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Indiana

The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations

Indiana is the 13th smallest state in the U.S. in land area, 14th largest in population, and 16th most densely populated. However, approximately 53 percent of Indiana's population and jobs, and 96 percent of the land, is non-urban. About 85 percent of its roads are rural. Federally owned lands amount to only 2 percent of the state's land area.

Indiana is a slowly growing state, as measured by population, with a significantly growing rate of employment. The portion of the state's jobs that is in the uniquely rural agriculture and mining sectors is small (4 and less than one percent, respectively). Most jobs in Indiana's rural areas are in sectors also common in urban areas: construction, transportation & utilities (13 percent); manufacturing (29 percent); business & trade (24 percent); and services & government (30 percent).

Demographically, Indiana's non-urban population is predominately white (98 percent). Compared to the other states, the proportion of non-urban adults who did not graduate from high school is about in the middle, but the proportion who did graduate from college is the 14th lowest of all states. The 9percent of Indiana's non-urban people who are poor is lower than in most other states. About 42 percent of the state's non-urban population is in non-working age groups (29 percent 18 years or younger, and 13 percent 65 years or older).

Governmentally, Indiana is complex. The state has 92 counties, a fairly large number compared to many other states. Indiana also has 569 municipalities and 1,008 towns or townships, for a total of 1,577 sub-county divisions. It has the 9th highest number of sub-county governments. However, Indiana does not have any federally recognized Indian tribes.

In addition, the 1997 U.S. Census of Governments has identified 1 independent, special-purpose government in Indiana that has transportation (transit) responsibilities. This number is lower than in most other states. Indiana also has 19 other public transit providers serving rural areas and an additional 53 organizations that provide specialized transit services to elderly and disabled populations in those same areas.

Indiana has 11 regional councils that cover approximately 60 percent of the state, and 12 MPOs. These regional units help to coordinate the other local governments and play a role in rural transportation programs as described below.

Of Indiana's 92,054 miles of roads, approximately 12 percent are state-controlled, while none are federal. Of the total miles of rural roads, 13 percent are state, 83 percent are county, none are township, and 4 percent are municipal and other.

Processes For Consultation And Cooperation With Local Officials In Non-Metropolitan Areas

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) conducts a consultation process with local officials in non-metropolitan areas through the primary methods of the annual state Program Development Process (PDP) and a state consultation tour process involving meetings at its six district offices. In addition INDOT has conducted other processes including statewide forums on statewide planning issues held periodically, a focus group on rural transportation issues, and a cooperative transportation planning program with selected, multi-county, regional planning commissions. The INDOT process prepares a 20 to 25 year Long-Range Transportation Plan, a multi-year (6 to 10 year) "production schedule" list of projects and a 3-year Indiana Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (INSTIP).

The annual state PDP is a series of cooperative program development activities including program review, a "call for new projects" and statewide program revisions resulting in the updated annual production schedule and INSTIP. In each of the six INDOT district offices a "early consultation meeting" is held for rural area local elected officials, local government agency representatives, special interest groups, and other key transportation stakeholders. Projects drawn from the INDOT Long-Range Transportation Plan provide input into the review of capacity expansion projects recommended for advancement into the production schedule. The INDOT districts coordinate the project identification process and submit a list of recommended projects to the INDOT Division of Program Development. A statewide priority analysis is conducted in conjunction with fiscal analysis resulting in a draft program then receiving executive level review and approval. The recommended program is then provided to the district with a request for comments. Based upon the recommended program and the review process, the draft production schedule and INSTIP are prepared.

Annually, each of INDOT's six districts conducts public meetings to discuss the planning, selection, and programming of current and future transportation projects. These meetings are not limited to highway projects, but include air, rail, enhancement, and transit. These meetings use an open-house format. A key part of the meetings is to present the draft INSTIP, which lists all federal-aid highway and transit projects. Participants can discuss projects in the INSTIP or local problems that still need to be addressed with new projects. At the meetings, INDOT makes copies of the draft INSTIP for each district available for review. Those not attending the meeting also can request copies.

In 1994 and 1998 Statewide Forums on transportation planning issues related to the development of the INDOT statewide long-range transportation plan were conducted in the state capital. These involved presentations by noted experts on emerging trends affecting the state's transportation system, followed by "break-out sessions" to encourage participation by key stakeholders in the identification of future planning objectives and strategies. Also associated with the development of the statewide transportation plan, a rural transportation stakeholder focus group was conducted in 1998 to identify rural transportation planning issues.

INDOT initiated a trial planning program in the year 2000 for several regional planning commissions under the Rural and Small Metropolitan Transportation Pilot Program. Indiana contains several multi-county regional planning commissions, however there is not complete statewide coverage of all rural areas. INDOT entered into contracts with five regional commissions, and four MPOs (that are also regional planning commissions with rural counties), to provide services related to transportation planning for rural areas. The transportation planning activities undertaken by the regional commissions are coordinated with INDOT central office and district activities to prevent duplication of efforts on state jurisdictional highways. The Rural and Small Metropolitan Transportation Pilot Program is to focus on local transportation needs and provide assistance to the development of projects on non-state jurisdictional highways maintained by local governments. The results of the trial program will be evaluated in 2001.

Funding for non-state jurisdictional highways in counties and cities is based on miles of roads. In special instances, tax districts are formed to get a particular project done. However, counties typically support their roads through general county funds. Approximately 25 percent of federal transportation funding goes to local governments, including MPOs. Local public agencies generally fund work on roads and bridges in one of three ways:

Local project: Projects are initiated, designed and constructed with local funds.
Federal funded local project: Projects on an approved federal-aid route are typically funded at 80 percent federal and 20 percent local. Local agencies can apply for the federal funding. Assistance is provided though the local assistance representatives in the INDOT district. Program administration is provided through the Local Transportation Section of the Division of Program Development.
State project: Work is done by INDOT through its district offices on state, U.S., and interstate routes. The state selects and prioritizes these projects in a cooperative and consultative process outlined in the PDP.

Indiana uses these practices:

State Consultation Tours: INDOT districts hold annual meetings to discuss draft INSTIP and obtain input on other projects needed.
State Process to Compile Transportation Needs: INDOT conducts the annual state Program Development Process (PDP) to identify projects.
State Hearings: Draft (district) INSTIP is made available for review and comment at annual district "open-house" meetings. Also statewide forums are held periodically to obtain input on statewide planning issues.
Roles of RPOs: INDOT trial program--five of the state's regional planning commissions have some of the responsibilities of RPOs under the pilot program.
Allocation of Transportation Funds and Responsibilities: About 25 percent of federal funding goes to non-state jurisdictional highways maintained by local governments.

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