Tippecanoe County MPO board approves minutes, hears federal approvals and project funding updates

The Tippecanoe County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board met virtually on April 9, 2026, approved the minutes of its March 12 meeting, and received a series of updates on planning and federally funded projects.

Doug Poad of the Area Plan Commission reported that, following the decennial census, the MPO reviewed urban area boundaries and road classifications and submitted the results to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration; FHA approved the submission on March 12 and INDOT’s GIS has been updated. Tim Stroshine said staff are advancing the 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan — a federally required update every five years — coordinating demographic projections with LPA engineers and CityBus to anticipate future housing, employment and transportation needs.

Stroshine also briefed the board on the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) notice of funding opportunity, noting the program can fund roughly 80% of eligible safety projects with a 20% local match and requires an adopted safety action plan as a prerequisite. He said staff applied last year for improvements to South Street but were not awarded funds and that this is the last year the program is included in current transportation legislation.

On federal funding obligations, Poad told the board April 23 was the deadline to obligate FY26 funds. He said right-of-way funds have been obligated for the Soldiers Home Road project, requests were approved for engineering and parcel acquisition, and staff submitted an obligation letter the same day. Poad said staff plan to reallocate a portion of federal funds into the work program to provide planning funds for the Northern Corridor Study and Extension and that INDOT central office recently sent a contract to sign for the reallocation. He added that INDOT’s final FY26 federal funds allocation included an additional $68,338 to obligate toward projects.

Board members asked for project specifics. In response to Mike Gibson, Poad described Phase 1 of the South 9th Street reconstruction as beginning at Ortman Lane and continuing south to Veterans Memorial Parkway; the project will reconstruct the road to an urban cross section with a center left-turn lane, install a roundabout at the intersection adjacent to subdivisions, address sewer improvements, and replace a bridge that will be raised about four feet. Tony Roswarski clarified Phase 1 is the federally funded portion and Phase 2 will extend from Ortman Lane to Twyckenham; the full South 9th Street project is not expected to be completed until 2028.

Poad reviewed INDOT’s 18-month letting list, reporting that the North 9th Street bridge deck replacement has been awarded with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2027 and will require a full closure; other awarded items include raised pavement markings and bridge maintenance projects, while a State Road 25 bridge maintenance and repair award remains pending. Poad said two April items are the Emergency Vehicle Preemption and an ITS traffic management project; he reported three bids were received for the West Lafayette Emergency Vehicle Preemption construction and the lowest bid came in over the engineer’s estimate at $962,054 and was accepted.

Board members asked about schedules for the Davis Ferry Bridge and the 225 Bridge; Marcy Harkrider of INDOT said she would investigate and follow up with Poad. There was no other business. A one-minute pause for citizen comments produced none. Mike Gibson moved to adjourn; Cindy Murray seconded and the meeting adjourned at 2:27 p.m.

The meeting minutes were submitted by recording secretary Danielle Clarkson Bistline and reviewed by APC Executive Director Ryan O'Gara.