Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

Office of Policy Planning

Questions and Answers Related to TRIP - Funding/Programming Issues

New Q&As will be added at the top of this page with the date posted so the viewer can quickly see if new items have been posted. Link to other Questions and Answers (Q&As).

• Q: In 2012, the Florida Legislature again amended the TRIP statutes. How did these changes affect the funding and programming under TRIP? (Posted 7/6/12)
  A: Chapter 2012-174, Laws of Florida, revised the state match requirement from 50 percent of project costs to allow up to 50 percent of project costs to be funded under TRIP. This change will allow a higher local match or other sources of funds for projects to be funded under TRIP.
• Q: Were there any other changes in 2012 that affect funding and programming under TRIP? (Posted 7/6/12)
  A: Yes, the revision to the TRIP statute prohibits the department from programming a project to be funded under TRIP unless the project meets the requirements of the TRIP program (see Section 339.2819, Florida Statutes). Generally, those requirements state that TRIP-funded projects:
  • Serve national, statewide, or regional functions and function as part of an integrated regional transportation system.
  • Be identified in the capital improvements element of a comprehensive plan and be in compliance with local comprehensive plan policies relative to corridor management.
  • Be consistent with the SIS Strategic Plan.
  • Have a commitment of local, regional, or private financial matching funds.
• Q: Can TRIP funds be used to purchase replacement buses for a transit agency? (posted 9/15/05)
  A: No. The TRIP program is designed to address growth and development by expanding infrastructure to provide additional service and capacity. These funds are not eligible to be used to replace existing fleet.
• Q: If Capital Improvements Programs must now be fiscally feasible by state law, and if a project must be in an adopted CIP in order to qualify for TRIP funds, how can the CIP be fiscally feasible if the TRIP funds have not yet been approved for the project? (revised 6/23/05)
  A: SB 360 defines "financial feasibility" to mean that, "sufficient revenues are currently available or will be available from committed funding sources for the first 3 years, or will be available from committed or planned funding sources for years 4 and 5, of a 5-year capital improvement schedule…". It states also that transportation facilities must be in place or under construction within 3 years of approving a building permit. By these definitions, projects within the first 3 years of the CIP are already fully funded and have the money in hand. New projects can be added to Years 4 and 5 of the CIP using TRIP funds as a "planned" funding source. If the project is not fully funded by Year 3 of the CIP, it cannot advance to Year 3 and cannot be used for conformity purposes in the issuance of a building permit.
• Q: Are we only identifying TRIP projects for Fiscal Year 06 during this short cycle? (revised 6/14/05)
  A: There is no "short cycle" for TRIP. TRIP projects for funding in FYs 05/06 and 06/07 will be solicited during the work program development process in the Fall 2005.
• Q: Will the application process be statewide or left up to districts? (revised 6/14/05)
  A: There will be no "application process" since this is not a grant program. Projects will be programmed using the process established in s. 339.135, Florida Statutes, related to development of the work program. FDOT Central Office will provide Districts with process guidelines, including some uniform dates. Districts may tailor their process to meet their circumstances (e.g., number of eligible regional transportation areas, demand for TRIP funding, etc.).
• Q: Do we consider all phases for all the new programs in Fiscal Year 06 or are we to only look at construction? (posted 6/6/05)
  A: All phases can be considered, but right of way and construction phases should receive the highest priority in the early years of the program.
• Q: How much funding will be allocated to each district (statutory formula?) (posted 6/6/05)
  A: Yes, the statutory formula (equal parts of population and motor fuel tax collections) will be used to allocate funds to the Districts each year. This formula is updated each year, normally the first part of August upon receipt of the latest motor fuel tax collection data. Population is updated annually by the University of Florida. See Schedule A of the current Work Program Instructions for current district allocations.
• Q. How will TRIP projects be added to the Work Program in FY 05/06? (posted 6/6/05)
  A. When an eligible project has been identified and approved for TRIP funding, the project will be added to the Adopted Work Program through a Work Program amendment in accordance with s. 339.135, F.S.
• Q: SB 360, page 94, beginning with line 5: prior to this required list of prioritized regionally significant projects being developed, what criteria to we use to choose projects for FY 06? (posted 6/6/05)
  A: There is no difference in the requirements: a regional transportation area will have to be formed, meeting the statutory requirements in s. 339.155(5), Florida Statutes; a regional plan will have to be adopted; and a list of project priorities will have to be submitted to FDOT. Approved projects will be added to the FY 05/06 Adopted Work Program through a Work Program amendment in accordance with s. 339.135, F.S.
• Q: Can TRIP funds be used to fund aviation and port projects? (posted 5/31/05)
  A: Yes, provided that the aviation and port facilities are designated as regionally significant and matching funds are committed for the projects.
• Q: SB 360, page 82, beginning with line 23: are TRIP funds not be used on the SIS? (Page 83, line 29 states priority is to be given to projects that provide connectivity to the SIS). (posted 5/31/05)
  A: TRIP funds may be used on the SIS provided that SIS facilities are designated by the regional transportation area and matching funds are committed to a SIS project. FDOT guidance on regional significance provides that SIS facilities are regionally significant.