Florida Department of

TRANSPORTATION

Office of Policy Planning

Questions and Answers Related to TRIP - "Regional Transportation Area" 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 2011, the Florida Legislature significantly revised Florida’s growth management programs. Did any of these changes affect the TRIP program? (Posted 7/6/12)
  A: Yes, changes to Florida’s growth management laws enacted in Chapter 2011-139, Laws of Florida (LOF) (HB 7207), affected the TRIP program. The most significant included the removal of Section 163.3180 (10), Florida Statutes that previously required local governments to adopt the level of service standard established by FDOT for roadways funded under TRIP. Conforming changes were made to the TRIP statute. Although local governments are not required to adopt the FDOT level of service standards for TRIP facilities, they should have joint processes for coordination with FDOT in establishing level of service standards where FDOT has the operation and maintenance responsibility for the facility.
• Q: Does the FDOT LOS standard have to be adopted for transit projects funded through TRIP? (posted 9/15/06)
  A: No. Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, Section 3180 (Concurrency) states in paragraph 10: "for roadway facilities funded in accordance with s. 339.2819 [i.e., TRIP], local governments shall adopt the level-of-service standard established by the Department of Transportation by rule." The requirement to adopt the FDOT LOS standard applies to only roadway facilities funded through TRIP. It doesn't apply to transit projects or facilities funded through TRIP.
• Q: The law states that projects funded through TRIP must adopt FDOT Level of Service standards. Under the current TRIP guidelines, no city will go after TRIP funds for primary arterials in congested urban core areas because the required LOS standard could not be met. Will the Department consider lowering its adopted LOS standards for TRIP projects in such areas? (posted 9/15/05)
  A:No. The Department does not have the authority to lower the LOS standards that are adopted by rule, except where a variance from the provisions of the rule is granted in accordance with Chapter 120, F.S. in those situations where a hardship can be demonstrated. Also, exceptions to concurrency requirements are available in certain designated areas as provided in s. 163.3180, Florida Statutes (e.g. concurrency exception areas, multimodal districts etc.).
• Q: What if the congestion is so bad on a candidate project that it will never meet the FDOT LOS standard even if it is improved using TRIP funds? Should it still be considered? (posted 9/15/05)
  A:Yes. Project funding will be based on whether it is a priority of the regional entities as identified in the regional plan for the regional transportation area.
• Q: On what basis are Intelligent Service System (ITS) projects to be evaluated? (posted 9/15/05)
  A:They should be evaluated based on whether they are located on a regionally significant facility and whether they improve vehicle throughput.
• Q: Can a project be submitted for TRIP funds that does not originate from a Regional Transportation Plan? The legislation doesn't explicitly state that the projects must come from a plan. (posted 6/23/05)
  A:No. The project must come from an approved Regional Transportation Plan. The nexus between TRIP and the plan is found in the first paragraph of 339.2819, F.S. where it references 339.155(5), F.S. That is where the language on the Regional Transportation Plan is found.
• Q: Can TRIP funds be used on the SIS? (posted 6/23/05)
  A:Yes. However, you cannot mix TRIP funds and SIS funds because both are state funds.
• Q: Does a project need to be included in the Regional Planning Council's Strategic Regional Policy Plan (SRPP) in order to be eligible for TRIP? (posted 6/23/05)
  A:No. What the regional transportation area deems to be regionally significant may not necessarily match what the RPC says is regionally significant.
• Q: What does it mean for a project to be "consistent with the Strategic Intermodal System Plan"? (posted 6/23/05)
  A:Being consistent with the SIS means that the project serves a national, statewide, or regional function, and it serves an integral part of an interconnected regional network.
• Q: Who decides what is regionally significant and what are the criteria? (posted 6/6/05)
  A:Regional transportation areas designate regionally significant facilities. The definition of "regionally significant" is expected to vary according to the characteristics and policies of each region. FDOT has provided guidance for these designations and identified characteristics for consideration. This guidance may be found in Section 6.2 of the Work Program Instructions.
• Q: This is similar to the question about the definition of the Regionally Significant Projects except substitute airports such as Tri-County Airport in Holmes County. To Washington, Holmes and Jackson Counties Tri-County is very much "Regionally Significant" (posted 6/6/05)
  A:The regional transportation area is responsible for designated regionally significant facilities for all modes. FDOT Districts will receive priorities for TRIP funds from all regions in the District. Based on the guidance developed by FDOT, the District may determine that a transportation facility that serves predominantly local travel will not be a high priority for TRIP funds within the District.
• Q: Who will define "Regionally Significant Facilities" when two rural counties form a regional transportation area? The FDOT guidance looks good from a statewide perspective, but if I'm a small rural county they have a completely different meaning. FS 339.155(5) has no reference to statewide significance. (modified 6/6/05)
  A:Designation is the responsibility of the regional transportation area. The FDOT guidance provides characteristics of regionally significant facilities. A TRIP project eligibility criterion states that projects must, at a minimum, "support facilities that serve national, statewide or regional functions and function as an integrated transportation system"; in addition, FDOT guidance states that "all facilities on the SIS and Emerging SIS are regionally significant."
• Q: Do the projects have to be on the SHS? (posted 5/31/05)
  A:No. Projects must be on regionally significant facilities, as designated by the regional transportation area. Projects for public transportation facilities that are regionally significant are also eligible.