The Federal Highway Administration has published a final report on the second phase of a project to evaluate the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. Mandated by Section 1808 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the study evaluated and assessed the direct and indirect impacts of CMAQ-funded projects on air quality and congestion levels. The first phase evaluated 67 CMAQ-funded projects from the FHWA database. Phase II of the study involved site interviews of metropolitan planning organizations and state departments of transportations at seven locations across the country to document effective practices for CMAQ project selection and implementation. The final report also identifies challenges and opportunities for improvement in CMAQ program implementation and includes case studies of the site visits. For more information, link to SAFETEA-LU 1808: CMAQ Evaluation and Assessment, Phase II Final Report. (9-22-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration has published the second audit of the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) program to assume federal authority for environmental reviews for transportation projects under the pilot program established by Section 6005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  The audit report, published in the Feb. 17 Federal Register, finds that Caltrans “has been carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed in keeping with the intent” of the memorandum of understanding for the program. The audit – which covers the first year of the program – reviews the pilot program’s compliance with criteria established in the FHWA/Caltrans MOU. It details areas of compliance as well as areas that need improvement or that are deemed deficient and must be improved.  For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (2-17-09)

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