The Long View

Making More of Corridor Studies

By Keith Warta, PE

A staple of long-range-planning corridor studies line the bookshelves of many a director of public works. Corridor studies provide a high-level look at a segment of roadway, generally more than a mile long. Cities, counties and even states undertake these studies to anticipate and plan for future transportation needs. Rapidly developing areas present a dynamic situation, challenging officials, developers and utilities. The studies help cities provide guidelines for expansion, creating a kind of road map for the future.

As useful as they are, however, their high-level approach limits their value to local governments. Based on USDS contours and aerial photos, they are not helpful for design. As actual projects are planned, design starts from scratch, with little salvageable from the investment the city or county has already made.

But this is changing in some jurisdictions. Planners are pushing their corridor studies past the planning level to include preliminary design elements whose value is not lost once actual projects are on the table.

This cost-effective investment pays off in more accurate budget estimates, increased flexibility and a more comprehensive understanding of development issues.

This new generation of corridor studies is more comprehensive. Roadways being studied are actually designed to a point that allows a comprehensive understanding of development issues, potential utility conflicts, right-of-way issues and new development tie-ins.

The added detail allows governments to make better decisions, and to take concrete steps to better serve the public. For example, the enhanced study can set right-of-way for the entire corridor, allowing a city, for example, to proactively purchase and preserve it before troublesome building interferes. The goal is to create usable information along the way.

There are a number of advantages to making the investment in more comprehensive corridor studies;

• • Entities gain key information without developing final construction documents.
• • Accurate budget numbers are established for planned projects.
• • A road map for future development is created.
• • Flexibility is maintained since design is not finalized and changes can be more easily made.
• • Right-of-way can be purchased early.
• • Utilities can be managed on a larger, more economical scale.
• • More accurate capital improvement programs can be developed.
• • Corridors can be broken into smaller, budget-based project phases.

These studies make sense economically as well. Since preliminary designs are the basis of the study, there is no wasted effort. A city or county can proceed to final design and construction documents when ready, reaping substantial savings for its residents.