PART 7D

OTHER ELEMENTS:

ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION

IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Como discutir la transportacion en Espanol

1. DRAFT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP) OF 12/1/2011

2. DRAFT STATE TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (STIP) OF 12/1/2011

3. OZONE AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY FOR TIP AS OF 11/2011

4. PARTICULATE AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY FOR TIP AS OF 11/2011

5. SEE SECTION 5C BELOW FOR LEGAL NOTICE ON STIP AND TIP AS OF 12/1/2011

1. DEFINITION OF TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the list of all federally funded transportation projects in the Housatonic Valley Region. The projects included on this list are scheduled to receive federal transportation funds within the next five years.

The TIP for the Region is part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) maintained by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (Conn DOT).

Approval of the combined STIP/TIP by the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO), acting as the federally required Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), is required before any federal funds can be expended on transportation projects in the Housatonic Valley Region. This link gives local governments some influence over the process.

This project review and approval role has been bestowed upon HVCEO since 1975 by federal regulations. However, HVCEO cannot act within a policy vacuum. Its own regional transportation policies must be clearly set forth in its Regional Transportation Plan.


Federal transportation regulations specifically provide regional agencies in Connecticut including HVCEO with the opportunity to cooperate with Conn DOT on decisions regarding how federal transportation funds are spent. The approval of both agencies of TIP/STIP entries is required for projects to be funded.

The goal is of course not to quarrel, but to cooperate, such that projects moving forward have the endorsement of both parties. To emphasize, to move forward any project must be on the STIP/TIP.

Members of the public has the right to state what they do and do not want in the STIP/TIP. Local elected officials will be interested in this input. Public meetings at which to express your views are also held.

The minimum public comment period provided is thirty days prior to a vote on the STIP/TIP. The date and time for a public input meeting on the STIP/TIP will be advertised in the News Times at least 15 days before the meeting.

If the final STIP/TIP either differs significantly from the one which was first made available for public comment, or if it raises new material issues which interested parties could not reasonably have foreseen, an additional opportunity for public comment on the revised STIP/TIP will be made available.

When written or oral comments are received on the draft STIP/TIP as a result of the public involvement process, a summary, analysis, and report on the disposition of comments shall be made part of the final STIP/TIP.


Questions regarding the HVCEO TIP or any of the projects listed in the combined STIP/TIP may be directed to: David Hannon, HVCEO Deputy Director, Old Town Hall, Routes 25 & 133, 162 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, CT 06804, Phone: (203) 775-6256, Fax: (203) 740-9167, email to dhannon@hvceo.org.

2. STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a five year financial document that lists all projects expected to be funded in those five years with federal participation. It is a compilation of the regional TIP's.


Conn DOT's Office of Policy develops this document in cooperation with the state's eleven metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and in consultation with the state's four rural regional planning organizations (RPOs).

The STIP is multimodal and includes investments in various modes such as rail and bus transit as well as highway facilities. The STIP is the means of implementing the goals and objectives identified in long range regional and state transportation plans. Only on rare occasions has HVCEO vetoed a project on the draft TIP - the goal is to cooperate and benefit the area.

3. FISCAL CONSTRAINT REQUIRED

Federal regulations require that every regional TIP and state STIP be “fiscally constrained,” meaning that program costs for a given year cannot exceed program revenues for the same year.


However, since most federal funding authorizations are made for statewide programs, individual regions are dependent on Conn DOT to provide estimates of the amount of federal funds available statewide, and for assuring that a sufficient portion of those funds are allocated to each region to cover the cost of each region’s programmed projects.

Some projects included in the STIP, such as the Enhancement Program, require a local match to federal funds rather than a state match. This is provided by the municipality in which the project is located.

Local funding sources on the TIP/STIP may include bonding, state LOCIP grants or other sources.

4. PROCESSING OF FREQUENT TIP
AMENDMENTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS

HVCEO will receive periodic requests from Conn DOT to adjust the adopted STIP/TIP. This is done through a process of amendments and administrative actions.


Conn DOT makes the determination as to which changes need to be acted upon as the more complex amendments and which changes can be acted upon as the simpler administrative actions.


Administrative actions are limited to those projects where cost estimates are changing by less than 20%. They are not for projects where the scope of what is to be constructed is now to vary significantly from what has already been approved thru the more rigorous TIP amendment process.

