Transportation Planning Process

Because of the state's size, transportation planning is carried out on a consolidated statewide basis rather than at state, regional and metropolitan levels, as in other states. Projects are selected by the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) of the State Planning Council; RIDOT has one of 24 seats on the TAC, which meets monthly. The Statewide Planning Program within the Department of Administration-in collaboration with the TAC, RIDOT and the statewide transit operator-prepares the state's long-range planning document and the four-year state Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for adoption by the State Planning Council. The council also serves as the single statewide MPO for the state. The governor also makes a series of recommendations for state-generated transportation funding. The planning process must be in accordance with the Unified Planning Work Program for Transportation Planning that is approved annually by the council.

Legislative Role in Transportation Planning

In recent years, the legislative role has been to approve the five-year RIDOT capital plan, appropriate additional revenues for transportation outside the federal apportionment, set motor fuel tax rates to generate revenues for transportation, and include referendum questions on the ballot for voters to approve initiatives funded by general obligation bonds. The General Assembly does not have an active role in prioritizing federally funded projects, but does when state capital funds are used.