This webinar discuss how a community can get funding for transportation projects, where the money comes from, and what is eligible to be a funded project. You will also learn about the new addition to the process, which is quarterly tracking and the reports that go along with tracking.

1. Funding for Federal-Aid
Projects in Northwest
Indiana
October 27, 2014

2. Today’s Topics
•1. Background
•2. Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
•2. Federal-Aid Project Basics
•3. Release of NOFA 2014-2

3. What is NIRPC?
• Northwestern Indiana Regional
Planning Commission
• Created in 1965
• Council of Governments
• Metropolitan Planning
Organization
• Serves Lake, Porter, and LaPorte
Counties and their 41 municipalities

4. NIRPC Basics
•All 53 NIRPC Board Members are
•Elected Officials

5. •Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO)

6. Metropolitan Transportation
Planning Process
Continuing, Cooperative, and Comprehensive (3-C)
Multi-Modal Scope—All Surface Transportation
Fosters Economic Growth & Development
Minimizes Fuel Consumption & Air Pollution
Emphasizes System Preservation

7. Metropolitan Transportation
Planning and Programming
• Long Range Transportation Plan (LRP)
• Multi-modal, Comprehensive
• 20-Year Horizon or more
• Guides Selection of Federal-Aid Projects for the TIP
• Identifies Capacity-Increasing Projects
• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
• Four-Year List of Surface Transportation Projects
• Identifies Regionally Significant and Other Federally-
Funded Projects
• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

8. NIRPC Basics
•NIRPC’s 2014-2017 TIP Contains
•978 Line-Item Entries
•427 INDOT-Sponsored Project Phases
•186 Local Highway-Related Project Phases
•71 Local Bicycle/Pedestrian Project Phases
•1 National Lakeshore Project
•293 Public Transit Projects

9. NIRPC Basics
•NIRPC’s 2014-2017 TIP Contains
•$1.2 Billion (Total Spending)
•$770 Million (Federal Funds)

10. NIRPC Basics
•We Have Two Urbanized Areas
•1. Chicago, IL/IN
•2. Michigan City-LaPorte, IN/MI

13. •Federal Aid Project Basics

14. Annual Federal-Aid Apportionments
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):
• Surface Transportation Program (STP)
• Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality Program
(CMAQ)
• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
• Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA):
• Public Transit Formula Grants (5307)
• Bus Capital (5339)
• State of Good Repair (Commuter Rail)

15. Annual Federal-Aid Apportionments – Eligiblity
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):
• Surface Transportation Program (STP)
• General purpose construction funds for highways, bridges,
Bike/Ped Facilities, Transit Capital, etc.
• Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality Program (CMAQ)
• Transportation projects that reduce emissions.
• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
• Construction funds for improved highway safety.
• Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
• Construction funds for Bicycle/Pedestrian & Environmental
Mitigation Projects.

16. Annual Federal-Aid Apportionments
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA):
• Public Transit Formula Grants (5307)
• Transit Capital and Operating Assistance
• Bus Capital (5339)
• Transit Capital Assistance for Bus Services
• State of Good Repair (Commuter Rail)
• Capital Assistance for Commuter Rail

17. Federal Aid Received (FHWA)
• Chicago Urbanized Area (Indiana Portion) $17.9 M
• STP Funds: $10.9 M/year
• CMAQ Funds: $ 3.3 M/year
• HSIP Funds: $ 2.7 M/year
• TAP Funds: $ 1.0 M/year
• Michigan City-LaPorte Urbanized Area $2.0 M
• STP Funds: $ 1.0 M/year
• CMAQ Funds: $ 0.6 M/year
• HSIP Funds: $ 0.3 M/year
• TAP Funds: $ 0.1 M/year

18. Federal Aid Received (FTA)
• Chicago Urbanized Area (Indiana Portion) $17.9 M
• 5307 Funds: $ 10.9 M/year
• 5339 Funds: $ 0.5 M/year
• SGR Funds: $ 12.5 M/year
• Michigan City-LaPorte Urbanized Area $1.0 M
• 5307 Funds: $ 1.0 M/year

19. Where does the money come
from?
Answer: Motor Fuel Excise Taxes
Gasoline: 18.3 cents per gallon
Diesel: 24.3 cents per gallon
Propane: 13.6 cents per gallon
1. US Treasury Places Funds in the Highway Trust Fund
2. Congress Appropriates HTF Proceeds to FHWA & FTA
3. FHWA & FTA Distribute Funds to States
4. States Sub-allocate funds to Urbanized Areas
5. MPO’s allocate funds to individual projects

20. Stakeholder-Driven Project
Selection Process
• Four Primary Stakeholder Groups.
• Environmental Management Policy Committee (EMPC)
• Ped, Pedal, & Paddle Committee (3-P)
• Surface Transportation Committee (CST)
• Transit Operators Roundtable (Transit Operators)
• LaPorte County Stakeholder Group
• Each Group Establishes a process for selecting Federal-Aid
projects within their area of expertise.
• Selection recommendations are made to the Transportation
Policy Committee (TPC).
• NIRPC Board ratifies the list of projects selected.

