Based on individual formal actions of the members (Planning Board, Board of County Commissioners and Billings City Council) of the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC), Planning Division MPO staff recommends the PCC approve the Transportation Improvement Program Amendment 4.

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 Billings PCC for final local adoption after individual formal actions by the members of the PCC.  Staff has included and attached to this staff report a quick reference sheet indicating what project updates are included in this amendment. 

The item has been presented at regularly scheduled public meetings to the Yellowstone County Board of Planning, Yellowstone County Commissioners and the Billings City Council. Additionally, the public may attend this meeting and provide public comment.

The current TIP includes updates of federal funding for several projects in the Billings area. PCC may:

• Approve the TIP Amendment 4; or
• Not Approve the TIP Amendment 4

Not approving the 2020-2024 TIP Amendment would cause the Billings MPO to be out of compliance with State and Federal requirements and could affect the schedule and completion of Federally funded transportation projects in the Billings MPO area.

A range of federal funding sources is available to the Billings MPO area for the purposes of funding transportation system improvements. A list of those sources is shown in the TIP. There is no known direct impact to City or County funds in budgeting for these projects given the use of federal funding sources.