Transportation Project Feasibility Studies (APPLE)

Transportation Project Feasibility Studies also known as “Advanced Planning, Programming and Logical Engineering (APPLE)” is a program designed to educate local governments about the project development process, assist them in their decision making process, and provide resources to help develop and advance transportation projects.

Key outcomes of the program are intended to:

  • Provide information to decision makers about whether or not a project is technically and financially feasible

  • Assist local governments to clearly define transportation problems

  • Aid local governments to articulate a project’s Purpose and Need

  • Help local governments to clearly define a project’s scope

  • Assist local governments to better understand the potential environmental challenges benefits, and burdens

  • Aid local governments to better understand the financial costs and impacts of pursuing potential projects

Completed Studies

Please browse the FAQ’s below and if you still have any questions contact:

Mike “Kaz” Kaczorowski
mkaczorowski@rpcgb.org
(205) 264-8444

F.A.Q’s about the Program

How does the program work?

The RPCGB will contract with the local government to conduct an assessment. The RPCGB will:

  • Hire a planning or engineering consultant on behalf of the municipality

  • Manage the consultant for the municipality, and

  • Assist the local government through the initial project feasibility process

How does local government support the program?

The local government will assist the program by:

  • Providing a 20% match to the federal funding that the Birmingham MPO will apply to

  • Actively participating in the project development process

Who should use the program?

It is designed for use by local governments that do not have the technical capacity to develop and/or manage transportation project development activities. These governments along with projects identified as part of a Building Communities planning effort will be given first priority.

Why would we want to use the program?

It is ultimately meant to help local governments determine whether or not to pursue a project, and whether or not federal funding is appropriate.

How much funding is available?

MPO participation in these projects is capped at $60k total ($48k federal/$12k local).

What do we get for our money?

  • Advanced Planning Report (APR) i.e. Feasibility Analysis, complete with recommendations

  • Pre-NEPA screening to include (a) problem identification, (b) purpose and need, and (c) project scope.
    *Note: Pre-NEPA work will fold right into NEPA analysis conducted in the preliminary engineering process.