Transportation Documents

A Long Range Plan (LRP) is developed to set the goals and objectives for the future of transportation in the NATS boundary.  The LRP is updated every 4 years, though the process of collecting data for the update is nearly ongoing.

The SWMPC is currently in the process of updating the NATS LRP.  Draft goals and objectives for the plan have been developed and are available below for public comment.  Written feedback can be provided to Kelly Getman-Dissette at getmank@swmpc.org or 185 E. Main St., Suite 701, Benton Harbor, MI 49022.  Comments can be made in person at the Niles City Council meeting, Monday August 11 at 6:00 p.m. at 1345 E. Main St. in Niles.

This is the first of three opportunities to comment on the NATS LRP.  Additional meetings will be held in the fall and winter to accept comment on the proposed LRP projects and on the full LRP document. 

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is developed to document road and transit projects that will be occuring in the near future within the NATS boundary.  The current TIP is valid for fiscal years 2008-2011. 

Project selection for the FY08-11 TIP began in January 2007 and progressed as follows:

January-February: Local agencies completed project selection forms.

February meeting: Local agencies submitted project selection forms.

February-March: Project Selection Committee reviewed and prioritized projects.

March meeting: Project Selection Committee presented their proposed list of projects for FY08-11 to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).  The TAC and Policy Committee reviewed the proposed list and voted to accept the proposed projects.

March-June: SWMPC staff composed the FY08-11 TIP Document and Urban TIP tables.

June meeting: The TAC and Policy Committee reviewed the FY08-11 TIP Document and Urban TIP table and voted to accept the document.

July SWMPC Quarterly meeting: The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission reviewed and voted to accept the TIP document.  After the document was accepted, it was sent to MDOT and FHWA for review.

July 2007-February 2008: FHWA reviewed the document and requested several changes.  Staff edited the document accordingly.  FHWA approved the document late February.

The Unified Work Program (UWP) is updated yearly and spells out what the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) will be working on for the fiscal year.  Fiscal years run from October 1st - September 30th.  Work tasks are broken down in the UWP between 5 program elements:

1. Program Management
2. Database Management
3. Long Range Planning
4. Short Range Planning
5. Other Planning

Budgets for the fiscal year are spelled out and broken down by program element in the UWP.

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in August of 2005, established new requirements for the preparation of transportation plans.

One of these new provisions requires Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to discuss "types of potential environmental mitigation activities and potential areas to carry out these activities, including activities that may have the greatest potential to restore and maintain the environmental functions affected by the plan. This discussion shall be developed in consultation with Federal, State, and tribal wildlife, land management, and regulatory agencies."

Because of this requirement, SWMPC developed Environmental Mitigation and Consultation chapters to be added to the long-range transportation plan. The approved Environmental Mitigation and Consultation chapters are available below. Click the links to view the text, spreadsheet, and maps.

Contact SWMPC Transportation Planners with any comments or questions. You may e-mail Kelly Getman-Dissette at getmank@swmpc.org or Nicholas Musson at mussonn@swmpc.org.

The DRAFT FY2008-2011 TIP has been broken into 3 sections:

Section 1 (Pages 1-11) - Size 8.5" x 11" (portrait)

Section 2 (Pages 12-16) - Size 11" x 17" (landscape)

Section 3 (Pages 17-56) - Size 8.5" x 11" (portrait).

We had to do this so that it would PDF without cutting off the big 11" x 17" pages.  Please remember that these take a bit of time to download.