Transportation Programs

Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP): Unlike the Regional Transportation Plan, this document programs, or allocates, funds to selected projects. It, also, is updated every two years and is submitted to the state for consideration by the California Transportation Commission. (CTC).

State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): Every transportation planning agency in the state submits an RTIP for consideration by the transportation commission. Hearings are held by the CTC board every other year in both Northern and Southern California, leading up to the development of the final State Transportation Improvement Program, which incorporates all regional documents. The STIP covers a four-year period.

Regions such as Tulare County receive 75 percent of new transportation funding in California. Caltrans receives 25 percent of new funding for interregional programs. Caltrans compiles its own programming document, called the Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP).

Annual Obligation Plan

Please click on the link below to view the most recent TCAG Obligation Plan.

2006-2007 Obligation Plan

How are projects selected for the RTIP?

Tulare County and each incorporated city nominate projects to the Tulare County Association of Governments in the summer of odd-numbered years. These are projects that are needed to improve travel in the county, either immediately or several years in the future.

Next, TCAG considers highway projects. This is where the major competition begins and each city and the County, as well as TCAG staff, may come forward with deserving projects. Only projects that have completed Project Study Report can be included in the RTIP. A Project Study Report examines the scope of work, production schedule and estimated cost of project, as well as estimated costs and delivery dates of environmental studies.

Nominated projects are measured in terms of: How well the project relieves congestion or, to put it another way, how well it improves the level of service (known as LOS) to the public. The greater the improvement, the higher the score.

How much traffic is using the roadway? The greater the volume, the higher the score.

How much of the Regional Improvement Program fund estimate is needed for the project? The fewer RIP dollars used, the higher the score.

Improvement in roadway safety. The greater the predicted reduction in accidents, the higher the score.

The TCAG Board of Governors weighs the technical scores and recommendations from the Technical Advisory Committee along with public opinion and economic factors. The program is proposed, adopted by the Board and forwarded to the state.

How is TCAG involoved in air quality?

Emissions budgets TCAG, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District , the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Air Resources Board (ARB ) work together to develop standards (called budgets) for various emissions, including ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

These budgets are issued in tons per day and are developed based upon many factors, including estimated vehicle miles traveled and vehicle trips, available technology and Inspection/maintenance programs (such as Smog Check). Each year these budgets shrink as agencies work toward improving air quality. The challenge, however, is that while budgets are shrinking, the population is growing and the number of trips and miles traveled are increasing.

Conformity

Regional transportation planning agencies such as TCAG must document that the region can meet its budget, a process called conformity determination. This is accomplished through computer modeling.

Tulare County is now in "severe nonattainment" for ozone and in nonattainment for particulate matter. (Particulate matter is knows as PM 10 from the on-road fleet. The agricultural industry is also a major contributor of air pollution in the Valley.

The Challenge

The federal government could withhold funding from a region that is in nonattainment and fails to meet the conformity requirement. However, TCAG staff is working closely with San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to reduce pollution through planning. TCAG also makes uses of funds available through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program the Federal Transit Administration and the Air District's Reduce Motor Vehicle Emissions program to reduce pollution.The computer modeling work by TCAG staff addresses mobile sources. The Air District works to reduce pollution generated by stationary by activities.

How is TCAG involved in Transit?

TCAG oversees and distributes funds from a variety of sources to help plan for and finance transit throughout the county.

Funding

The primary source of funding for transit systems is federal gas and sales taxes, distributed by the State of California through the Transit Development Act (TDA). It is costly to run a transit and, in order to keep fares reasonable, the state provides supplemental funding. A transit system must generate at least some of the funds through fares (10 percent of the total cost in rural areas; 20 percent in urban areas). The percentage is called the farebox ratio.

Transit systems such as Visalia City Coach and Tulare Transit Express "claim" TDA funds from the FTA, working through TCAG each year. The amount distributed to each is based upon population.

Audits

Each fixed route transit system (those that make regularly scheduled stops, as opposed to dial-a-ride systems) must undergo an annual fiscal audit and a performance audit every three years. In addition, a transit system must undergo a five-year Transit Development Plan to ensure that the system is planning for growth. Funding for these studies and audits is funneled to the member agency or selected consultants by TCAG.

Unmet Needs

Another key element in transit is the annual unmet transit needs process, which TCAG oversees for Tulare County and each member agency. The first step is a hearing held the third Monday of March which the public can comment on existing or desired transit service. The Social Services Transportation Advisory Council reviews all comments, including those phoned or mailed in, and prepares a recommendation in the TCAG Board. Any need that is found to be reasonable to meet must be satisfied before Local Transportation Funds (LTF) can be used for streets and roads. LTF, along with State Transit Assistance Funds (STAF), are state sales tax funds available for transit operations and street and road purposes. The LTF is distributed to each city and the unincorporated areas based on population. STAF is allocated based on farebox revenues and can only be used for transit. TCAG is responsible for overseeing the distribution of these funds, in response to claims from member agencies.

Grants

Finally, TCAG staff helps member agencies apply for grants from the Federal Transit Administration that provide funds for capital purchases, operating costs and development of transit plans. Most grant applications require TCAG approval. Several different programs are available, tailored to meet the needs of large, rural and non-profit systems.

California Transportation Plan 2035

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the launch of a new interactive Web portal, www.californiatransportationplan2035.org, for the development of the California Transportation Plan 2035. The plan is a statewide, long-range transportation plan that is updated every five years, and will be completed in September 2010. It includes goals, policies, and strategies to achieve our collective vision for California’s future transportation system.

For more information call Ted Smalley, 559-733-6291 or e-mail him at tsmalley@co.tulare.ca.us.