Regionally Significant Roadways
All projects designed to add capacity to roadway segments that are designated as “regionally significant” must be listed in the TIP. All projects using USDOT funding in the region must also be listed in the TIP.
At a minimum these Regionally Significant Roadways are defined as the MPO-designated Urban Area and Rural Area roads with a functional classification of Minor Arterial or higher. For MPO transportation planning and roadway functional classification purposes the MPO divides the Metropolitan Planning Area (i.e., Douglas County) into Urban and Rural Areas. The MPO designated Urban Area must include at least all of the Census defined Urbanized Area and should also include the area that the MPO expects to be developed with urban development within the next 20 years.
Additional roadway segments which are classified as Major Collectors typically have one or more of the following attributes and are also considered to be regionally significant.
Attributes for Regionally Significant Major Collector Roads
- Road segment is part of a State Highway route and/or part of the State maintained highway system.
- Road segment serves a major activity center in the region and is expected to have high peak hour traffic counts.
- Road segment serves to connect a major activity center to a higher classification road.
- Road segment serves to connect two higher classification roads.
- Road segment serves a “regionally significant” transportation facility.
- Road segment is located more than a mile away from a higher classification road.
- Road segment is the highest classification road in a township or city.
The functional classification of roadways in the region is determined by the designation of roadway classifications shown in the MPO approved Metropolitan Transportation Plan, and on the Functional Classification Map approved by the MPO and the FHWA in conjunction with the KDOT.
With the approval of the new Transportation 2050-Metropolitan Transportation Plan in 2023 the MPO updated its Roadway Functional Classification Map, and unless noted otherwise in the MTP or in the TIP all of the roads on the current MPO-approved Roadway Functional Classification Map for the Lawrence-Douglas County Region that are marked as Major Collector or higher are deemed to be “regionally significant” by the MPO.
All roadway segments within the Metropolitan Planning Area (i.e., all of Douglas County) that are designated as “regionally significant” by the MPO will be included in the regional travel demand model used by the MPO.
Regionally Significant Transit Facilities and Services
Facilities
At a minimum the regionally significant transit facilities are defined as maintenance and operations facilities (dispatch office, garage, stations, etc.) serving transit and/or paratransit operations that operate throughout Lawrence and/or Douglas County and typically operate for at least ten hours per day. Major transfer points with transit amenities (bus shelters, posted schedules, etc.) located along multiple transit routes are also “regionally significant” transit locations/facilities. Most regionally significant transit facilities are expected to be located in the MPO defined Urban Area. However, some “regionally significant” facilities may be located outside of that urban area if those facilities serve regionally significant transit and/or paratransit operations.
Services
At a minimum the regionally significant transit services are defined as general public transit or specialized transportation services based in Douglas County and serving transit dependent people and other persons throughout Lawrence and/or Douglas County and operating for a minimum of ten hours per day. In addition, transit services based elsewhere but operating in Douglas County (e.g., the JO that connects Lawrence to Johnson County) and serving the Douglas County population may also be defined by the MPO as regionally significant. Services operating in only the urban, only in the rural, or both parts of the region may be designated as regionally significant.
Regionally significant transit facilities and services should be described in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Data representing those transit services should also be included in the regional travel demand model when a mode choice component is added. All projects designed to add capacity to transit routes and services that are designated as “regionally significant” must be listed in the TIP. All transit projects using USDOT funding in the region must also be listed in the TIP.
Regionally Significant Transportation Facilities – Non-Motorized Modes
Many of the bikeway facilities shown on the MPO approved Bikeway System Map are “regionally significant.” Bikeways (including shared use paths, bike lanes, bike routes, etc.) will be considered to be “regionally significant” if the roadway in the same or adjacent right-of-way, or the nearest parallel roadway serving the same corridor as the bikeway, is designated as “regionally significant.”
In addition, trails that connect the cities/communities within the MPO’s Metropolitan Planning Area (i.e., Douglas County) as well as trails that provide connections to other cities/communities outside the MPO area may be defined by the MPO as regionally significant.
Sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities should be considered to be “regionally significant” if the roadway in the same or adjacent right-of-way is designated as “regionally significant.”
Regionally Significant Transportation Facilities and Services – Passenger and/or Freight Modes
Facilities
At a minimum these facilities are defined as passenger and/or freight facilities (depots, etc.) that serve to bring passengers and/or freight into the region and/or transport passengers and/or freight from Douglas County to other regions. These facilities must be part of services that are regionally significant. Major truck terminals, mainline railroads, rail spur lines serving major activity centers or shippers, rail yards, and public use airports should all be designated as “regionally significant” by the MPO. These regionally significant facilities should be described in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Facilities that provide a unique transportation service may also be designated as a regionally significant facility.
Services
At a minimum the regionally significant services are defined as public use inter-city passenger services or freight carrier operations that connect Douglas County to other regions around the country. Services that connect Douglas County to international destinations and markets are also considered to be regionally significant. Private fleet freight operations should also be defined as regionally significant if the private fleet operator has a distribution center or large terminal in the MPO area.