Funding

TIP

The TIP contains all proposed highway and transit improvement projects in the Greater Bridgeport and Valley Metropolitan Planning Regions programmed to receive federal financial assistance from the USDOT over a four-year period (by federal fiscal year, October 1st to September 30th). The TIP must be financially constrained, meaning there must be a reasonable expectation of federal financial assistance available to implement endorsed projects. The region-specific TIP is then incorporated into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and is collectively referred to as the TIP/STIP. The TIP is divided into programs funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

MetroCOG staff works collaboratively with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and local municipalities, as well as Greater Bridgeport Transit, on developing project scopes, financial plans, and schedules.

The 2021-2024 TIP and 2025-2028 TIP are available in an interactive format. This platform will be utilized for public notice and processing of all actions, amendments, and notifications.

Federal Funding

The Federal Highways Administration and Federal Transit Administration offer a variety of programs to fund transportation improvements. Most federal transportation program funds are apportioned by formula using program-specific factors. Some transportation funding is provided through discretionary programs. Eligibility requirements and cost share vary by program. Click on the links below to learn more.

LOTCIP

The Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP) was created under Connecticut Public Act 13-239. The program provides state funding to municipalities in lieu of federal funds to decrease project delivery timelines and reduce oversight requirements for CTDOT. Each of the state’s nine Council of Governments (COGs) receive an annual formula-based allocation of funding. In collaboration with the region’s municipalities, each COG provides fiscally constrained funding program to their Boards for formal adoption. LOTCIP eligible projects include but are not limited to road reconstruction, sidewalk construction, bridge rehabilitation/reconstruction, construction of multi-use trails, complete street improvements and intersection improvements. The LOCTIP program receives between $45 million and $74 million annually. To date, MetroCOG has been allocated approximately $49 million since the program’s initiation in 2014.

Local Bridge Program

The State Local Bridge Program provides funding in the form of grant-in-aid to municipalities for bridge reconstruction, rehabilitation, modification or improvements such as widening, complete replacement, or complete removal. Municipalities utilizing local bridge funding are required to provide a local cost share of 50% of the total project cost. To qualify for funding a bridge must carry a certified public road, be municipally owned and/or maintained. It must also be structurally deficient, functionally obsolete or operationally deficient according to criteria developed by the Federal Highway Administration and must not have a prior commitment for funding.

At certain times, federal funding may be made available as part of the off-system bridge set aside from the Surface Transportation Program. Federal funding is available by reimbursement of up to 80% of eligible costs across all project phases. Highway bridges eligible for replacement, rehabilitation or preservation must be over waterways, other topographical barriers, other highways, or railroads. The bridges must be included on the National Bridge Inventory for federal participation.

Town Aid Road

The Town Aid Road Program provides direct formula funding to municipalities to be used for construction, reconstruction, improvement or maintenance of highways, sections of highways, bridges or structures incidental to highways and bridges or the improvement thereof, including plowing of snow, sanding of icy pavements, the trimming and removal of trees, the installation, replacement and maintenance of traffic signs, signal and markings and for traffic control vehicular safety programs, traffic parking planning and administration and other purposes and programs related to highways, traffic and parking and for the purposes of providing and operating essential public transportation services and related facilities. Distribution of funds are made semiannually, one-half during July and one-half January of each year and may be reduced proportionately if the total of all such distributions exceeds the amount appropriated.

5-year Capital Plan

CTDOT’s mission is to provide a safe and efficient intermodal transportation network that improves the quality of life and promotes economic vitality for the State and the region. In order to achieve this mission, the goal of the CTDOT Capital Program is to gather and spend every available dollar of capital funding to rebuild, replace, or improve the State’s transportation infrastructure. Each year, CTDOT develops a five-year capital plan to design and build road, bridge, public transportation and other transportation facilities and to construct those projects in a way that uses or leverages all available State and Federal funding.

The Program creates a variety of jobs and economic benefits: engineering, legal, public safety, materials production and sale, etc.