Book excerpt: FTA and FHWA have initiated a series of joint Enhanced Planning Reviews (EPRs) to assess the impact of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) on the planning processes conducted by the transportation agencies serving metropolitan areas. The EPRs are also intended to determine the effects of planning on transportation investment processes. This EPR for the Philadelphia metropolitan area included a federal site visit on 17-19 January 1995. At the conclusion of the site visit the federal team presented preliminary observations and recommendations to the local agencies taking part in the review. This Final Report describes the EPR in detail and contains summary conclusions as well as observations and recommendations.