2.6 Project Identification

The plans and programs discussed in previous sections lead to a comprehensive statewide process which connects the State’s transportation goals, performance measures, and targets to the transportation projects that will eventually be constructed.
Specific projects are identified through this process.

2.6.1 TxDOT Planning Documents

Once projects are identified through the planning process, they are placed in a series of regularly updated planning documents.
Figure 2-5
illustrates the progressive levels of planning detail, from long-term vision to project letting. A brief description of each of these documents is included below.
TxDOT’s Family of Planning Documents (click in image to see full-size image)
Figure 2-5: TxDOT’s Family of Planning Documents
2.6.1.1 Long-Term Planning Documents
The SLRTP and MTPs identify goals, objectives, performance measures, targets and investment strategies that determine the projects and services that will be included in the statewide and local capital improvement programs to meet current and future transportation needs.
  • Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan (SLRTP)
     – a 24-year blueprint for the transportation planning process that guides the collaborative efforts between TxDOT, local and regional decision-makers and all transportation stakeholders to reach a consensus on needed transportation projects and services. The SLRTP is updated every four years and can be found on the TxDOT.gov webpage referenced below.
  • Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTP)
     – a blueprint to guide the spending of federal and state transportation plans for regional areas for the next 20 years. The MTP is developed by the local MPO and approved by the MPO Policy Board and is updated every four or five years and can be found on the individual MPO webpages.
2.6.1.2 Project Development Planning Documents
  • Unified Transportation Program (UTP)
     – TxDOT’s 10-year fiscally constrained plan to guide transportation development across the State, approved annually by the TTC before August 31
    st
    . It determines how many construction dollars are expected to be available over the next 10 years and how to distribute them. Projects in the UTP can be found on the TxDOT.gov webpage referenced below.
  • Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
    – as projects move closer to construction or implementation, they will advance into a TIP. A TIP is a four-year program developed by MPOs that contains a fiscally constrained list of multimodal (e.g., highway, transit, bicycle, etc.) transportation projects in a specific rural or metropolitan area that accomplishes the planning goals and objectives and achieves targeted performance identified in the SLRTP and MTPs. The TIP for rural areas is developed by TxDOT Districts in cooperation with the RPO and incorporated into the STIP. Projects in the TIP can be found on individual MPO and RPO webpages.
  • Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
     –TxDOT’s four-year capital improvement program that includes the individual MPO TIPs mentioned above as well as other project identified by Districts. The STIP contains all phases of transportation projects in the final stages of development that have funds allocated to them. The STIP is updated every two years and has quarterly revisions (November, February, May and August). Projects in the STIP can be found on the TxDOT.gov webpage referenced below.
A proposed project must be listed in the STIP before any federal transportation funds (the Highway Trust Fund) can be used.
  • 2-Year Letting Schedule
     – Once a project is listed in an approved STIP, TxDOT’s 2-year letting schedule authorizes and administers its construction. Projects in the 2-year letting schedule can be found on TxDOT.gov webpage.
All project development planning documents are required to be funded and fiscally constrained.

2.6.2 Placing Projects in the STIP/TIP

As projects move through the project development process, they are eventually placed in the STIP. This planning document has many requirements to be aware of. Specific details concerning the STIP are listed below:
  • Updating a TIP must be consistent with the STIP development process;
  • Modifications to a currently approved TIP can be made as defined by state law;
  • The TIP is approved by the MPO and by the Governor's designee (TTC or TxDOT Executive Director). After approval, the TIP must be included without modification into the STIP except in nonattainment and maintenance areas where a conformity finding (i.e., a determination that a transportation plan, project, or improvement program will not violate air quality standards) by the FHWA and the FTA must be made before it is included in the STIP;
  • All TIPs must be financially constrained and are merged into the STIP. Generally, a project's letting year is established as part of placing it in the TIP;
  • Federal regulations require that projects proposing to use federal funds are shown in the TIP before project approval. Projects that will not use federal funds, but that will require approval by federal agencies (such as conformity with the Clean Air Act) must also be in the TIP;
  • In nonattainment areas or maintenance areas, all Regionally Significant projects, regardless of funding (federal, state or local), must be in the Statewide Implementation Plan (SIP) (see
    Section 3.4.5.1
    );
  • In nonattainment and maintenance areas, the TIP and MTP must be found to conform with the SIP. The projects in the TIP must contribute to a reduction in emissions;
  • In all areas, locally funded, Regionally Significant projects let in the previous fiscal year, must be listed in the Annual Project List provided to the FHWA/FTA at the end of the fiscal year for every year in the TIP/STIP;
  • The STIP must be consistent with expected funding levels and is fiscally constrained;
  • Before approval of the STIP, there must be an opportunity for public comment;
  • All projects listed in the STIP must be included in a TIP and MTP (MTP only where applicable);
  • All federal-aid projects must be included in the STIP before federal funds may be authorized for the phase of project development and before federal reimbursement of work will be authorized; and
  • Federal Project Authorization and Agreement (FPAA) (see
    Section 3.5.2
    ) to obligate federal funds must be obtained before incurring reimbursable project costs.
A nonattainment area is defined as a geographic area that has air quality levels that exceed the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for one or more pollutants.
A maintenance area is defined as an area that was formerly in nonattainment but has monitored attainment and is currently under a maintenance plan.
These areas can be found at TxDOT’s Open Data Portal.
TPP compiles the STIP, which is then approved by the Executive Director acting on behalf of the TTC (acting on behalf of the Governor). TPP forwards the STIP to the FHWA and the FTA for review and approval.
  • Coordination:
  •  District planning staff
  •  MPO staff
  •  TPP staff
  • Tools to use:
  • Available training:
  •  DES100 – Introduction to Highway Transportation at TxDOT
  •  DES121 – Building Roads the TxDOT Way
  •  ENV403 – Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL)
  •  TPD331 – TxDOTCONNECT Unified Transportation Program Overview
  •  TPD332 – TxDOTCONNECT Viewing Planning Targets
  •  TPD333 – TxDOTCONNECT Managing the District/Division Program
  •  TPD334 – TxDOTCONNECT Managing the Statewide Program
  •  TPD335 – Unified Transportation Program Training