State System Planning Issues - Research Paper Example

30 January System Planning Introduction system planning is a general and wide terminology used to refer to the way in which the state has set up its programs for which it must follow specific policies and procedures. The state thus provides funding to the well designed, planned and designed program that has good objectives and goals; it also oversees its implementation and ensures that the system operates well. The first step that the state takes is to prepare an advanced planning document so as to receive system acquisition and operational costs. The state is also required to carry out a thorough feasibility study that so that it also determines alternatives as well as cost analyses. The concept of alternatives has been echoed by Amekudzi and Meyer who say that “an important step in planning and thus a component of conceptual framework is analyzing alternatives” (3). State system planning can take the form of many projects for example the roads and the air transport system. The planning system is considered as smart growth because of the way it helps in strengthening the government. The concept of planning has various factors driving it; according to the OECD, “the movement is being driven by growing public concern” (133). This was in reference to the spatial system planning; the book further describes other leading reasons for the development of the planning system as highway congestion, land consumption, need for infrastructure, and other costs of sprawl. Aviation System Planning This is the sector of high interest and is considered most by the state because of the many benefits that it offers the citizens. Washington state department of transport has this as one of its priorities; the Washington state policy has broadened its interest in many modes of transport. According to a report by the Washington State Department of Transport, this body has the role of advocating for the safeguarding of aviation facilities, safety in air transport, ensuring that air transport meets the required capacity, as well as getting rid of environmental impacts (wa.gov). For this to be achieved, the authority has to ensure that there is advocacy and partnership. Another similar project is the one in Minnesota which was named “State Aviation System Plan” as reported by the department, “the primary objective of the Minnesota state aviation system plan is to provide the state with excellent planning tools to assist in making informed decisions guiding the development of Minnesota’s system of airports and expending funds in a cost-effective manner” (Washington State Department of Transport, wa.gov). States aviation planning program should provide technical resources and organize to work with a cooperative style when approaching airport related work, communities, and planning organizations. Other organs that are of significance to the state are the decision makers, whose function is to set the policies and direction for the aviation system. In this case, the main target is to ensure viability and adequacy of aviation related transport and its partnership. According to the Federal Aviation Administration and Airport Operators Council International, “transporting planning has been recognized as a vital part of the overall transportation planning programs and airport planning is a vital part of the overall transportation planning effort” (14). The aim of planning is that given the project has been accepted and adopted by the aviation community, law making organs, public in general, the regulating bodies and the funding agencies, the end result will have been developed in an open, inclusive and creative way, and hence the product will be user friendly. Policy Objectives The planning process begins once planning efforts and plans for financial support have been organized. For process state, a general criterion has to be developed as well as policy objectives; these go well together given that the study design is factored in. Soon to follow these steps is the technical planning which is the stock taking of the available facilities. When this has been determined, prediction of the future requirement takes place. Therefore the planning process takes two forms, the initial and the continuing stages. Airport system planning begins with the establishment of ground rules which are generally termed to as the general criteria and policy objectives. In this case, the state has to set the time frame and the planning horizons. Aviation policy development carries several points distributed across the preparation process, initial adoption of the planning stage, during the reviews, when reconsidering the whole plan and amendments, and general long term reviews and policy development. Conceptual Framework Conceptual framework is a simplified version of a process which could have otherwise been complex; it presents systems planning and its development in an orderly manner such that there is a flowing development of ideas. This step could also be complex and has many activities running concurrently; at times, some of the steps taken in this process might have occurred somewhere else (Amekudzi and Meyer 33). As the system is being developed, there should be a vision to reflect the interaction between the desired states of prosperity, quality of environment, and the quality of life. All the factors that define sustainable life development are incorporated. The visioning process in one of the most important steps of the system planning process. As observed by Amekudzi and Meyer, vision process depends on deep public outreach and quite often, one of the most interactive processes (33). Having considered the vision stage, planning requires more information regarding vision strategies. Vision helps to project the desired transportation system performance. Another additional advantage of vision is that it can be able to provide an outlook of the desired characteristics surrounding the community life and pertaining to transportation; these could be the quality of