Research Idea Details

Research Idea Scope

Section 1113 of MAP-21 addresses the Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program and provides for “optional
programmatic eligibility” as follows:

(1) IN GENERAL.—At the discretion of a metropolitan
planning organization, a technical assessment of a selected program of projects
may be conducted through modeling or other means to demonstrate the emissions
reduction projection required under this section.

(2) APPLICABILITY.—If an assessment described in
paragraph (1) successfully demonstrates an emissions reduction, all projects included
in such assessment shall be eligible for obligation under this section without
further demonstration of emissions reduction of individual projects included in
such assessment.

To date, guidance for modeling and documentation in
support of the new programmatic eligibility option has not been issued by the
US DOT. This proposed study would review and evaluate options for modeling for
the assessments, and may develop templates for the modeling and associated documentation.

Urgency and Payoff

The proposed study would help to streamline CMAQ analyses and support the implementation of MAP-21.