Chapter Thirteen - Cultivating a rural lens: successful approaches to developing regional transportation corridors through professional capacity building

Abstract

This chapter introduces workforce, planning, and operational challenges unique to rural areas, and highlights successful practices for developing integrated regional and multistate transportation corridors. Case studies are presented, which underscore the importance of incorporating workforce development into all regional transportation development initiatives. Sustained promotion of professional peer-to-peer networks that facilitate technology transfer and professional capacity building is shown to provide opportunities for multijurisdictional communication and collaboration, two critical components in advancing regional corridor development projects. By integrating research, scalability, and professional development into all projects, local and state agencies can help create the framework for long-term collaboration and coordination between multiple agencies and stakeholders, as well as the staff competencies necessary to achieve regional transportation system improvements.