Major changes to the STIP/TIP, as identified by Conn DOT, require a Council vote and a formal amendment process. But minor changes to the STIP/TIP can be accomplished by administrative actions at the discretion of the HVCEO Executive Director without a vote by the Council. The following guidelines define the process:

--- Whenever a request is received from Conn DOT for either a STIP/TIP amendment or administrative action, the request is checked against what the HVCEO or executive director has already approved.

--- HVCEO contacts Conn DOT's liaison person with any questions. If the requested STIP/TIP change involves a request for an administrative action, the executive director will determine if the proposed action needs to be reviewed by the affected municipality.

If the requested change is an amendment, it is placed on the Council's agenda for action and no administrative action solely by staff is appropriate. Even if the requested amendment is for a minor change an informational call is usually made to the affected municipal chief elected official, prior to a vote on the amendment request by the HVCEO.

--- Once voted approved by the HCEO or signed-off by the executive director, a copy of the endorsing resolution or administrative action is transmitted to the Conn DOT liaison person and copies are placed in the TIP file.

5. PROCEDURES FOR
FULL TIP/STIP UPDATE

5A. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
HVCEO’s policy to facilitate proper administration and public involvement during the semi-annual consideration and adoption of the full TIP for the Housatonic Valley Region includes the following:

--- HVCEO will provide a 30 day public comment period on the draft TIP for the Housatonic Valley Region prior to consideration for endorsement.

--- HVCEO will hold a public meeting on the draft TIP.

--- HVCEO will advertise the public meeting in a local newspaper at least 15 days in advance of the meeting. (see notice below).

--- HVCEO will post the draft TIP on the HVCEO web site.

5B. RELATED APPROVALS
The "Resolution Endorsing the TIP" will be adopted at the same meeting as related approvals, which are the TIP’s two Air Quality Conformity Statements.

5C. MODEL LEGAL NOTICE (IN THIS CASE FOR FY2012 TIP)
The Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO), acting as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation planning in the HVCEO Region, will hold a public information meeting on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. to provide an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the draft 2012-2015 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the HVCEO Region, and related air quality conformance documents.

This information provides a listing of proposed federally funded transportation projects for the HVCEO Region, which includes the ten municipalities of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield and Sherman. The meeting will be held in HVCEO’s office, located at 162 Whisconier Road (Route 25), Brookfield, CT.

Capital and operating projects under the Federal Transit Administration's Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program, sponsored by the Housatonic Area Regional Transit District, are included in the draft STIP and TIP.

This information is available for review at HVCEO’s office, via the mail to you, and on HVCEO’s web site at: http://www.hvceo.org/transport/transport_TIP.php.

The HVCEO will meet on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 12:30 P.M. in the Brookfield Town Hall at 100 Pocono Road in Brookfield, CT to consider endorsement of the draft STIP, TIP and related air quality conformance documents. Comments on these items can be submitted in writing to HVCEO prior to the meeting or in person at the meeting. Comments on these items can also be submitted in writing directly to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111).

To receive a copy of the draft STIP, TIP and related air quality conformance documents, to ask questions, to submit written comments, or to obtain directions to meeting locations, contact David Hannon at HVCEO, telephone (203) 775-6256, or e-mail dhannon@hvceo.org.

6. FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

The program definitions and information below are useful in reading and reacting to the draft TIP/STIP:


TRANSIT PROGRAMS
FTA Section 5309 Capital Funding Program (80/20) - includes “New Starts”
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) administers several transit funding programs. The Section 5309 program provides capital funding for the establishment of new rapid transit projects (New Starts: 40%), the improvement and maintenance of existing rail and other fixed guideway systems (Rail Modernization: 40%), and the rehabilitation of bus systems (Bus and Other: 20%).

The new start funds are all awarded on a discretionary basis. Proposed new rail services must compete against proposals from other areas of the country. The FTA will pay up to 80% of the total project costs for projects funded through Section 5309. State and local governments are required to fund at least 20% of project costs.

FTA Section 5307 Capital & Preventive Maintenance Program (80/20)
The FTA Section 5307 funds are available to urbanized areas with a population of 50,000 or more. Funds are distributed to states on a formula basis. Eligible purposes include planning, engineering design and evaluation of transit projects and other technical transportation-related studies; capital investments in bus and bus-related activities such as replacement of buses, overhaul of buses, and rebuilding of buses.


