Resolve, Directing the Department of Transportation To Study Ways To Reduce Energy Use and Promote Efficiency along Major Transportation Corridors

Sec. 1. Develop recommendations on existing transportation laws, rules and policies. Resolved: That the Department of Transportation shall evaluate existing transportation laws, rules and policies, including, but not limited to, those that address transportation facility planning and design, traffic movement, driveways and entrances, urban compact designation and cost sharing and transit operations, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and how they might be changed to meet the objective of saving energy, measured principally by reduction in vehicle miles traveled, by maintaining arterial functions, improving system efficiency, reinforcing land use patterns that facilitate transit development and improving connections between land use and transportation decisions.

The evaluation must be conducted in collaboration with the Executive Department, State Planning Office and the Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies that determine land use patterns along with the Maine Municipal Association, regional planning entities, metropolitan planning organizations, regional planning commissions and interest groups affected by those transportation laws, rules and policies.

Wherever it might be shown to advance this section, the evaluation must consider:

1. Overlay zoning districts for corridors of regional economic significance for transportation;

2. Costs and benefits of purchasing land or easements, including access easements, along such corridors;

3. Transfer of development or trip rights programs to level the playing field between high-growth and low-growth arterial areas;

4. Costs and benefits of urban compact designation;

5. Feasibility of developing so-called "complete streets"; and

6. Other land use and transportation strategies designed to reduce growth in vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions, including transportation funding options; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Department of Transportation shall submit a comprehensive written report concerning the evaluation under section 1 by January 31, 2010 including detailed recommendations for legislation. This report must be submitted to both the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation and the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources. Upon receipt and review of the report, the committees may submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.

summary

This resolve directs the Department of Transportation to study ways to reduce energy use and promote efficiency along major transportation corridors.