AMATS reports functional-classification comments and warns of STIP funding-match shortfall

AMATS Executive Director Aaron Jongen Ehlen told the committee that AMATS’ policy committee approved a set of comments on the state DOT’s federally required functional‑classification update and that many recommended changes were downgrades to lower functional classes based on current traffic counts. "A lot of the changes that were approved by the policy committee are downgrading the roads from a higher functional class to a lower functional class," he said.

The nut graf: AMATS also flagged a funding concern: DOT informed regional partners that a shortfall in the state match to federal STIP funding could push some projects and that STIP Amendment No. 2 (approved July 14) is contingent on state budget action. Jongen Ehlen summarized DOT’s letter: DOT requested roughly $90.1 million in non‑federal match but had $31.8 million available, leaving a large gap and potentially delaying roughly nine‑figure federal construction obligations (the department told the committee it was still confident the gap could be resolved in the next legislative session).

AMATS staff said they will study the STIP impacts and noted FHWA has required monthly coordination between DOT and MPOs in the upcoming STIP development cycle. AMATS also received a dated letter from DOT expressing concerns about AMATS’ operating agreement and boundary update; the policy committee recommended seeking an independent legal review of DOT’s letter to assess implications for the MPO operating agreement and boundary. The committee asked AMATS to circulate the operating agreement to assembly members for their review.

Ending: AMATS urged committee members to attend the AMATS policy committee meeting and to monitor HSIP nominations and STIP developments; staff said they will schedule a policy‑committee work session and obtain outside legal analysis of DOT’s letter if the committee chooses to proceed.