What is the Federal Functional Classification (FFC) System?
What is the Federal-Aid Urban Area?
How does this affect my project?
How can I find a functional classification map for my jurisdiction?
How do I make an amendment to the FFC?
What is the status of my functional classification request?

What is the Federal Functional Classification (FFC) System?

Functional classification is the process by which public streets and highways are grouped into classes according to the character of service they are intended to provide.

Generally, highways fall into one of four broad categories— principal arterials, minor arterials, collector roads, and local roads.

• Arterials provide longer through travel between major trip generators (larger cities, recreational areas, etc.)
• Collector roads collect traffic from the local roads and also connect smaller cities and towns with each other and to the arterials.
• Local roads provide access to private property or low volume public facilities.

The table below lists the classifications by rural/urban areas.

Rural Area	Urban Area
Principal Arterial (Interstate)	Principal Arterial (Interstate)
Principal Arterial	Principal Arterial (Expressway)
Minor Arterial	Principal Arterial
Major Collector	Minor Arterial
Minor Collector	Collector
Local Access	Local Access
All above as proposed/future roadway	All above as proposed/future roadway

For further definition by WSDOT, please visit:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/travel/hpms/functionalclass.htm

What is the Federal-Aid Urban Area?

Urban areas have been established in each metropolitan area under federal transportation requirements (Title 23, Section 103, United States Code).

The FHWA’s Surface Transportation Program (STP) assistance program requires a small portion of the STP funds be spent outside the federal-aid urbanized areas and federal-aid urban area. The urban/rural boundaries of the map are also used to maintain the federal functional classification system for highways and arterials.

Known as the “federal-aid urbanized” and “federal-aid urban” areas, the map for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties is designated by the Regional Council in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The results from the 2000 federal census were used to update the map.

Boundaries for Federal-Aid Urbanized Areas and Federal-Aid Urban Area [pdf]

How does this affect my project?

Functional Classification is one determinant of eligibility for Federal Transportation Funding.

All roadway projects using federal funds must be approved on the federally classified roadway system before projects on that roadway can be included in the Regional TIP (this includes proposed and new facilities.)

Projects, which are on a roadway with a Local Access functional classification of 09, 19, 29 or 39, are not eligible to use federal transportation funds unless they are one of the exceptions below.

• Any bridge project that is using BR funds
• Any bicycle project and/or pedestrian project
• Projects using STP (Safety) Funds
• Projects not on a roadway and using CMAQ or other funds
• Any transit project, including equipment purchase and park-and-ride lot projects

Adjustments to the urban area boundaries, Functional Classifications, and Federal Aid systems are needed to respond to various types of changes. These changes may be a result of residential, commercial and industrial development, revisions in corporate limits of municipalities, and modification of urbanized and small urban areas by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. These adjustments are required to establish the eligibility of specific highways, roads and streets for expenditure of federal aid funds for improvements. It may be necessary over time to amend the current FFC System to accurately reflect the classification of a particular roadway.

How can I find a functional classification map for my jurisdiction?

Federal Functional Classification Maps are available on the WSDOT web site, which can also be accessed via the main functional classification website. These maps can be selected by city, county, Urban Area or WSDOT Region.

Note: Some of the PDFs on the website have a large file size and may take several minutes to load for viewing based on the speed of your internet connection. In this case, or for repeated viewing, it may be best to save the map to your local machine. (To save to your local machine: either right-click the link for the map you want, select ‘save target as’ and navigate to the desired folder to which you want to save the document)

How do I make an amendment to the FFC?

To request a Federal Functional Classification amendment, download the application and instruction booklet Guidelines for Amending Urban Boundaries, Functional Classification and Federal Aid System or obtain a copy from your regional WSDOT office. WSDOT Regional Local Programs Contacts:
Northwest Region: Ed Conyers, 206-440-4734 | conyere@wsdot.wa.gov
Olympic Region: Neal Campbell, 360-357-2666 | campben@wsdot.wa.gov

After completing the application, make a copy.
If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Rossi at:
srossi@psrc.org or (206) 971-3054

Submit the original application form to your WSDOT regional local programs contact for review.
Submit the copy of the application to PSRC:
Stephanie Rossi
Puget Sound Regional Council
1011 Western Ave, Suite 500
Seattle WA 98104

If your request involves another jurisdiction or you check “yes” on #8 on the Application, you must request concurrence from the neighboring jurisdiction. Please provide that concurrence with your Application or notify PSRC that it has been requested.

PSRC staff will review the application to determine concurrence with the request. When complete, PSRC will send a letter to the WSDOT regional office, with a copy to the applicant.

Following PSRC and WSDOT Regional Office review, the WSDOT Planning & Programming Office will review the request for consistency with federal guidelines.
WSDOT Planning and Programming: 360-570-2441

For further information on the WSDOT portion of the process please visit the WSDOT site. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/travel/hpms/functionalclass.htm

Next the application will be forwarded to FHWA for a final decision. Once the review is complete, the applicant will be informed of the outcome of the request.
FHWA WA Division: Sidney Stecker, 360-753-9555 | stecker@fhwa.dot.gov

What is the status of my functional classification request?

The FHWA Approval (or denial) status of a requested functional classification change and whether an updated map is yet available can be checked at the WSDOT site which is linked from our Functional Classification Maps page listed above.

Please note this entire process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the nature and size of the request. Please keep this in mind with regard to state and federal funding application deadlines.

If you have any general questions please contact Stephanie Rossi at 206-971-3054 | srossi@psrc.org