The Transportation Improvement Program - or TIP - is the official listing of the region's short-term transportation priorities. It includes all the regionally significant projects that the states and other jurisdictions in the region have approved and are intending to implement over the next six years. All projects that receive federal funding must be included in the TIP.
The six-year TIP is a multimodal list of projects. In addition to highways and public transit, it includes bicycle, pedestrian, and freight-related projects. The TIP documents the anticipated schedule and cost for each project phase, including project engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. When an agency submits a project phase for inclusion in the TIP that means the agency seriously expects to implement it during the next six years.
The projects in the TIP are staged over several years. For example, a highway improvement project typically consists of a planning phase, an engineering phase, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. Each of these phases may last a number of years. While the entire project is included in the TPB's long-range plan, in many instances, only a portion of these activities is reflected in the six years covered by the TIP.
Inclusion in the TIP represents a key milestone in the authorization of funding for a project. It does not, however, represent a commitment or an obligation of funding. More specifically, the TIP does not guarantee that a project will be implemented. Problems can arise that may slow progress on a project or even remove it from the program.
The TIP also is not a final schedule for project implementation. The time frame shown in the TIP reflects a best estimate at the time the TIP is developed. Project phases can be pushed back, particularly when transportation agencies face funding problems or other obstacles.
Much like the CLRP, the TIP must be updated at least once every four years according to federal regulations. The TPB formally updates the TIP every two years. Due to the multi-jurisdictional nature of the region, there are many different agencies operating on different schedules. The TIP is frequently amended over the course of two years. For the latest updates to the TIP and to find out more details about each project, visit www.mwcog.org/clrp/tip and click on &"Search the CLRP and TIP".