collection of after data on the transit system two years after opening of the new start project; and analysis o
47、f the consistency of predicted project characteristics with the after data. (ii) The before data collection shall obtain information on transit service levels and ridership patterns, including origins and destinations, ac-cess modes, trip purposes, and rider characteristics. The after data col-lecti
48、on shall obtain analogous informa-tion on transit service levels and rider-ship patterns, plus information on the as-built scope and capital costs of the new start project. (iii) The analysis of this information shall describe the impacts of the new start project on transit services and transit ride
49、rship, evaluate the consist-ency of predicted and actual project characteristics and performance, and identify sources of differences between predicted and actual outcomes. (iv) For funding purposes, prepara-tion of the plan for collection and anal-ysis of data is an eligible part of the proposed project. (5) Project sponsors shall collect data on the current system, according to the plan required under
