The Road Less Traveled
The Road Less Traveled
Working with rural communities, we understand the need for cost-effective approaches to address transportation analysis requirements while complying with legal and technical expectations, such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Recent CEQA changes have expanded expectations for transportation analysis related to wildfire evacuation and vehicle miles of travel (VMT). These are challenging subjects to analyze for any agency, and even more so, for those without advanced data, the models needed, or the specialized expertise to apply them.
So, how can rural agencies close the gap between the new transportation planning expectations and their resource reality?
Fehr & Peers aims to remove the anxiety and complexity from the analysis, and instead offer simple, effective, and scalable solutions for practitioners working in rural communities. As such, we have prepared the following cost-effective web resources for rural planning.
Evacuation Analysis
Wildfire Evacuation Impact Checklist
| Description | Beginning with a straightforward checklist, this resource hones in on the most critical questions and evidence needed for an evacuation analysis. |
| Cost | Free |
| Set Up Time | Ready for immediate use |
| Agency Investment | Typically 2-4 hours of staff time |
VMT Analysis
VMTIndex
| Description | This ArcGIS map-based tool finds VMT for community or project scale impact screenings and assessments using big data from Fehr & Peers/StreetLight. |
| Cost | Free |
| Set Up Time | Ready for immediate use |
| Agency Investment | Typically 2-4 hours of staff time |
To get started, reach out to our experts below.
share this article
Contributors
Ian Barnes
Principal
PE
Email Me
Jason Pack
Principal
TE
Email Me
Ron Milam
Forecasting Practice Leader
AICP, PTP
Email Me
Chelsea Richer
Principal
AICP
Email Me
Explore More
Partnering from Concept to Construction
With a passion for bringing transportation concepts into reality, we partner with our clients on many projects from initial plans and prioritization through to construction. Learn how we worked to integrate complete streets solutions in Honolulu, Hawaii from concept all the way through implementation.
Understanding VMT Metrics: Explore Our Modeling Lexicon
CEQA’s July 1 deadline is swiftly approaching, making it increasingly important to be able to understand and navigate all types of VMT calculations. Our new quick-reference VMT lexicon makes that easier. Explore it now here.
Navigating Long-Term Transit: Planning in an Uncertain Time
We’re partnering with the Whatcom Transportation Authority in Bellingham, Washington to plan the long-term future and develop a strategy for restarting transit service, welcoming back riders, and ensuring riders can safely get where they would like to go. See what’s in the works.









