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Regional panel recommends adoption of 2027–2030 TIP; raises STU amendment threshold to $1 million
Summary
The Tri-County HATS technical committee recommended adoption of the 2027–2030 Transportation Improvement Program and approved administrative TIP modifications including reprogramming earmark funds to advance design and utility phases for two Dauphin County bridges; the committee also raised the STU amendment threshold to $1 million to reduce project delays.
The HATS technical committee on June 12 recommended adoption of the 2027–2030 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), endorsing a package of administrative modifications and a procedural change to how locally led STU (Surface Transportation Program—Urban) amendments are handled.
Committee staff presented 58 administrative TIP actions that included funding swaps, cash-flow changes and reserve fund adjustments. Jeff Cer, HATS staff, said the package included breaking apart a previously programmed bridge bundle so that earmark funds could be used to secure final design, utilities and right-of-way funding for remaining structures. “We need to break these out and make sure that we at least get funding for final design, utility and right-of-way for some of these so they’ll get environmental clearance before that deadline,” Cer said, noting earmarked federal funds must be obligated by September 2027 and that construction would be programmed later because those earmarks will expire.
The committee discussed one specific funding change to the bridge bundle in Dauphin County: staff explained that projects originally bundled together were separated to expedite delivery for less-complicated structures and to preserve earmark eligibility. As described by staff, construction was programmed out to 2029 while pre-construction phases are funded now to meet the federal obligation deadline.
As part of the TIP package, committee members also approved a procedural change to streamline locally led STU amendments. The committee increased the STU amendment threshold from $250,000 to $1,000,000, citing frequent delays caused by low-dollar thresholds that forced repeated agenda votes. According to staff, the new threshold still requires amendment when a project’s programmed amount would materially change (for example, double from a small initial award).
The HATS technical committee voted by voice to recommend adoption of the air quality conformity report and resolution, disposition of public comments from the May 1–June 1 comment period, the TIP modification memorandum of understanding, the 2027–2030 highway/bridge/transit TIP, and the HATS self-certification resolution. The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the coordinating committee for further action.
The story map and public packet include the full list of administrative actions and the written responses to the eight public comments that the committee received during the public comment period. Staff said these materials and the interactive map will remain the public reference for individual project details and that specific PennDOT project managers will receive project-level comments as appropriate.
Next steps: the technical committee’s recommendation goes to the coordinating committee, which will consider formal adoption. Staff asked members to review packet materials and reach out with follow-up questions.
