The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a list of projects and programs scheduled to be implemented over a period of at least four years (ten years in New Jersey). Transportation projects must be included in the TIP to receive most types of federal funding. The TIP provides a mechanism for locally-elected officials and agency staff to review the region’s capital programming. It represents a consensus among MPO members and other major transportation interests in the region as to what improvements should have priority for available funds.

Planning to Implementation

The TIP links the transportation planning  process to implementation. Central to this process is Transportation Matters, the regional transportation plan for the SJTPO region, which provides a framework for guiding investment decisions over a 20-year period. It includes both long and short-range strategies and actions leading to the development of an integrated transportation system that facilitates the efficient movement of people and goods.

Project Evaluation Process

SJTPO has a Project Evaluation Process, updated as a part of the RTP 2050 development, that is used to score and evaluate projects that are adopted as a part of the TIP and RTP. The development of this updated process revolved around two central elements, first more closely tying evaluation criteria to the Performance-Based Planning Process, RTP Goals (Planning Factors), and SJTPO Planning Initiatives. Second, a Pre-Evaluation Screening Process, which evaluates projects, not simply to passively assess the quality of the project, but actively encourage improvements to projects to better align with regional, state, and federal guidance and priorities, such as safety, Complete Streets, Environmental Justice, as well as other priorities.

The updated Project Evaluation Process will begin use with the FY 2022-2031 TIP. The solicitation for this TIP will begin in the Fall of 2020.

SJTPO Project Evaluation Process (Adopted 7/27/2020)