Infrastructure Planning & Development Flashcards
7 cards from real MTO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Infrastructure Planning & Development flashcards as text
Which federal program provides funding specifically for highway safety improvements at high-risk locations?
Answer: Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
HSIP is a core federal-aid program dedicated to achieving significant reductions in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roads.
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is required to be established in urbanized areas with populations exceeding what threshold?
Answer: 50,000
Federal law requires establishment of an MPO in every urbanized area with a population of more than 50,000 to coordinate transportation planning.
What is the primary function of a Value Engineering (VE) study in transportation project development?
Answer: Systematically review a project to improve function and reduce costs without sacrificing quality
VE studies apply a systematic methodology to analyze project functions and identify alternatives that achieve required performance at lower cost.
Which design standard governs geometric design of highways and streets in the United States?
Answer: AASHTO Green Book
AASHTO's 'A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets' (the Green Book) is the primary standard for roadway geometric design in the US.
In context-sensitive design, what is the main principle that distinguishes it from conventional highway design?
Answer: Balancing community, aesthetic, and environmental values alongside transportation goals
Context-sensitive design involves all stakeholders early and integrates the road into its surroundings rather than imposing a standard template on every situation.
A 'design exception' in highway engineering is required when a project cannot meet which standard?
Answer: Controlling design criteria (13 controlling criteria per FHWA)
FHWA requires formal design exception approval when a project on the NHS cannot meet one of the 13 controlling design criteria such as lane width or stopping sight distance.
Which analysis method is most commonly used to evaluate the economic justification of a major transportation project?
Answer: Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)
BCA quantifies all project costs and benefits (travel time savings, safety improvements, emissions reductions) in monetary terms to determine if benefits exceed costs.