FINAL 2012-15 STIP

Minnesota Statewide Transportation Plan, and an analysis ofprevious programs. They are offered as an aid in determiningareawide priorities. The process builds on the plans andpriorities established by MnDOT Districts, MPOs, cities,counties, townships and RDCs.The investment process uses eight regional partnerships whoseboundaries are based on MnDOT’s State Aid Districts. Thepartnerships, called Area Transportation Partnerships (ATPs),have as their members both traditional and non-traditional,metropolitan and non-metropolitan stakeholders and caninclude MPOs, RDCs, cities, counties, townships, transitproviders, tribal governments, other interests, and MnDOT.The ATPs integrate the state and local priorities within theirregion and recommend a minimum four year program forfederally funded transportation investments. This four yearprogram, when combined with a list of state highway fundedprojects is considered the draft Area TransportationImprovement Program (ATIP). Each draft ATIP includes aprioritized list of projects that aid in solving transportationproblems and implementing the long range objectives for thearea.Balanced investment decisions promote effective and efficienttransportation. Safety is a key element of all investments. Theprincipal investment emphasis is preservation and operationalimprovements in the existing transportation system. Expansionis focused on the state’s interregional corridor system thatconnects major economic centers and bottlenecks in the TwinCities metropolitan area.The draft ATIP prepared by each ATP is submitted forinclusion in the draft State Transportation ImprovementProgram (STIP). Project cost estimates include an adjustmentfor inflation. The ATIPs are analyzed and compared tostatewide goals and objectives, and unique transportationneeds. They are also analyzed for completeness and fiscalconstraint. From this a draft STIP is developed. The draft STIPis widely circulated for review and comment before finaladjustments are made. This STIP covers four state fiscal yearsand includes all state and local projects financed with federal(highway or transit) assistance. The STIP also includes otherregionally significant projects, all projects on the state highwaysystem and illustrative projects. Illustrative projects are thoseprojects that will be programmed should funding becomeavailable.The final STIP is reviewed and approved by the FederalHighway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal TransitAdministration (FTA) prior to any expenditure of federalfunds. Upon approval, the document will be used by each ATPas a starting point in the process for developing their nextATIP.Financial PlanAs mentioned in the Preface of this document, this STIP is aformal response to federal requirements. The STIP financialplan addresses fiscal constraint requirements under SAFETEA-LU. The principal financial assumption is the continuation ofexisting revenue sources and levels consistent with SAFETEA-LU authorizations. All of the projects in the 2012-2015 STIPare deemed affordable for implementation under thesereasonable financial assumptions. The financial constraintII-4