How to Engage Local and Regional Officials on Transportation Projects in Your Community
A number of projects included within MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) are initiated by municipalities. These municipal projects, along with other regional transportation priorities, are often discussed in depth at Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meetings. As such, getting involved with both your municipality and MPO are great ways to provide input and receive information on transportation issues in your community. More information on this process is below.
The Role of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in STIP and CIP Development
Massachusetts’ 13 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), the transportation policy and decision-making bodies which are composed of local and state officials, play a critical role in the development of the STIP. MPOs annually review and select eligible projects for funding with their allocation of federal funds for inclusion into a region’s 5-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
Each year, MPOs in Massachusetts release their draft TIPs for public review and comment. When these documents are released for public review, the dates for the public comment period will be provided on the MPO’s webpages at the links below. In the meantime, stakeholders and members of the public who are interested in participating in their MPO’s TIP development process may do so by attending their respective MPO’s upcoming meetings (information also available at the following links). If you are unsure of which MPO region your community is in, you may locate the appropriate MPO region using the Massachusetts MPO Website Finder.
The Relationship between the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and the Capital Investment Plan (CIP)
Investments receiving federal funding (federal highway and federal transit funds) are included in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and comprise approximately one-third of funding included in the Capital Investment Plan (CIP).
