Tippecanoe public hearing reviews draft Transportation Improvement Program, highlights $6.54 million in federal funds

Tippecanoe County held a public hearing on its draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) covering state fiscal years 2026–2030, presenting how federal and local funds would be allocated and inviting public comment.

Doug, introduced during the meeting as a senior planner, said the TIP matches local transportation needs to federal funding and is prepared every two years. He told the Citizens Participation Committee the draft had been posted on the APC website and that the local call for projects began in October; the Technical Transportation Committee already allocated limited federal gas tax funds in January. "Generally, we only have $6,540,000 to allocate," Doug said, adding that the amount often forces projects to be split into phases because construction costs exceed available funds.

The presentation walked through required program elements: public and private participation, federally required environmental‑justice screening using census/GIS data, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance for every constructed project, "red flag" environmental investigations for potential contaminated sites, project selection criteria and performance measures. Doug said STBG (Surface Transportation Block Grant) funds are the largest flexible funding source and noted a local practice to reserve roughly 10% of STBG for non‑motorized projects; he cited South Street Phase 3 as a project aimed at improving walkability.

Doug also outlined the core program tables that list federally funded projects for Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and CityBus, and described a separate, informational table of INDOT projects that are not yet programmed in the constrained table. He reviewed CityBus funding—federal, state, local tax revenue, fares—and said future project scoping had been consolidated after a change in management.

On locally prioritized capital projects, Doug highlighted three large efforts: Lafayette's South Ninth Street project (two phases, south of the railroad to Veterans Memorial Parkway), West Lafayette's work on Soldiers Home Road (north of Sagamore Parkway up toward Calabrio), and a Tippecanoe County project to add sidewalks/trails and HAWK signal improvements near Harrison High School and adjacent schools (around 600 North and 50 West).

A committee participant asked whether changes in state or federal administrations would affect the current submission. Doug said he had not received directives to alter the draft but cautioned that some future guidance could change environmental‑justice requirements; he added that Congress typically sets funding amounts in law, so immediate reductions were unlikely without further direction.

The meeting record and appendices, Doug said, include outreach materials, public notices, a summary of the December survey and responses to submitted comments; he invited attendees to review the detailed tables by project and funding type on the agency website. No substantive public comments were recorded on Facebook or YouTube during the hearing; staff said links to the draft TIP and to INDOT STIP meeting notices were posted online.

The committee did not vote on adoption of the draft TIP during the hearing; the event functioned as the federally required public meeting and an opportunity to record comments and questions. The Citizens Participation Committee approved routine minutes from the prior meeting by roll-call vote during this session and later adjourned the hearing. The committee listed future meeting dates of June 11, Sept. 10 and Dec. 10.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve minutes from the previous meeting: motion carried by roll-call (Stuart Fresquez: yes; Steve Clevenger: yes; Jean Croshan: yes; Lynn Nelson: yes; Deanna McMillan: yes). (Motion moved by Lynn Nelson; second recorded in the audio as "Diana" — transcript spoken word — and is recorded in attendance as Deanna McMillan.) - Motion to adjourn: carried by roll‑call (same five yes votes).