STATE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

Tennessee Department of Transportation

10/1/10 to 9/30/14

   As a condition for receiving Federal SAFETEA-LU funds TDOT develops a STIP every three (3) years listing all highway and public transit transportation projects proposed for funding under Title 23 (highways) and Title 49 (transit) of the US Code. It also must contain projects consistent with the State Long Range Plan, as well as, state and locally funded regionally significant transportation projects regardless of funding source. The STIP includes state and local roadway, bridge, bicycle, pedestrian, safety and public transportation (transit) projects. STIP covers a four-year period and is based on funds, which are reasonably expected to be available for project implementation.

The STIP located at http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/programdev/docs/STIP2011-14.pdf for 10/1/10 to 9/30/14 describes this process and provides the following:

• FUNDING PROGRAM DEFINITIONS
  

• DESCRIPTIONS OF FUNDING CATEGORIES, PROJECT PHASES, and MATCH PERCENTAGES
  

• AVAILABLE FUNDS AND ESTIMATED COSTS
  

• CONTACT LISTING FOR THE RURAL PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS and RURAL PROJECTS
  

• CONTACT LISTING FOR THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS - PROJECTS ARE LISTED ELSEWHERE
  

• FOREST HIGHWAYS/PUBLIC LANDS CONTACT & PROJECT LISTINGS
  

• TRANSIT CONTACT LIST, FINANCIAL SHEETS, AND PROJECT LISTINGS
  

Process

  TDOT is the principal agency in the state for development, implementation, administration, consolidation, and coordination of state transportation policies, plans, and programs. These policies, plans, and programs are developed in cooperation the MPO/RPOs, various interested party groups, and federal land management agencies.  The Statewide Steering Committee for the STIP includes citizens, affected public agencies, representatives of public transportation employees, freight shippers, private providers of trans-portation, representatives of users of public transportation, representatives of users of bicycle transportation facilities, representatives of the disabled, and providers of freight transportation services.

   Each year TDOT prepares a 3-Year Comprehensive Multimodal Program (CMP) in support of the annual highway budget. It includes a list of projects, by phase, which has a reasonable chance of being implemented as planned and forecasts for the next three fiscal years. The CMP contains projects listed in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), or those that will need to be amended into the STIP. Factors shaping these policies and programs include: safety, the integration of transportation modes, service and investment preservation, customer focus, economic development, technology, environment partnerships, and federal actions.

   MPOs have a structure to identify and prioritize proposed transportation improvements, federal funds for transportation improve-ments, and a process for developing a Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Priority lists from each MPO for state funded projects are submitted to the Department for consideration during the 3-Year CMP and STIP preparation process. Each MPO is sent a copy of the Draft STIP, along with the public comment notification, and encouraged to solicit input from their organization members. TIPs, once adopted, are forwarded to TDOT for inclusion in the STIP. Each MPO has an adopted public involvement plan, which it uses to develop its TIP.  Their TIP PROJECT LIST can be found at: Bristol, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Cleveland, Jackson, Johnson City, Kingsport, Knoxville, Lakeway, Memphis and Nashville.

The RPOs operate similar to the MPOs, but do not receive a direct allocation of Federal Funds.  Their TIP PROJECT LIST is included in the STIP.

APPALACHIA DEVELOPMENT HIGHWAY SYSTEM (APD)

.

ARRA / TIGER GRANTS

BONDING AUTHORITY (BOND)

BRIDGE BOND (BRBD)

BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION

   (BRR-L) / (BRR-S) .

DEMONSTRATION SET ASIDE OF THE STP (DEMO)

FOREST HIGHWAY/PUBLIC LANDS (FH/PL).

INTERSTATE MAINTENANCE DISCRETIONARY (IMD) .

LOCAL (LOCAL)

NATIONAL CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE

    IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (NCIIP)

NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS PROGRAM (NSBP)

NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM (NHS)

PUBLIC LANDS HIGHWAY DISCRETIONARY (PLHD)

STATE (STA)

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS (STP),

  (L-STP), U-STP), (STP-S).

TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNITY AND SYSTEM

    PRESERVATION (TCSP)

TRUCK PARKING GRANT PROGRAM (TPG)

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

   TDOT has a Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy, effective on December 1, 2010, designed to routinely INTEGRATE bicycling and walking options into the transportation system as a means to improve mobility and safety of non-motorized traffic, developed with the help of the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Specialist.

   TDOT is committed to the development of the transportation infrastructure, improving conditions for bicycling and walking through the following actions:

• Provisions for bicycles and pedestrians will be integrated into new construction and reconstruction of roadway projects through design features appropriate for the context and function of the transportation facility.
  

• The design of facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians will follow design guidelines and standards as developed by the department.
  

• Where shoulders with rumble strips are installed, a minimum clear path of 4 feet of smooth shoulder is to be provided.
  

• In cases where a minimum shoulder width of 4 feet cannot be obtained, such as in restrictive urban areas, an increased curb lane width will better accommodate bicycles and motor vehicles within the shared roadway. The recommended width for shared use in a wide curb lane is 14 feet.
  

CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY (CMAQ)  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Focuses on Multi-modal Transporation alternatives

TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT SET ASIDE (ENH)   . . . . . . . . . . . .   Primary Source of Bike and Pedestrian Funding

HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS (HPP) & (HPP-L) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Earmarks often designated for Greenway Projects

HIGH RISK RURAL ROADS (HRRR)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Source of funding for RUMBLE STRIPING.

HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP)                              See Alliance Report of Gettting Fair Share of HSIP

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA)

RECREATIONAL TRAILS (RTP)

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL (SRTS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Encourages kids to walk and bike to school

Funding also includes the following programs that have special interest to bicycle and pedestrian activities.

In the 2010 Rescissions in Tennessee 95% came from funding loss for Transportation Enhancement (TE) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) projects, because had large UNOBLIGATED balances.

Funding

   This is where is gets VERY confusing. Fiscal Year 2011 (10/1/10-9/30/11) funds include both remaining funds from prior years, plus projected revenue estimates for FY 2011. TDOT monitors estimated project cost and obligations throughout the life of each project. Also included in the type of funds used in this document are congressional earmark funds (HPP) and demonstration funds (DEMO).  Click here for a description of the process.  FHWA funds are allocated to the state in the following categories:

Most planning organizations have more programs than appear in the TIP.  For example, the Nashville MPO reports that OVERALL requests are THREE times the available funds.  They prioritize projects BY FUNDING CATEGORY based on importance to the submitter and likelihood of execution, plus other political factors.

Some project do not get OBLIGATED because they may be in a program CATEGORY, but are low in a community's matching funds priority. The MPO generally requires local "matches" to assure local commitment. When excess availablity occurs in a CATEGORY due to lack of obligation, those funds are subject to rescission.

TDOT's policy to INTEGRATE Bike/Ped into the transportation system means that such facilities are not necessarily called out as a separate program under TE or CMAQ and subject to rescission or elimination of a Federally mandated set-aside.  Review TIPs for inclusion of Bike/Ped in the description of STP projects.

Tennessee Department of Transportation <-- Federal-Aid Highway Programs Funding <-- Transportation Improvement Programs -->

  Transportation Enhancements

CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION

TENNESSEE ALLOCATIONS