How should the 2002 HPMS data be reported?
Consistent with guidance provided in a recently released Frequently Asked Questions document, www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census/faqa2cdt.htm, States can choose to adopt the Census 2000 designated boundaries as is or make minor adjustments to those boundaries as long as they encompass at least the Census designated areas. HPMS data should be reported in accordance with the State boundary decision starting with 2002 data reported in 2003, or at the earliest possible time after a State decision is made on any boundary changes. If the boundaries are changed from the existing boundaries, the State will need to do a functional reclassification of roads and an assessment of sample adequacy within the new urbanized area boundaries. The 5000-person population figure is retained for the purposes of defining the small urban versus rural break point used in HPMS Data Item 13; for HPMS data reporting purposes, a “small urban area” and an “urban cluster” are taken to have the same meaning. In accorda