21. Stakeholder Jurisdictional Areas
• Environmental Management Policy Committee (EMPC)
• Non-Traditional CMAQ Projects (Non-Construction)
• Ped, Pedal, & Paddle Committee (3-P)
• Non-Motorized & Bike/Ped Projects (TAP, CMAQ, STP)
• Surface Transportation Committee (CST)
• Highway Construction Projects (STP, CMAQ, HSIP)
• Transit Operators Roundtable (Transit Operators)
• All Public Transit Projects, except LaPorte County CMAQ
• LaPorte County Stakeholders
• All Federal-Aid Projects within the LaPorte County

22. NIRPC Board Approval of Projects
Two Common Methods:
• Inclusion of the New Project in the TIP
• Inclusion of the Project in a New TIP or
• Amendment of the Project into an Existing TIP
• Board Approves the TIP or TIP Amendment
• Approval of a Specific List of New Projects
• EMPC or TPC Submits List to Board
• Board Reviews and Approves the List of New Projects

23. Once Your Project Has Been
Selected & is in the TIP
For Most FHWA-Funded Projects
• NIRPC will Request a DES Number from INDOT
• Your project is now within INDOT’s Production System
• Select your Employee in Responsible Charge (ERC)
• Official Contact with INDOT (INDOT must Certify).
• For FHWA-funded projects, INDOT will then issue a
Master Agreement. Execute & return as directed.
• Note: For some CMAQ-funded non-construction projects, you
will be directed to submit your Agreement to NIRPC for
execution.

24. Selecting an Engineering Firm
For Most FHWA-Funded Construction Projects
• If your project requires design services, you may then
begin the Consultant Procurement/Selection Process.
• Use INDOT’s System: Preliminary Engineering (PE) Costs are
Eligible for Reimbursement with Federal Funds.
• Use Another System: PE Costs Covered at 100% Local.
• All Design Consultants must be INDOT-Pre-qualified.
• Negotiate contract terms with the chosen firm.
• Your chosen Consultant may not begin work on your
project until: 1) A fully-executed, written contract is in
place and 2) INDOT has issued a Notice to Proceed
(NTP).

25. Obtaining Reimbursements
For All FHWA-Funded Projects
• For all project-related expenses except the construction
contract itself, the sponsor must pay 100% of all costs up
front before seeking reimbursement from INDOT.
• This includes CMAQ-funded equipment & motor fuel.
• Must submit copies of cancelled checks.
• No Exceptions.

26. NIRPC Oversight
For All FHWA-Funded Projects
• Quarterly Tracking Meetings.
• Sponsor meets face-to-face with INDOT & NIRPC.
• Project-by-Project Review.
• Participation Required as Condition of Funding.
• Meetings Spread Over Four-Five Days
• On-Line Quarterly Reporting (LQR).
• Reviewed Prior to Tracking Meetings.
• Submission Required as Condition of Funding.

27. NIRPC Basics
•LQR Reviews
•Reports Reviewed: 98
•Average Time per Report: 8.5 minutes

28. •NOFA 2014-2
Solicitation/Call for
Federal-Aid Transportation Projects
in
Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties, Indiana

29. NOFA 2012-2
• For Lake & Porter Counties
• 2017-2021 CMAQ Projects $13.4 Million
• 2017-2021 HSIP Projects $ 9.9 Million
• For LaPorte County
• 2016-2021 CMAQ Projects $ 2.6 Million
• 2016-2021 HSIP Projects $ 1.5 Million
• 2016-2021 STP Projects $ 4.7 Million

30. NOFA 2012-2
• Submission Deadline
•Monday, December 1, 2014
• Eligible Applicants
• Counties, Cities, Towns
• Gary PTC, NICTD,
• State Agencies (including IU, Purdue, Ivy Tech)
• Other Entities (via written agreement with one of the
above)

31. NOFA 2012-2
• What to Submit
• Application Form
• Purpose/Need Statement
• Required Programmatic Documentation
• CMAQ: Emissions Calculations
• HSIP: Road Safety Audit & Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Transmittal Letter Executed by CEO
• Chief Elected Official or Chief Executive Officer
• How to Submit
• Via E-Mail, USPS, In-Person.
• Hand-written applications accepted.

32. NOFA 2012-2
• To Download Forms
• Go to www.nirpc.org.
• Click on “Events” and follow instructions.
• Software You Will Need
• Microsoft Excel (CMAQ Application Forms & Emissions
Worksheets).
• Adobe PDF Reader (Portions of HSIP Application).
• Microsoft Word (Portions of HSIP Application).

33. NOFA 2012-2
• Purchases of CMAQ-Funded Alternative Fuels
• FHWA extended the eligibility of these projects through
FFY 2017 (Sept 30, 2017).
• FHWA CMAQ Guidance
• Required reading to learn what’s eligible.

34. NOFA 2012-2
• NIRPC Contacts
• HSIP: Stephen Sostaric ssostaric@nirpc.org
• Bike/Ped: Mitch Barloga mbarloga@nirpc.org
• STP/CMAQ: Gary Evers gevers@nirpc.org
• Emissions: Kathy Luther kluther@nirpc.org
• Transit: Belinda Petroskey bpetroskey@nirpc.org
• Solicitation, Deadlines, Document Formats, Meetings:
Amanda Pollard aperegrine@nirpc.org
• Telephone 219.763.6060

35. How to Contact NIRPC
By email: comments@nirpc.org
By telephone: (219)763-6060, ext. 160
By US Postal Service:
6100 Southport Rd.
Portage, Indiana 46368

36. Find NIRPC Online
www.nirpc.org
facebook.com/nirpcmpo
twitter.com/nirpc