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Draft FY26–29 TIP posts for public comment; committee reviews conformity analysis
Summary
TPO staff presented the draft FY26–29 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), reporting over $1 billion in programmed investments. The draft TIP was submitted to Federal Highway for review and a public comment period was scheduled before the committee's October recommendation.
TPO staff provided an update on the draft fiscal year (FY) 2026–2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) at the Sept. 9 technical committee meeting. The draft TIP has been reviewed by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and transmitted to Federal Highway for the federal review period.
Craig summarized the program’s scale: the draft lists more than $1 billion in total investments across 32 discrete projects and multiple project groupings. TDOT-led projects account for roughly 69% of the program (about $730 million), local projects about 25%, and public transportation just over 5%. Roadway widening and new road construction together account for a majority of programmed dollars; bicycle/pedestrian and operations projects are also included.
Staff explained next steps: the formal public comment period would be advertised the weekend following the meeting and run through the public-comment window that ends before the committee reconvenes next month; the technical committee will consider a recommendation for approval at its October meeting and the executive board is scheduled to consider adoption after that. Craig emphasized fiscal constraint and that staff plan to return with a recommendation for approval at the next meeting.
Mike (TPO staff) briefed the committee on the conformity determination appended to the draft TIP (Appendix E). He said the TIP’s conformity relies on the modeling and regional emissions analysis previously performed for the TPO’s recently adopted mobility plan; the conformity documentation is a short report because the projects are consistent with the mobility plan’s modeling. The region remains subject to older EPA standards for ozone and PM2.5 conformity due to court decisions and those technical requirements are documented in the appendix.
Why it matters: The TIP programs federal, state and local dollars for transportation projects. The public-comment period and the conformity determination are required steps before the TIP can be adopted and projects can obligate federal funds.
Next steps: The draft TIP will undergo the federal review window, a public comment period, then the technical committee will consider a recommendation for adoption in October with final federal approval expected in early 2026.
