The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a requirement of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process as described in the Metropolitan Planning Final Rule 23 CFR 450 section 324.  This regulation developed by the Federal Department of Transportation defines the Transportation Improvement Program as:

“A staged, multiyear, intermodal program of transportation projects which is consistent with the metropolitan transportation plan.” 

The Pioneer Valley TIP is a four-year schedule of priority highway, bridge, transit, and multimodal projects identified by year and location complete with funding source and cost.  The TIP is developed annually and is available for amendment and adjustment at any time.  Each program year of the TIP coincides with the Federal Fiscal Year calendar, October 1 through September 30.  All TIPs and amendments are consistent with the goals and objectives of the Regional Transportation Plan for the Pioneer Valley region.  This TIP is financially constrained.

FEDERAL AUTHORIZTION

MAP-21, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (P.L. 112-141), was signed into law on July 6, 2012. Funding surface transportation programs at over $105 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014, MAP-21 replaces SAFTEA-LU which was enacted in 2005.  The 8 planning factors defined in SAFTEA-LU have been carried over into MAP-21.

MAP-21 is a milestone for the U.S. economy and the Nation’s surface transportation program. By transforming the policy and programmatic framework for investments to guide the system’s growth and development, MAP-21 creates a streamlined and performance-based surface transportation program and builds on many of the highway, transit, bike, and pedestrian programs and policies established in 1991.[1]  (See Appendix E for additional information)

MAP-21 Performance Measures:

Pavement conditions on the Interstate System and on remainder of the National Highway System (NHS)
Performance of the Interstate System and the remainder of the NHS
Bridge condition on the NHS
Fatalities and serious injuries-both number and rate per vehicle mile traveled-on all public roads
Traffic congestion
On-road mobile source emissions
Freight movement on the Interstate System

[1] http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/