MTP 101

The MTP plans over a 20-year horizon and includes both long-range and short-range projects/strategies/actions that are focused on providing an integrated multimodal system, including non-motorized facilities, to create the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. The plan addresses both current and future transportation demands.

National Goals and Planning Factors have to be incorporated in the MTP as they are the minimum. State and Local goals can be considered and included where applicable. Additional Goals and Objectives can be added as needed. FHWA Performance Measures and Targets are the minimum that must be part of the MTP. AMATS can set their own targets or support others with their targets. AMATS can add measures if the data and staff are available. AMATS is held accountable for any measure and target developed and included in the MTP. 

Public Comment Period

Projects are nominated and then scored based on the established criteria. These scores help to show which projects best address the MPO goals established in the AMATS Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) – Preserve the Existing System, Improve Safety, Improve Travel Condition, Support the Economy, Promote Environmental Sustainability, and Quality Decision-Making. The criteria are also important for helping to address the federally required National Goals and Planning Factors and Performance Measures.

The MTP criteria will harmonize with the AMATS Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) criteria where possible, but the MTP criteria is more broad and not as specific.

Public Comment Period

Status of the System - What is it?

This report looks at the existing transportation system to describe the overall network and how roads, public transportation, non-motorized, freight, and regional connections are functioning.

Deficiencies Analysis – What is it?

The purpose of transportation system deficiency analysis is to understand current transportation system performance and project future transportation needs based on latest available estimates and assumptions for population, land use, travel, employment, congestion, and economic activity. 

The MTP is federally required to have projects and be fiscally constrained.

Where do we get projects from?

• Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
• AMATS TIP
• Department of Transportation (DOT) 10-year plan
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
• Other Plans (Updated or New)
• Project Nominations

Financial Analysis

A Fiscal constraint analysis is used to demonstrate that the cost of projects can be met by existing and future reasonably available sources of funding. These sources of funding must be mutually agreed upon by the State, MOA, Public Transportation operator(s), and the MPO. Any funding must be shown in year of expenditure dollars and must show that the transportation system can be adequately maintained. 

Policies and actions are developed to help implement the transportation system in ways that are not project specific.

Public Comment Period

An air quality conformity determination is a requirement of the AMATS MTP and is used to show that projects will not worsen air quality for the selected criteria CO (Motor Vehicle Emissions) and PM2.5 (Wood Smoke), and PM10 (Dust) as well as not directly inhibiting implementation of the Statewide Implementation Program (SIP) measures.

AMATS is a maintenance area with a limited maintenance plan. In maintenance areas, the effective date of the plan will be the date of the conformity determination issued by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Due to being a maintenance area, the plan needs to be updated every 4 years.

Public Comment Period

Public Comment Period

Final approval of Air Quality Conformity Determination is by FHWA and FTA.