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TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Policy Board

Area 15 Regional Planning Commission is an active player in regional transportation planning. We work closely with area transit agencies and municipalities to address transportation needs in Southeast Iowa. Other planning activities the commission contributes to include infrastructure and transit service improvements, data collection, grant writing, and project implementation. These activities are also carried out and implemented through different committees and programs through the Regional Planning Affiliation 15 (RPA15). 

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The Regional Planning Affiliation 15 (RPA15) Policy Board is the decision making body for the RPA. This board is responsible for giving approval on selection of projects for funding and programming, and approving transportation planning documents prepared by RPC staff for the RPA.

 

The regularly scheduled meeting for the Policy Board is on the 4th Thursday of each month, at 11:15 a.m. Meetings are held in Ottumwa, at the Ottumwa Transit/10-15 Transit Offices, located at 2417 South Emma Street.  Policy board meetings are open to the public, if you need reasonable accommodations to participate in the meeting, please call Chris Kukla at 641-684-6551 at least three (3) business days prior to scheduled meeting.

Technical Advisory Committee

The Regional Planning Affiliation 15 (RPA15) Technical Advisory Committee is an advisory group to the Policy Board.  The group is responsible for accepting, reviewing, and making recommendations to Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Transportation Enchancement applications submitted to the RPA.

 

The regularly scheduled meeting for the Technical Advisory Committee is the 2nd Thursday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. Meetings are held in Ottumwa, at the Ottumwa Transit/10-15 Transit Offices, located at 2417 South Emma Street.  Technical Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public, if you need reasonable accommodations to participate in the meeting, please call Chris Kukla at 641-684-6551 at least three (3) business days prior to scheduled meetings.

Surface Transportation Program

The RPA receives an annual allocation of federal transportation funding through the Surface Transportation Program (STP).  These funds are distributed within the RPA through a grant program managed by the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission.  The deadline for applications is the beginning of January each year.

 

Eligible activities for STP funding include: work on new or existing roadways, bridges, public transit capital investments, and transportation planning.  Roadways must have a federal functional classification of “major collector” or higher to be eligible.  Bridges must be on a roadway with an appropriate federal functional classification.  All projects must be at least $20,000 in size.  Through the STP program, up to 80% of the project’s costs are eligible for reimbursement.

 

The RPA has an application system where projects are submitted to the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission for review of eligibility.  Eligible projects are then reviewed by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which makes a recommendation to the Policy Board on whether to fund a project and the funding level.  Projects approved by the Policy Board are included in the region’s Transportation Improvement Program, which becomes part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

 

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission prior to submitting an application to ensure it meets federal functional classification requirements and discuss the level of funding available.

Transportation Alternatives Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming techniques, lighting and other safety-related infrastructure, and transportation projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

 

  • Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities to access daily needs. 

 

  • Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other non-motorized transportation users. 

 

  • Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.

 

  • Community improvement activities, including:

    • Inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising.

    • Historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities.

    • Vegetation management practices in transportation right-of-way to improve roadway safety, prevent against invasive species, and provide erosion control.

    • Archaeological activities relating to impacts from implementation of a transportation project eligible under 23 USC.

    • Streetscape and corridor landscaping.

 

  • Any environmental mitigation activity, including pollution prevention/pollution abatement activities and mitigation to: 

    • Address stormwater management, control, and water pollution prevention or abatement related to highway construction due to highway runoff.

    • Reduce vehicle caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats.

 

  • Construction or non-construction project eligible under the Safe Routes to School program under section 1404 of SAFETEA-LU. 

 

  • A project eligible under the Recreational Trail program as defined by 23 USC 206.

 

All projects must be at least $20,000 in size.  Through the TAP program, up to 80% of the project’s costs are eligible for reimbursement.

 

The RPA has an application system where projects are submitted to the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission for review of eligibility.  Eligible projects are then reviewed and scored by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which makes a recommendation to the Policy Board on whether to fund a project and the funding level.  The Policy Board reviews the TAC’s recommendation before making its decision on a project.  Projects approved by the Policy Board are included in the region’s Transportation Improvement Program, which becomes part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

 

 Applicants are encouraged to contact the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission prior to submitting an application to ensure it is an eligible activity and discuss the level of funding available.

The RPA receives an annual allocation of federal transportation funding that is earmarked for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).  These funds are distributed within the RPA through a grant program managed by the Area 15 Regional Planning Commission.  The deadline for applications is the beginning of January each year.

 

The TAP program replaces the Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools Programs.  Eligible activities for TAP funding defined under include:

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