The Planning Division is presenting the Draft 2014 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for the Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization for City Council review and recommendation to the Billings Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). The UPWP is primarily for the purpose of programming the federal dollars Billings receives from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for transportation planning. These funds are passed through the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT).  All planning activities are included in the UPWP so that it represents a comprehensive document of the urban transportation planning program. This UPWP proposes planning activities for Federal Fiscal Year 2014, which runs from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014.

This UPWP corresponds directly with the Planning Division’s annual work plan. The significant changes in this year’s program include adding back a Planner I position and the Alternative Mode Coordinator position within the division, the completion of the Billings Urban Area Transportation Plan, completing a Bike-Pedestrian Corridor Study linking Shiloh Road and Riverfront Park, and completion of a Highway 3 Access Study. The Transit section is Chapter II of the UPWP. The document is consistent with past programs.

The Council may:

• Accept the program (recommended) and instruct Mayor Hanel, or a designee, to give a positive recommendation to PCC; or
• Reject the plan and instruct Mayor Hanel, or a designee, to give a negative recommendation to PCC.  Rejection of the UPWP would mean a significant reduction in funding to complete planning activities in Billings and Yellowstone County; or
• Make amendments to the program document and instruct Mayor Hanel, or a designee, to give a positive recommendation with amendments to PCC

The PCC meeting is scheduled for September 17th.

Approval of the 2014 UPWP allows the City to access Federal funds for transportation planning in the community. Federal and local funds are combined to provide most of the planning work done by the Planning Division for the City and the County. If the UPWP is not approved, there would be a significant loss of resources for community planning. The breakdown of funding sources is provided below: 

• $   153,000   Planning Dept. Fee Revenue (City of Billings)
• $     51,000   Planning Dept. Fee Revenue (Yellowstone County)
• $   388,000   Yellowstone County Levy
• $1,059,737   Federal Planning (PL) Allocation
• $1,651,737   Total Program (UPWP)

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Draft 2014 UPWP and instruct the Council's representative to carry that recommendation to the PCC meeting on September 17th.