Ever wonder how the region’s transportation agencies prioritize and fund major projects and programs? Or which projects are scheduled for funding and construction in the next few years? On January 16, the TPB will host a public forum to shed greater light on the project funding and prioritization process and to take a closer look at the region’s four-year transportation spending document, known as the Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP.
Get the meeting information for the TIP Forum
The TIP is an important regional planning document because it identifies the major transportation projects and programs for which local, state, and regional agencies have identified and committed funding over the next four years. As such, it’s a reflection of the funding priorities of those jurisdictions and agencies. It also provides information on the sources of funding for major projects and can be analyzed to determine what share of spending is going to certain project types or travel modes.
As required by federal law, the TPB holds a public forum during the development of each TIP, which typically occurs every two years.
The TIP Forum will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2020. The first half-hour of the forum will be an open-house where TPB planners along with state and regional transportation officials will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. Representatives from the District, Maryland, and Virginia departments of transportation (DOT), and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will be able to explain how their state and regional planning processes align with the TIP. TIP officials from the three state-level DOTs and WMATA can also discuss their project prioritization processes, funding mechanisms, and opportunities for public involvement at the state and regional levels.
Then, TPB planners will present highlights from the new TIP that’s currently under development. These highlights will include some of the anticipated major projects and funding amounts. There will also be a preliminary report about how the DOTs are working toward reaching targets that they set for themselves on various performance measures. These measures include ensuring that a higher percentage of roadway pavement or bridges are in good condition or reducing the number of fatalities on roadway or transit systems. The performance will be compared with the funding levels the DOTs are programming for projects that would influences these measures. Once the forum concludes, the TPB’s Citizens Advisory Committee will meet for its monthly meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
A few major projects expected to be included in the draft FY 2021-2024 TIP include Maryland’s Purple Line light rail connecting New Carrolton with Bethesda, new bikelanes in the District of Columbia, and the new Metro Station in Alexandria’s Potomac Yards, which breaks ground this month and will help serve Amazon’s HQ2 expansion.
The TPB will consider the draft FY 2021-2024 TIP for approval at its March meeting. A federally required 30-day comment period ahead of that meeting will give the public a formal opportunity to comment on the draft spending document.
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