The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) or Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP):

 In metropolitan areas, the transportation plan is the statement of the ways the region plans to invest in the transportation system. Per the federal regulations, the plan shall "include both long-range and short-range program strategies/actions that lead to the development of an integrated intermodal transportation system that facilitates the efficient movement of people and goods."

The plan addresses, for example:

• Policies, strategies, and projects for the future;
• A systems level approach by considering roadways, transit, nonmotorized transportation, and intermodal connections;
• Projected demand for transportation services over 20 years;
• Regional land use, development, housing, and employment goals and plans;
• Cost estimates and reasonably available financial sources for operation, maintenance, and capital investments (see Part II section on Financial Planning and Programming); and
• Ways to preserve existing roads and facilities and make efficient use of the existing system.

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and the long-range statewide transportation plan must be consistent with each other. The MTP must be updated every five years in air quality attainment areas or every four years in nonattainment or maintenance areas.

MPOs should make special efforts to engage interested parties in the development of the plan. Finally, in cases where a metropolitan area is designated as a nonattainment or maintenance area, the plan must conform to the SIP for air quality (see Part II section on Air Quality).

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): In the TIP, the MPO identifies the transportation projects and strategies from the MTP that it plans to undertake over the next four years. All projects receiving federal funding must be in the TIP. The TIP is the region’s way of allocating its limited transportation resources among the various capital and operating needs of the area, based on a clear set of short-term transportation priorities.

Under federal law, the TIP:

• Covers a minimum four-year period of investment;
• Is updated at least every four years;
• Is realistic in terms of available funding and is not just a "wish list" of projects. This concept is known as fiscal constraint (see Part II for more information);
• Conforms with the SIP for air quality in nonattainment and maintenance areas;
• Is approved by the MPO and the governor; and
• Is incorporated directly, without change, into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

The State Planning and Research (SPR) Program is similar to the UPWP in that it lists the transportation studies, research and tasks to be performed by the state DOT staff or its consultants. The SPR Program contains several elements:

• The planning tasks, studies and research activities that will be conducted over a one- to two-year period;
• Funding sources identified for each project;
• A schedule of activities; and
• The agency responsible for each task or study.

The Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan: State DOTs must develop a longrange statewide transportation plan. These vary from state to state; they may be policy-oriented or may include a list of specific projects.

The statewide plan also addresses:

• Policies and strategies, or future projects;
• Projected demand for transportation services over 20 or more years;
• A systems-level approach by considering roadways, transit, nonmotorized transportation, and intermodal connections;
• Statewide and regional land use, development, housing, natural environmental resource and employment goals and plans;
• Cost estimates and reasonably available financial sources for operation, maintenance, and capital investments (see Part II section on Financial Planning); and
• Ways to preserve existing roads and facilities and make efficient use of the existing system.

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP): The STIP is similar to the TIP in that it identifies statewide priorities for transportation projects and must be fiscally constrained. Through an established process, the state DOT solicits or identifies projects from rural, small urban, and urbanized areas of the state. Projects are selected for inclusion in the STIP based on adopted procedures and criteria. As noted above, TIPs that have been developed by MPOs must be incorporated directly, without change, into the STIP.

Under federal law and regulation, the STIP:

• Must be fiscally constrained and may include a financial plan.
• Must be approved by FHWA and FTA, along with an overall determination that planning requirements are being met. STIP approval must be granted before projects can proceed from the planning stage to the implementation stage.