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Thank You for dropping by. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) continues what began with the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. It specifies the systems on which certain funds can be used, expands the kinds of activities for which funds can be used and still promotes the role of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in the planning and programming of needed projects. TEA-21 requires each designated MPO to develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the state to develop a Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as a condition to securing federal funds for transportation projects. The Program addresses future transportation needs created by growth and development and at the same time, it responds to Federal Highway Administration and Clean Air Act requirements that call for mitigating roads decreasing mobility, congestion, addressing air quality and other environmental, social and financial issues.
To see the Authorized Projects in Lafayette MPO Area for FY 2002, click here
The Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) continuously works to address and effectively relieve traffic congestion. It is in the local and national interest to encourage and promote the development of transportation network in such a manner to effectively maximize the mobility of people and goods within and throughout the Lafayette Urbanized Areas and to minimize transportation-related fuel consumption, collisions and air pollution. The underlying constraint in the assignment of priority new road needs is the requirement that the program budget be balanced with anticipated revenues. If, for instance, a project has state funding attached to it, the project may have a high priority, but the priority may slip if the anticipated state funding is not obtainable. When projects have only local (City-Parish) funding, it is important that projects that are more critical in terms of safety or preservation have the higher priority. New project selection and funding allocations contained in the TIP are therefore developed through a cooperative process facilitated by the Lafayette MPO and reflect active participation by area jurisdictions, agencies, interest groups and citizens.
While developing the TIP, the MPO amply provided citizens, public agencies and other representatives of transportation services reasonable opportunities for public comment and review of the proposed program. The Lafayette MPO with four advisory committees, Planning Commission and consultants depend on the diligent participation from citizen groups and individuals to help identify high priority needs. Projects in the MPO Transportation Improvement Program(TIP 2003-2007) are based on identified federal, state and local revenues, recommendations from the advisory committees, planning commission, traffic studies, environmental clearances and implementation schedules. The Lafayette MPO prepared the TIP from the long-range plan, updated periodically, identifying transportation facilities that function as an integrated transportation system. We have included maps of typical ongoing projects included in the present TIP. The intent of the Transportation Improvement Program is to include the priority list of all transportation projects being implemented in Lafayette Metropolitan Study Area, regardless of funding source, so that officials and citizens can, in one document, review all major planned/proposed transportation improvements over a three to five year period.
The TIP new roads projects are carefully selected from the Financially Constrained Transportation Plan (FCTP) a comprehensive 20-year schedule of funded transportation improvements meeting air quality (Conformity) review. The TIP identifies regionally significant projects that are consistent with the goals and objectives established in the long-range element of the MPO’s FCTP. The FCTP urgently identifies transportation demand new road programs to be implemented over short, intermediate and long term. Keep in mind some of these projects carry very high price tags. Due to very limited funding and escalating costs, many projects are delayed during the twenty year FCTP period. In order to effectively leverage the most of local, state and federal funding (that can only mean that the most feasible prioritized projects take the lead over others), the Transportation Improvement Program proposes the most feasible qualified FCTP projects to be approved by various government entities for eminent construction.
The Consolidated Thoroughfare Plan (CTP) presents the arterial framework for transportation arterial projects that are proposed for planning, evaluation and construction in the long range development of the Lafayette Urban Area. The CTP is not a funded plan. The Consolidated Thoroughfare Plan includes all proposed significant transportation thoroughfare improvements needed in Lafayette Parish for a “build-out” scenario. Build-out is the ultimate development of urban Lafayette at some point in the future. Fifty to one hundred years is generally used as a bench mark for the long range transportation plan.
Please review Project Updates and the Calendar of monthly meetings for additional information and assistance. Contact names, phones, email addresses are listed on this web site. As the Lafayette Metropolitan Study Area continues to grow, more people are traveling more miles on the local transportation system. Advancing technology, rational funding sources and continued public interest and participation are critical important for a successful process. The complexity of federal, state and local priorities, revenue sources, and regulations demand transportation coordination be continuous. Thank you for your interest in and participation in the development of Lafayette.
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