environment as well as the economic development. Definition of Goals and Objectives A goal has been defined by Rouillard as “a specific and measurable accomplishment to be achieved within a specified time and under specific cost constraints” (4) Goals and objectives serve the purpose of defining the aim of planning and in turn lead to the identification of various means of evaluating different transportation systems and other alternatives. The primary function of setting goals and objectives is to enhance system performance measures, increase productivity, and market expansion. Analysis For the state to understand the challenges yet to be faced in the transport system in future, it has to analyze the data that has been collected in the field. The analysis process therefore focuses on understanding the transport system and how alteration to the adopted system will affect the performance. Through analysis, other components closely associated to transport system are analyzed; these factors are the environmental impact analysis, growth in economy, and the quality of living. Analysis process offers the opportunity to identify other options to serve as strategies for projects so as to meet the goals and the objectives. Tools associated with analysis are data and simulation models. Evaluation This is the judgment stage whereby benefits are analyzed as well as cost encountered determined. The main purpose of the evaluation stage is to work on the decisions that have been made, have an in-depth look at the alternatives suggested and consider the duration of the project, and to analyze the finance as suggested during planning. During this stage, evaluation criteria is applied; this is a very important component of the evaluation process since it links the needs of decision makers closely in such a manner that it reflects significant decisions concerns. Through evaluation, planners and institutions that are to carry out the activity will have an easy moment interpreting the decisions that have been made (Dillingham 39). State aviation system planning has a mission to provide safer and a more efficient aviation system. The funding process is underlined below: National plan of integrated systems-this is an inventory that ensures that the national criterion has been met, with this the airport is eligible to receive external support, and this is establishment of eligibility. Planning for eligible airports- this contains airport planning layout. Here, the current and future airport requirements are depicted. Also to be determined is the passenger demands. All this enable the project to receive government funding. Decision making for funding- this is accomplished through the airport capital improvement plans An airport becomes eligible for funding once it has met the minimal requirements. While referring to the projects of FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration), Dillingham suggests that “to ensure that the highest priority projects nationally are funded, discretionary funds are awarded using a national priority rating system that awards points on a variety of factors including airport system” (7). The funding process might as well go high given that airport sponsors are also encouraged to use the findings as well as the recommendations from regional planning so as to develop plans. It is recommended that a state work evaluation group has to be created to take charge of the assessment of the economy, people, and the governmental organizations (Bian 1). A more centralized planning board is more essential as it will keep balance of the created work. US Airspace System Constrained capacity at some of the American airports is reported to affect the efficiency of the airspace system, the long run effects is of the delays and congestion of flights. “A recent study found that congestion is concentrated in major metropolitan areas, such as Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Sanfransisco” (Dillingham 1). Due to this, the Federal Aviation Administration took the matter in their hands by providing funding of billions towards airport planning and development. This is a duplicate function of a regional airport planning system, it identified the problem, took the feasibility study and later provided funding to the project to ensure that the problem is eliminated, “FAA guidance states that the overall goals of airport system planning are to ensure that the airport transportation needs of a state or metropolitan area are adequately served by its airports” (Dillingham 5). Aviation system is evaluated quite often to ensure that the aviation vision are constantly met, as reported by Grass, Alaska Aviation System Plan released its executive summary in 2011, the purpose of the analysis was to highlight the crucial issues relating to the performance and upgrade other services to accommodate the vast growing technology, for example development of a website and development of an online aviation facility inventory database (Grass, alaskajournal.com). Works Cited Amekudzi, A. and M. Meyer. Consideration of Environmental Factors in Transportation Systems Planning. Transportation Research Board, 2005. Print. Bian, Morris L. The making of the State Enterprise in Modern China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 2009. Print. Dillingham, Gerald. National Airspace System. Collingdale: Diane Publishing, 2011. Print. Federal Aviation Administration and Airport Operators Council International. Planning the Metropolitan Airport System. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1970. Print. Grass, Jonathan. “Few Surprises in State’s Annual Aviation Report.” alaskajournal.com. 16 February 2012. Web. 30 January 2014. OECD. Towards a New Role for Spatial Planning. Paris: OECD Publications Service, 2001. Print. Rouillard, Larrie. Goals and Goal Setting: Achieving Measured Objectives. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2003. Print. Washington State Department of Transportation. “Aviation System Planning.” wa.gov. 2014. Web. 30 January 2014. Read More