Also, crime prevention and security equipment and construction of maintenance and passenger facilities; and capital investments in new and existing fixed guideway systems including rolling stock, overhaul and rebuilding of vehicles, track, signals, communications, and computer hardware and software. All preventive maintenance and some Americans with Disabilities Act complementary paratransit service costs are considered capital costs.

In the Housatonic Valley Region, the funds have been used primarily to purchase replacement buses for the Housatonic Area Regional Transit District (HART) system and for the HART bus garage. In Connecticut, the State DOT, the regional planning agencies, and the regional transit districts have agreed to a process of “pooling” earmarked funds into a general statewide capital program.


This allows a more effective program for purchasing and replacing buses. Because the average life of a bus is 12 years, and it is more costly to purchase only a few buses at a time, most urban areas purchase infrequently, but in larger quantities. The statewide pooling of funds makes it easier to accommodate these irregular replacement schedules. The Federal Transit Administration will pay 80 percent of the cost of a project funded with Section 5307 funds.

HIGHWAY PROGRAMS
Interstate Maintenance (90/10)
The Interstate Maintenance program provides federal funds to rehabilitate, restore, and resurface the Interstate highway system. These funds can only be used on Interstate highways. Federal funds can be used to pay for up to 90 percent of a project's cost.

National Highway System (80/20)
The National Highway System (NHS) funds can be used for improvements (new lanes, reconstruction, resurfacing, etc.) on roadways designated as part of the National Highway System. These include all the Interstate routes as well as other freeways and specially designated "principal arterials". Qualified major roadways in the Housatonic Valley Region include: I-84, and portions of Route 6, Route 7, Route 25, Routes 202.

These eligibility guidelines for NHS are more flexible than the Interstate programs. Funds can be used for transit projects, ridesharing projects, or any other type of project in the travel corridor served by a NHS road so long as it improves travel in the corridor. Funds can even be transferred to some of the STP programs as well (see STP sections below.) The funding ratio for the NHS program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds.

STP-Urban Program (80/20)
The STP-Urban program is one of several Surface Transportation Programs that provide funds for projects not on the Interstate System or the National Highway System. The funds are intended to benefit minor arterial and collector roads rather than the more critical principal arterials funded by the Interstate and NHS programs. However, to be eligible a roadway must still be classified by the Federal Highway Administration as a collector or arterial. Purely local roads such as subdivision streets are not eligible.

The STP-Urban program provides funds for improvements to eligible roads in urban areas. These eligibility guidelines for STP-Urban are flexible. Funds can be used for a wide range of projects including roadway widening, roadway reconstruction and transit projects.

HVCEO has primary responsibility for determining how to spend STP-Urban funds in the Federally defined urban areas of the Housatonic Valley Region. STP-U funds are allocated to urban areas according to a formula that is based on population of the area. Since funds are earmarked for specific urban areas, metropolitan planning organizations, such as HVCEO, are responsible for setting funding priorities. The funding ratio for the STP-Urban program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State and/or local funds.

STP-Anywhere Program (80/20)
As the name implies, STP-Anywhere funds can be used anywhere in a state. Since STP-Anywhere funds are not allocated to specific urban areas or regions, the Connecticut Department of Transportation usually determines where the funds will be spent and which projects will be funded. The funds can be used for any type of transportation project. Historically, this program is the largest of all the STP funding categories. The funding ratio for the STP-Anywhere program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds.

STP-Safety Program (80/20)
Ten percent of all STP funds must be spent on safety improvement projects. The Connecticut DOT uses a list of high accident rate locations to select and develop candidate projects for this program. Projects are also selected from DOT's program to improve railroad grade crossings. The funding ratio for the STP-Safety program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds.

