Technical Transportation Committee recommends three TIP amendments including bridge funding correction and CityBus reallocations

The Technical Transportation Committee of the Area Plan Commission for Tippecanoe County voted to recommend three amendments to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), committee chair Dr. Dunston said during the session.

Doug, a TIP staff representative, told the committee the first amendment corrects funding amounts for Bridge 64 and Bridge 65 to fix what he described as a Scribner's error made when the TIP was prepared last year. "I used the incorrect funding amounts, and we are just now changing them to make sure or, actually, to put in the correct funding amount," Doug said. The committee moved and approved the recommendation to forward the correction to the policy board.

The second amendment came from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). Doug said INDOT seeks to add two projects to the TIP: bridge maintenance and repair on State Road 25 over the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and right‑turn lanes at US‑231 and 800 South. He noted INDOT submitted an emergency request for the SR‑25 bridge and staff was awaiting central office confirmation of that emergency designation. The committee voted to recommend both projects for inclusion in the TIP.

The third request involved CityBus funding. Doug said CityBus proposes a three‑part change: reallocating residual 2023 Section 5307 funds (previously programmed for capital maintenance) to replacement tires, shop equipment and bus stop facilities; moving $1.5 million of 2024 Section 5307 funds to a 5–10 year strategic planning study called "CityBus 2030 Plus" (a planning study that will appear in the Unified Planning Work Program rather than the TIP under federal rules); and updating the phase and construction year (2028) for safety funds pulled into DOT's project at Paramount Drive and SR‑52 so those funds are designated for construction. Doug said the capital maintenance work was complete and the balance should be reallocated. The committee voted to recommend the CityBus reallocations to the policy board.

All three TIP amendments were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposing votes during the meeting. The items will be taken up at the policy board meeting next month for final action.

What happens next: staff will transmit the committee's recommendations to the policy board, and INDOT will confirm whether the SR‑25 bridge request qualifies as an emergency amendment before final TIP action.