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The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Belmont-Ohio-Marshall Transportation Study (BOMTS) area includes projects and programs for which implementation is anticipated in the next fiscal year and the following three years. Programming of projects herein is on a July 1 fiscal year basis. Counties within the BOMTS area include Belmont County in Ohio as well as both Ohio and Marshall Counties in West Virginia.
The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and the Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming regulations include provisions regarding the preparation of the TIP and the program's contents. These provisions, in part, relate to:
With regard to public involvement, the regulations require that the proposed TIP be published or otherwise made readily available for review and comment. Additionally, the planning process is to support early and continuing involvement of the public in developing plans and TIPs. Belomar's Public Involvement Process for Transportation Planning and Programming has been followed in the development of this program. Belomar is also in the process of preparing a "participation plan" which will encompass the public involvement process. New and additional opportunities for involvement will be available.
With regards to the regulations, and consistent with the programs of the respective States, this program covers a four year period.
Regarding financial constraint, funding tables by category, separated by State, are included following highway project listings. It is acknowledged that the selection of projects by the State, by fiscal year, represents consistency with available funds and no further financial planning is required by the MPO. The only exception to this position is in regards to local suballocated STP and CMAQ funded projects in Belmont County. In this case, a comparison of programmed projects and current balances and anticipated allocations will be present. The transit portion of the TIP reflects state-level guidance.
Rather than prioritizing State selected projects, submitted as TIP input, local members developed a list of projects based on need, as seen from their perspective. An overall listing of projects and project categories, by county, was then prioritzed irrespective of whether of not the projects were selected by the State for inclusion in this TIP. It is felt that the selection of projects by the State in cooperation with the MPO, should strongly consider the priorties contained herein for advancing latter year projects, as well as adding new projects in the future.
While the TIP is primarily intended to identify federally funded projects, regulations require the identification of regionally significant projects which are non-federally funded. Regulations further require that the TIP include only projects that are consistent with the transportation plan.
The most current TIP represents the second program prepared since the three county study area was designated non-attainment fo the national ambient air quality standard for ozone and the first since the non-attainment designation for PM2.5(fine particulates). This designation requires a conformity analysis to ensure that transportation plans and programs do not contribute to worsening the air quality and to demonstrate future attainment of the standard.
BOMTS FY2010 - FY2013 TIP (Rev. 04/29/2010)
BOMTS FY2008 to FY2011 TIP Document (Revised 5/11/2009)
