Texas Administrative Code › Title 43 - TRANSPORTATION › Part 1 - TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 16 - PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS › Subchapter C - TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS › Section 16.102 - Rural Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP)

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Development. As required by
				  23 U.S.C.
				  §
											135 and 23 C.F.R. Part 450, the
				  department will develop transportation improvement programs for all areas of
				  the state outside of metropolitan planning areas, containing a prioritized list
				  of projects approved for development in the near term. The rural transportation
				  improvement program (RTIP) will be developed in cooperation with rural planning
				  organizations (RPO) and projects will be selected in accordance with federal
				  regulations and the requirements of this subchapter including §16.105
				  (relating to Unified Transportation Program (UTP)). An approved RTIP is then
				  included in the statewide transportation improvement program (STIP) which
				  contains a listing of projects for all areas of the state that are likely to be
				  implemented in that identified four-year period.
(b) Grouping of projects. Projects that are
				  not considered by the department and the RPO to be of appropriate scale for
				  individual identification in a given program year may be grouped by function,
				  geographic area, or work type (e.g., minor rehabilitation, preventive
				  maintenance). In nonattainment and maintenance areas, classification must be
				  consistent with the exempt project classifications contained in the EPA
				  conformity regulations.
(c)
				  Approval. The commission, or the executive director, if delegated to the
				  executive director, will approve an RTIP if the executive director finds that
				  the RTIP has met all federal requirements and the requirements of this
				  subchapter.
(d) Updating. The
				  frequency and cycle for updating an RTIP must be compatible with the statewide
				  transportation improvement program (STIP) development process described in
				  §
										16.103
				  of this subchapter (relating to Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
				  (STIP)).
(e) Modification. The RTIP
				  may be amended consistent with the requirements established in §
										16.101(k)
				  of this subchapter (relating to Transportation Improvement Program
				  (TIP)).
(f) Relationship to the
				  statewide long-range transportation plan (SLRTP). A project in the RTIP must be
				  consistent with the SLRTP developed under federal law and §
										16.54
				  of this chapter (relating to Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan
				  (SLRTP)).
(g) Relationship to the
				  Clean Air Act (CAA) and State Implementation Plan (SIP). In nonattainment and
				  maintenance areas, a project selected for the RTIP must conform to the CAA and
				  the SIP.
(h) Relationship to
				  statewide transportation improvement program (STIP). After approval, RTIPs will
				  be included in the STIP, except that a federal determination of conformity must
				  be made for nonattainment and maintenance areas that are outside of
				  metropolitan planning areas before projects in that area may be included in the
				  STIP.
(i) Rural public involvement
				  process.
(1) Initial adoption. Each district
				  will coordinate with the applicable rural planning organization (RPO), if any,
				  to develop and implement a public involvement process covering the development
				  of an RTIP. The district will publish notice concerning the proposed RTIP as
				  appropriate to maximize public participation. The notice will:
(A) inform the public of the availability of
				  the proposed RTIP;
(B) inform the
				  public that a public meeting will be held to receive comments on the initial
				  adoption of the proposed RTIP, that there will be a public comment period after
				  the date of the meeting, and the length of the comment period, which must be at
				  least ten days;
(C) request that
				  public comments concerning the proposed RTIP be submitted in writing to the
				  district; and
(D) be published at
				  least ten days before the date of the meeting.