Evansville MPO approves UPWP amendment, advances TIP draft and several FTA funding resolutions; opens 30-day comment period for new TIP

The Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policy committee approved an amendment to its fiscal year (FY) 2025–2026 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), advanced two Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) changes and authorized a 30-day public comment period for a draft FY2026–2030 TIP during its meeting. The committee also approved several Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding resolutions and performance-target items for local transit agencies.

The UPWP amendment adds final funding amounts for the two-year planning document that begins July 1, 2025. Committee members were told the UPWP will include $1,035,968 in federal funds, $66,174 in state funds and $204,966 in local funds for a total of $1,307,108. As presented, the amendment reflected a change in a Kentucky FTA 5304 line item (now $20,000 instead of $10,000) and removal of a proposed Kentucky FTA 5311 funding line that had been intended as a 50% match. "This is a two-year document," Pam said during the presentation, noting the federal/state review process and where the full amendment materials are posted on the MPO website.

Why it matters: the UPWP directs staff planning work and identifies the federal, state and local funds that support MPO planning over the next two years. The committee also approved other items that will shape transportation project programming, public engagement and transit funding in the region.

Project updates and INDOT highlights

MPO staff and Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) representatives provided construction and design updates for a slate of county and state projects including Oak Hill Road (water-service work and old line abandonment nearing month-end completion), ongoing right-of-way engineering tasks, and multiple pavement and overlay jobs on US 41 and I-64 corridors. INDOT said a Diamond on-ramp reconstruction will require a 40-day closure; other work includes intersection improvements and a mid-March railroad bridge demolition staging. Rusty Fowler characterized the list as the major upcoming highlights.

TIP amendments, modifications and new TIP draft

The committee approved two amendments to the current 2024–2028 TIP submitted by the state: one to remove a bridge-painting project on I-69 and another to add a 2026 construction project for sign installation and conflict-warning systems, the latter estimated at about $1.5 million. Several additional TIP modifications were presented for information only; those items revise funding, combine contracts or shift fiscal years on programmed projects.

The MPO released a draft FY2026–2030 TIP and associated conformity documentation and opened a 30-day public comment period from March 17 through April 16. The MPO will accept written comments and hold three open houses: March 31 at Henderson County Public Library (4:30–5:30 p.m.), April 2 at The Pagoda in downtown Evansville (12:30–1:30 p.m.) and April 2 at Bell Road Library in Newburgh (4:30–5:30 p.m.). Staff said the draft and conformity materials are available in the MPO office during normal business hours and as a PDF on the Evansville MPO website; the plan will return to committees and the board for approval in May.

FTA grant and transit items approved

The policy committee approved several FTA-related resolutions and target settings: the FY2025 FTA Section 5310 grant application resolution (enhanced mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities), the FY2026 FTA Section 5304 application authorization for online submission (the request totaled $25,000, with $20,000 federal and a $5,000 local match currently accounted for by the City of Henderson), and transit asset-management (TAM) and safety targets for 2025 tied to METS and HEART reporting. Jennifer presented the 5310 resolution, saying the enclosed resolution states the amount the MPO will request and that ‘‘the local match of 20% will be provided by the nonprofits.’’ The committee approved these items by voice vote.

Coordinated plan amendment

The MPO also approved an amendment to the 2023–2027 Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan to add nonprofit agencies and to update the Henderson Area Rapid Transit (HEART) section to reference FTA Section 5311 (as a funding source) and HEART budget information. Staff noted the draft amendment was available for public comment from Feb. 20 through March 7 and that the MPO received no comments during that period. The presenter said staff made additional edits requested by KYTC and removed references to environmental justice (EJ) from the document to align with an executive order cited in the amendment process; the committee adopted the amendment.

Votes at a glance (summary of formal actions taken)

- Elect chair (nomination/voice vote): Jack Korn elected chairman. Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Elect vice chair (nomination/voice vote): Vice chair elected (name noted in roll call). Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve minutes from prior meeting. Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve amendment to FY2025–FY2026 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) as presented. Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve two TIP amendments (remove I‑69 bridge painting; add 2026 sign installation/conflict-warning system ~ $1.5M). Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Note: Multiple TIP modifications presented for information only; no committee action requested. - Approve FY2025 FTA Section 5310 grant application resolution (local match to be provided by nonprofit partners). Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve 2025 transit asset-management (TAM) and safety targets for METS and related nonprofit vehicles. Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve FY2026 FTA Section 5304 application resolution authorizing staff (Syed Shikuside) to upload online application documents and commit $5,000 local match (City of Henderson local share). Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve amendment to the 2023–2027 Coordinated Plan (add nonprofits; HEART updates; removal of EJ references per cited executive order). Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified) - Approve payment of bills. Outcome: approved by voice vote. (mover/second: not specified)

What the committee said and next steps

Presenters emphasized that federal and state planning partners have received the UPWP amendment and the draft TIP materials for review and that material comments will be presented back to the committee if necessary. Staff said the TIP and related conformity documents are posted online, that open-house details are on the MPO website and that the TIP will return to committees for approval in May. The coordinated plan will next be updated on a multi-year schedule; staff said the next comprehensive update will occur in 2027.

Meeting context and engagement

The meeting convened with a quorum present and included MPO policy committee members, staff and representatives from INDOT and federal partners. Discussion was procedural and staff-driven; most items were approved by unanimous voice votes with no recorded roll-call tallies. Several multi-jurisdictional construction and right-of-way items were reviewed but were presented as progress reports rather than items requiring MPO action.

For more information and links to the UPWP amendment, TIP draft and open-house materials, see the Evansville MPO website and the MPO office during normal business hours.