Federal regulations require that Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) review and update their Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) periodically. Given timing and funding adjustments with some transportation and transit projects, the current Billings 2020-24 TIP must be amended to maintain compliance with State and Federal requirements.

The TIP is a short-range program of highway and transit projects in the Billings MPO area and is prepared by City-County Planning Division staff in cooperation with state and local agencies. The purpose of the TIP is to provide the mechanism for scheduling federal funds for surface transportation projects, indicate regional priorities, and demonstrate a short range transportation vision for the area. A secondary purpose of the TIP is to provide information about other transportation projects in the urbanized area that are exempt from the TIP approval process, such as projects that do not utilize federal funds. This TIP amendment is being presented to the Planning Board for review due to timing and cost updates to several projects. All of the projects subject to updates in this TIP amendment are MDT projects that are supported by federal funding.

Staff has attached a quick reference page indicating what project adjustments are part of this amendment as well as the full amended 2020-24 TIP document itself.

Planning staff recommends the Planning Board receive a staff presentation and then hold a public hearing at this meeting. No action following the hearing is required at this meeting as the Planning Board will have any final discussion and take formal action at its meeting on June 28th.