Summary

The TPB is required, under the authorized transportation bill, Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, to publish an annual listing of projects which funds have been obligated in the preceding year as a record of project delivery and progress report for public information and disclosure.

By providing public access to information on the obligation of federal funds each year, the report will be helpful in following the progress of the projects in the CLRP and TIP. 

The listings of projects and financial data are provided by the transportation implementing agencies in the region, including the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

While the inclusion of a project in the region’s adopted TIP ensures its eligibility for federal funding, the responsible transportation agency such as DDOT, MDOT, VDOT or WMATA must follow federal-aid financing procedures to obtain the federal funds to implement it.  The Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration first must approve a project and execute a project agreement which “commits” or gives the federal government’s promise to pay for the federal share of a project’s eligible cost.  Obligated funds are considered “used” even though no cash is “spent.”   Thus, while the projects listed in this report have received federal obligations of funds during the reporting period, work on them may not have begun.   Once the agency begins work on a project it applies to the federal funding agency for reimbursement.