Data compiled by MATS staff.
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is an integral part of the planning process. According to joint regulations of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the TIP is “a prioritized listing/program of transportation projects covering a period of four years that is developed and formally adopted by a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as part of the metropolitan transportation planning process, consistent with the metropolitan transportation plan, and required for projects to be eligible for funding under Title 23 U.S.C. and Title 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53”.
The major purpose of the TIP is to identify and prioritize Federal-Aid projects and programs in local urbanized areas. An equally important objective of the TIP is to ensure that scheduled transportation improvements are consistent with current and projected financial resources. A TIP developed in consideration of the purposes mentioned above provides for the efficient use of available financial resources in addressing the area's transportation needs in an orderly and efficient manner.
This document represents the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for MATS for Fiscal Years 2023 – 2026 (October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2026). It was approved by the Policy and Technical Committees on June 7, 2022. The minutes of the June 7, 2022 Policy Committee meeting, including discussion of the TIP and motion regarding resulting resolution, are included in Appendix A of the report, together with the MATS Resolution regarding TIP, and a Planning Process Certification.
The selection of all projects to be included in the TIP is primarily the responsibility of the Technical Committee in consultation with MATS staff. The merits of each project are examined, based on local needs, priorities, and importance within the area-wide transportation system, and also on factors delineated in current federal transportation legislation. The Technical Committee evaluates the collection of proposed projects, selects, schedules, and sets overall program strategies for the four-year program. The entire TIP project list (including the selected Federal-aid projects and recommendations established by the Technical Committee and staff) is forwarded to the Policy Committee for review before release of the preliminary list for public comment. Following an appropriate comment period as required by law, it is then the responsibility of the Policy Committee to grant final approval of the project list that is included in the TIP document.
The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant[s] from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, under the State Planning and Research Program, Section 505 [or Metropolitan Planning Program, Section 104(f)] of Title 23, U.S. Code. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The TIP is effective October 1,2022 -September 30, 2026. Although the MATS 2023 - 2026 Transportation Improvement Program was approved by the MATS Policy Committee in June of 2022, it does get changed from time to time. Amendments to the TIP may be needed to add a new project or phase, modify a currently programmed project (limits of project or significant monetary change), or delete a programmed project. Modifications could include changes in the funding amount, project description, or type of funding. The MPO coordinates closely with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in developing all amendments.
Therefore, while the main body of the report does not change, the listing of approved projects may be reissued, once approved by the MATS Policy Committee, MDOT and both FHWA and FTA. The most recent listing of approved projects can be found here.
It is important to note that this is a dynamic list, that changes over the course of the year. These adjustments can be required for several reasons, ranging from changing local priorities, changes in available funding, projects that come in above or below expected cost, and new projects being required due to unforeseen events such as the extreme flooding in May of 2020.
“Approximately $1 Million of this funding is attributable to MATS directly per STUL fund allocation for transportation projects in the Midland urbanized area.”
Over the course of the lifetime of a Transportation Improvement Program, changes may need to be made to specific projects listed in the TIP, or projects may be added due to increased availability of funding or unforeseen circumstances. When this happens, the changes are proposed to MATS approximately according to the schedule presented here.
The process involves MATS staff reviewing the proposed changes, assembling a draft table laying out the proposed changes (which will be posted on this website here), and presenting that table to both the Technical and Policy Committees. If the MATS Policy Committee approves the changes, they are frequently aggregated with recently approved changes and sent on to MDOT prior to final approval at the Federal Highway Administration.
As the schedule shows, this organizes the process of proposed changes to the TIP so that information can be gathered, reviewed, and presented in a timely fashion, prior to a decision by the Policy Committee.
In many cases, municipal planners and engineers generate lists of potential improvements based on their needs, analyses, previous studies, and citizen input.
The local proposals are then reviewed at the city, county, and regional level in consultation with the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Once each implementing agency has developed its own list of projects and priorities, it presents this list to MATS, where the Technical Committee reviews each proposal before making recommendations to the MATS Policy Committee. The Policy Committee seeks to ensure that the highest priorities of the region are being addressed within the limits of available resources.
Finally, MATS provides the forum through which its Policy Committee members determine the TIP. After considering the recommendations of the Technical Committee and the public comment, the Policy Committee determines the final list of projects, and adopts the multi-year TIP for advancement.
MATS uses a set of agreed upon criteria to determine which projects are selected for inclusion in the TIP. These criteria include such things as Safety, Pavement Condition, Economic Vitality/Congestion Relief, Traffic Volume/Functional Classification, NMT Capabilities, Local Priority/Funding Support. The relatively small amount of funding has driven the selection process to be concise and uncomplicated, but with a degree of flexibility.
