TIP Modifications

The NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT), through cooperation and coordination with the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and the rural Regional Planning Commissions (RPC), maintains the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). To comply with Federal rules the MPO area Transportation Improvement Plans (TIPs) and the NHDOT STIP must be consistent with one another. The approved STIP is frequently revised to reflect changes in project schedules, funding needs, and scopes; therefore, before the STIP is revised to reflect a project change in an MPO area, the MPO TIP must first be revised.

These changes may be initiated by the NHDOT, MPO, or public transit agency in the region. Depending upon their significance and complexity, the completion of the revision will require coordination from several agencies and Federal approval. To assist with coordinating the process of TIP and STIP revisions and amendments, an interagency consultation process has been established which includes the NHDOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), MPOs and RPCs. The process is intended to address and coordinate issues relating to MPO public comments and participation periods, statewide comment periods, financial constraint and air quality conformity determinations.

The procedure for formally amending the MPO TIP and the New Hampshire STIP differs depending on the nature and scale of the proposed amendment. Through Interagency Consultation, criteria have been developed describing the thresholds and triggers that will define what type of action is required to make a revision to the TIP or STIP as well as the length of any public comment period required. Following are the thresholds or events that trigger the necessity for an amendment and the provisions that would allow for an administrative modification or information only change including a table that illustrates the cost change thresholds and required public comment periods for each. Further details on each are provided in the MPO prospectus.

Information Only: The lowest tier of a revision requiring interagency consultation and approval by NHDOT and/or by a designee of the MPO. Consistent with the definitions included in 23 CFR 450.104, information only revisions are classified as minor revisions.

• A change in the fiscal year of any phase or portion of a phase of a project in areas where expedited project selection procedures have been adopted, provided they are advanced or delayed within the TIP years and do not affect the financial constraint of the TIP;
• Including projects with unofficial status (illustrative purposes) in anticipation of the availability of federal or other funds;
• A minor change in the total cost of a project (See Table for thresholds);
• Minor technical corrections, such as typographic errors or missing data.

Administrative Modification: The middle tier of a revision requiring interagency consultation, approval by NHDOT and/or by a designee of the MPO, and notification of FHWA/FTA. Consistent with the definitions included in 23 CFR 450.104, administrative modifications are classified as minor revisions.

• A moderate change in the total cost of a project (See Project Cost Thresholds table);
• Combining or separating two or more projects that are part of an approved TIP;
• Combining or separating phases within a project that are part of an approved TIP;
• Identifying a specific project that was part of a general parent project (statewide projects for example) and adjusting the parent project accordingly;
• Adding or removing a non-regionally significant project that had been included with Unofficial Status (illustrative purposes). Only projects that are not regionally significant and exempt from air quality conformity would be eligible for addition through an administrative modification. If the addition impacts the financial constraint of the TIP an Amendment is required;

Amendment: The highest tier of a revision requiring a 10 to 30 day public comment period, interagency consultation, adoption by NHDOT and/or approval by the MPO, approval by FHWA/FTA, and in non-attainment or maintenance areas, a finding of conformity. Consistent with the definitions included in 23 CFR 450.104, amendments are classified as major revisions.

• Any change to a project that impacts the Air Quality Analysis used for the current Conformity Determination. Primarily affects Not Exempt projects or phase of a project;
• Adding or removing a regionally significant or Not Exempt project or phase of a project;
• Adding or removing a federally funded project or phase of a project;
• Making a change in the scope of work of a project that uses state or federal funds or of any regionally significant projects regardless of the funding source;
• A significant change in the total cost of a project (See table);
• A change in the fiscal year of any phase of a project in areas where expedited project selection procedures have not been adopted.

Further detail on the TIP Amendment Process can be found in Section 6.0 of the MPO Prospectus as well as on the TIP Amendment and Minor Revisions pages of this site.