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STP/CMAQ

  1. Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA)
  2. Policies and Programming
  3. SAFETEA Third Cycle Programming
  4. SAFETEA Second Cycle Programming
  5. SAFETEA First Cycle Programming
  6. Archive
  7. Project Delivery and Program Monitoring
  8. Project Sponsor's Resolution of Local Support

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SATETEA)

Approximately every six years, the U.S. Congress adopts a transportation act - Congress’s authorization to spend tax dollars on highways, streets, roads, transit and other transportation related projects. The current transportation act is called Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA).President George W. Bush signed it into law in August 2005.

The majority of SAFETEA funding flows to the states, and in California these funds are administered by Caltrans. However, Caltrans assigns a significant portion of two of the programs, the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) to MTC and other regional planning agencies to be used at their own discretion, subject to federal regulations. MTC develops and administers its own funding programs using STP and CMAQ funds to target Bay Area transportation needs. Funding from these two programs totals approximately $130 million annually.

Policies and Programming

SAFETEA spans five years beginning in fiscal year 2004-05 and ending during FY 2008-09. MTC has developed “policies” for two cycles, with each cycle spanning a consecutive two-year period. MTC is currently developing the third cycle policy.

First Cycle: FYs 2003-04* and 2004-05

Second Cycle: FYs 2005-06 and 2006-07

Third Cycle: FYs 2007-08 and 2008-09

*FY 2003-04 was treated as an extension of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) the federal transportation act in effect prior to the passage of SAFETEA. This provided a one-year bridge between the prior authorization and the current SAFETEA authorization.

“Policies” establish the overall architecture of the federal STP/CMAQ programming that falls under the discretion of the Commission. Specifically, these policies identify which MTC programs are to be funded with Second Cycle STP/CMAQ dollars and at what funding levels. “Programming” entails the selection of individual projects within the frameworks of these regional programs. MTC first adopts a policy resolution for each cycle and then follows up with another resolution, which lists individual projects.

SAFETEA Third Cycle Programming

The Third Cycle Programming policies guide the programming of a two-year increment of federal funding (FY 2007-08 and FY 2008-09) amounting to $300 million authorized by SAFETEA. This programming cycle essentially continues established STP/CMAQ funded programs into the Third Cycle: Clean Air, Regional Operations, CMA Planning Activities, Local Streets and Road Shortfall, Transit Capital Shortfall, TLC/HIP, Regional Bike/Pedestrian.

Over the life of SAFETEA, $900 million has come to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The Third Cycle ($300 million) will complete the regional programming of SAFETEA, representing the final two years FY 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Policies and Programming

SAFETEA Second Cycle Programming

The policy to guide this programming activity was adopted by MTC on April 14, 2004 (MTC Resolution 3615). This programming effort provides a total of $286 million for the Clean Air Program, regional operations programs, planning activities, Local Streets and Roads Shortfall Program, Transit Capital Shortfall Program, Transportation for Livable Communities Program/Housing Incentive Program (TLC/HIP), Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Program and the State Transportation Improvement Program/Transportation Congestion Relief Program (STIP/TCRP) Backfill.

Policies

Programming

SAFETEA First Cycle Programming

The MTC Commission adopted SAFETEA First Cycle policy on March 26, 2003 (MTC Resolution No. 3536). This programming effort provided a total of $256 million for air quality management, strategies, regional operating programs, planning activities, and carryover projects from TEA-21.

In addition, in spring 2005, staff identified $107 million in additional First Cycle funds as a result of MTC having advanced projects to earlier fiscal years and new project delivery policies enacted by the state. To put this $107 million in STP and CMAQ funding to best use, staff developed a program, split roughly 50 percent to strategic expansion projects at about $55 million, 40 percent to rehabilitation for local streets and roads and transit at about $45 million, and just under 10 percent is dedicated to system management and safety projects at $7 million. This augmentation cycle was adopted by the Commission at its April 2005 meeting.

Policies

Programming

Archive

The previous transportation authorization act, TEA-21 (FY 1997-98 through FY 2002-03) funded the following list of projects:

Project Delivery and Program Monitoring

Project Sponsor's Resolution of Local Support

Prior to the programming of STP or CMAQ funding to any project, MTC requires that the project sponsor adopt and submit a resolution of local support through its respective congestion management agency. Adjustments to currently programmed STP/CMAQ funding levels do not trigger this requirement.

Boilerplate Resolution of Local Support (Word)

MTC Staff Contact Information

Craig Goldblatt
510.817.5837
cgoldblatt@mtc.ca.gov