Transportation

Core Products

Transportation Improvement Program

What is the TIP?

The TIP is the region’s collaborative list of transportation investment priorities. This list includes all projects which are federally funded, along with non-federally funded projects that are regionally significant. It is a federal requirement that all MPO’s develop and maintain a TIP. Projects include highway and transit projects, as well as bicycle, pedestrian, airport access, rail, and freight-related projects.

Overall the TIP is an obligation document. Obligations are a commitment from the federal government to reimburse the state for the federal share of a project’s eligible costs. Once a project is in the TIP a project or project phase is authorized in a federal agreement under which Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or Federal Transit Administration (FTA) commits to reimburse the state for a share of eligible costs.

Each project in the TIP must include; a sufficient project description (type, termini, length, etc.), an estimated total cost, the amount of federal funding proposed for obligation during each program year, and the identification of the project administrator.

All TIP’s developed in the Commonwealth of Virginia are combined into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). After approval of the TIP, all revisions to the TIP must also be recorded in the STIP. Approved TIP documents are submitted to the FHWA and the FTA for review and acceptance.

TIP and Related Documents

Why is there a TIP?

The RRTPO development and maintenance of a TIP is required by federal law for the region to receive and spend federal transportation dollars. Federal law also requires that the RRTPO TIP be combined with the TIPs of the other MPOs in the Commonwealth of Virginia to become the Commonwealth’s STIP. The production of the TIP is a peak of the transportation planning process and represents a consensus among state, regional, and local officials as to projects selected for implementation. Consensus is important because the federal and state governments want assurances that all parties have cooperatively developed priorities before committing funds to a project. A project's inclusion in the TIP signifies regional agreement on the priority of the project and establishes eligibility for federal funding.

Who is involved?

The RRTPO is responsible for the development and maintenance of the TIP in cooperation with the Commonwealth of Virginia, specifically the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT). However, approximately 20 jurisdictions or agencies participate directly with the RRTPO TIP development and maintenance. Direct participants include member governments, operating agencies, and state and federal agencies. Other organizations and groups are also able to participate in TIP development and maintenance through the process outlined in the RRTPO Public Participation Plan.

When is the TIP in-place?

The TIP obligates funds for at least four federal fiscal years. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. The first year programmed in the TIP (Fiscal Year 2021 will be October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021. Funds obligated to a project in the first year of a TIP are intended to be committed dollars. Obligations for the next three years covered under the TIP are reasonable projections of anticipated funds and are subject to revision based on project implementation progress. The TIP is required to be updated every four years, however any TIP update process must be compatible with the STIP update process. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, the STIP is updated on a three-year cycle to ensure that the program never lapses. The STIP lapsing would halt project progress for all federally funded or regionally-significant projects statewide.

Where is the TPO study area?

The RRTPO TIP must include all federally funded or regionally-significant transportation projects that are located within the RRTPO Metropolitan Planning Area or MPA. The MPA must encompass the existing urbanized area as defined by the United States Census, as well as the adjacent areas anticipated to be included in the defined urbanized area boundaries in the next twenty years. For the RRTPO, the MPA includes all of the Town of Ashland, Hanover County, Henrico County and the City of Richmond and portions of Charles City County, Chesterfield County, Goochland County, New Kent County and Powhatan County.

How do projects get into the TIP?

The TIP is not the starting point for projects. It is a requirement for moving forward to implementation. Typically, a transportation project begins as a concept. From this conceptual level the planning process begins. Projects concepts are further cemented through the planning process and culminate in plans, ranging from local comprehensive plans, small-area or corridor studies; and, of course, the MTP. Through these planning processes that first project concept starts to be refined based on the input of experts such as planners and engineers, as well as insight from elected officials and citizens. As projects are refined efforts start to focus on how to get projects funded. Local officials and transit agencies request funding allocations through a variety of programs. Once a project has secure funding allocations, those funds must be authorized before a project can progress. That is when a project is ready for inclusion in the TIP.

How can you participate with the TIP?

Public participation occurs at multiple points in TIP development and maintenance. Requirements of the TIP development process are illustrated in the RRTPO Public Participation Plan. With the development of the TIP the RRTPO must review and approve the proposed TIP development schedule, the opening of the public comment period for the draft TIP, and the final TIP document. These items pass-through both the TAC and the RRTPO through their regularly scheduled meetings, which are always open to the public.

The DRAFT TIP document is also made available for 45-day public review period. This document is made available on the website, and can be provided by other mechanisms, if needed. The public comment period is also noticed in local newspapers. A public meeting focused on TIP development is also held during this period. All comments provided are incorporated into the TIP document. All submitted comments will receive a response.

In TIP maintenance if the TIP is being amended that amendment must be reviewed by the RRTPO Technical Advisory Committee and considered for approval by the RRTPO. TIP amendment notification is posted on the website with links to details about the proposed TIP amendment and directions for providing comment.

How to read the TIP: Project Page Key

System: All projects are categorized into one of seven systems: Interstate, Primary, Secondary, Urban, Enhancement, Miscellaneous, or Public Transportation
UPC/STIP Code: A number assigned to each project from start to completion
Description: Details about the project including scope and location
Schedule: The current project schedule with expected start and end dates by phase
Cost Estimate: Estimated total cost for the project.
Planned Obligations: The amount of federal funding and state or local match needed to complete each phase, by funding type and fiscal year. A guide to the abbreviations used for federal funds is included in the financial plan section of this document.
Project Map: A map showing the general location of the project. For some transit projects and projects covering a wide area, a project map may not be available.
Plan2040 Goals: Goals from the long-range plan addressed by the project.