STP-Enhancement Program (80/20)
Ten percent of all STP funds must be spent on transportation enhancement projects. There is no single criterion or definition of what constitutes an "enhancement" project. Generally, however, the project should enhance the environment of motorists, transit users, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Restoration of historic transportation facilities is also an eligible type of project. Categories of eligible activities that relate to surface transportation projects include:

• Facilities for pedestrians and bicycles
• Safety and educational activities for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Scenic easements and scenic or historic sites
• Landscaping and other scenic beautification
• Historic preservation
• Rehabilitation & operation of historic transportation facilities
• Preservation of abandoned railway corridors
• Control and removal of outdoor advertising
• Archeological planning and research
• Environmental mitigation to address water pollution
due to highway runoff or reduce wildlife mortality while
maintaining habitat connectivity
• Establishment of transportation museums

The Connecticut DOT selects the STP-Enhancement projects in consultation with all of the regional planning organizations in the State. Each region submits its highest priority projects and DOT selects from among the submittals. The funding ratio for the STP-Enhancement program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent local funds. Typically, the State does not provide the matching funds for this program.

High Priority Projects (80/20)
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) included over 3,600 high priority projects specified by Congress. Unlike other funding programs authorized by SAFETEA, Congress included a specific list of individual projects to be included in the program. Funds can only be used for the projects on the list. The funding ratio for the high priority program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent non-federal funds.

Bridge Program: On System (80/20)
The primary federal bridge program is the "On System" bridge program. It provides funds to replace or rehabilitate bridges on eligible roads. To be eligible a bridge must be on a road classified as a collector or higher. That is, it must be "on" the Federal-Aid road system. The Connecticut DOT has a program of regularly inspecting and rating the condition of bridges. Candidate projects are selected from the list of bridges with poor or fair condition ratings. Typically municipal bridges are not considered in the selection process. The funding ratio for the on system bridge program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds.

Bridge Program: Off System (80/20)
Another (and smaller) federal bridge program is the "Off System" bridge program. It provides funds to replace or rehabilitate bridges that are not on the Federal-Aid road system. The Connecticut DOT has a program of regularly inspecting and rating the condition of local as well as State bridges. Candidate projects are selected from the list of local and State bridges with poor or fair condition ratings. Since most State roads are on the Federal-Aid road system, they are not qualified for this program. Many of the funded projects are municipal bridges. The funding ratio for the off system bridge program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds.

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (80/20)
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality is a program created specifically to address congestion and air quality problems. Funds must be used for projects that reduce congestion and/or vehicular emissions. The funds are intended to help achieve the goal of the 1990 federal Clean Air Act Amendments. Examples of eligible activities include: transit improvements, travel demand management strategies, traffic flow improvements, and public fleet conversions to cleaner fuels.

The funds are distributed to states based on the number of people living in air quality non-attainment areas and the severity of the state's air pollution problem. A one-half percent minimum apportionment is guaranteed to each state. The funding ratio for the CMAQ program is 80 percent federal funds to be matched by 20 percent State funds. Some CMAQ projects may qualify for 100 percent federal funding.

How to Read TIP Project Listings
--- Project Location: Name of the municipality(s) or area (Some projects are multi-town or statewide.)
--- Route or System: Name of the road(s) or transportation system affected by the project.
--- Description: Brief description of the project.
--- Project Description – Sometimes a project description will contain an “AC” notation. The initials “AC” stand for Advance Construction, which is a term used to describe a Conn DOT financing procedure in which a project is ‘advertised’ for construction bids late in one fiscal year (noted by an “AC Entry” notation), with the actual funding commitment occurring in the following fiscal year (noted by an “AC Conversion” notation.) These projects are typically listed for both years, with “0” funding showing in the year of advertisement, and the full funding showing in the following year, the year of funding obligation.
--- Project Phase: Designates which phase of the project is being funded.
--- PE - design/engineering
--- ROW - rights-of-way acquisition
--- CON - construction
--- ACQ - acquisition of capital equipment
--- OTH - other activity
--- Year: Year in which federal funds are scheduled to be committed or "obligated" to the project; 07 = federal fiscal year 2007 (Oct. 1, 2006- Sept. 30, 2007); 08 = federal fiscal year 2008 (Oct. 1, 2007 - Sept. 30, 2008), etc.
--- Total Cost ($000): The total cost of the phase being funded. (Federal share + State share + Local share). Federal ($000): The Federal share of the phase being funded (in thousands). State ($000): The State share of phase being funded (in thousands). Local ($000): The Local or town share of phase being funded (in thousands).
--- Project Number State project number assigned to the project.
--- Federal Funding Program: Name of the federal transportation program that will be used to fund the project.