Project Planning, TIP/STIP

 Before you start your project

When you are ready to initiate your project, please contact your CDOT region planner to determine if your project is in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for your region. If it is not, you need to get your project in the STIP and budgeted.

As you are likely aware, the STIP is a four-year plan of projects that are expected to be worked on during the STIP time frame. Federal regulations require that all projects receiving federal or state funds be identified in the STIP for funding to be released for the project.

Currently, CDOT updates its STIP on an annual basis. Conducting this annual update allows CDOT to have four federally recognized years of projects in the current STIP.

Further, MPOs have specific federal regulations they must use when developing their Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). MPO areas must address specific environmental and air-quality components in their TIPs. Once the TIP is developed, it is included in the STIP without modification.

You can view the STIP Development Guidelines. For additional information, see the FHWA video on Projects and Statewide Planning Requirements.

Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)

Projects selected to receive federal funds must be listed in the STIP, a statewide prioritized listing of transportation projects consistent with the long-range statewide transportation plan, metropolitan transportation plans, and transportation iImprovement programs (TIPs). You can search the CDOT Transportation Improvement Program Summary to find specific projects.

Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP)

Projects selected to receive federal funds that are located in a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) are additionally required to be listed in the TIP. The TIP is a prioritized listing of transportation projects developed and formally adopted by an MPO as part of the metropolitan planning process and consistent with the metropolitan transportation plan. Links to the TIPS for the five Colorado MPOs follow:

Transportation Planning Regions

If your agency is not part of an MPO, please see TPR at a Glance: A Guide to the Transportation Planning Regions for information on the TPR for you area.

Be prepared for the STIP amendment process

Because of the dynamic nature of transportation projects, changes to the STIP may be necessary. The process for modifying the STIP varies depending on the project type, funding source, and whether the project to be amended is in an MPO or a TPR area. STIP amendments will not be approved unless they are financially constrained.

There are three types of STIP modifications: administrative modifications, STIP amendments and TIP amendments.

  • Administrative modifications occur on as needed basis and do not need Transportation Commission approval.
  • STIP amendments occur in June and December, and include a 30-day comment period, which also requires Transportation Commission approval.
  • TIP amendments are processed at the MPO level and each MPO follows its own process for amending its TIP. CDOT then incorporates the TIP amendment into the STIP.

You need to work closely with your CDOT region planner to complete this process.