MPO Policy and Procedures Manual - Indianapolis Metropolitan ...

• Transportation enhancement activities (except rehabilitation and operation of historic
transportation buildings, structures, or facilities).
• Repair of damage caused by natural disasters, civil unrest, or terrorist acts, except
projects involving substantial functional, locational or capacity changes.
NOTE: 1 In PM10 and PM2.5 nonattainment or maintenance areas, such projects are exempt
only if they are in compliance with control measures in the applicable implementation plan. [62
FR 43801, Aug. 15, 1997, as amended at 69 FR 40081, July 1, 2004; 71 FR 12510, Mar. 10,
2006; 73 FR 4441, Jan. 24, 2008]
Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Amendment Process
The LRTP contains a paradox. On the one hand, it is a general policy document with a longterm
horizon. Comparably long-range documents in other fields of planning (such as a
comprehensive land use plan) typically are very conceptual in nature so that their strategic
direction is not undermined by day-to-day changes in the policy environment. However, the
LRTP also lists individual projects, including project type and implementation time period, with a
degree of specificity that belies its general policy purpose. Projects, particularly in the near-term,
are constantly undergoing revisions in scope and schedule as environmental or financial
conditions emerge.
The purpose of the amendment process is to incorporate the latest project information in the
LRTP, without changing the Plan’s general policy direction.
Such amendments may arise for several reasons, including a change in the schedule of an
existing project, a determination that an existing project is regionally significant, or the addition
of a new project that is judged a priority. Due to the comprehensive nature of the LRTP, the
amendment process should be strictly adhered to:
1. LRTP amendments trigger air quality conformity analyses; therefore, the procedure must
consider these requirements. From beginning to end, a five-month process is generally
required (see air quality section, below). For this reason, amendments are limited to once
per year, and only emergency or administrative amendments are allowed in special
situations such as new funding programs or project ear marks.
2. In order to end the five-month process with sufficient margin before the beginning of the
construction season (usually April), final approval is targeted for February requiring the
amendment process to begin the prior September. Local agencies wishing to submit an
amendment must have the necessary information by that time.
3. For administrative amendments, the process developed for the IRTIP will be used. Please
note that these processes will only be used in special situations that do not trigger a new air
quality conformity determination.
4. One important issue to consider is that the LRTP lists projects by the year in which they are
open to traffic, not by their funding or implementation year. Local agencies must be aware of
this potential discrepancy in preparing their project requests.
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