Annual TIP Development Schedule
Annual development of the APO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) occurs over the course of several months. Typically, the process kicks off in the fall with various grant solicitations pertaining to the outer year of the next program (year four of the four-year TIP). From there, APO staff work to update numerous components of the document, including the environmental justice (EJ) analysis, performance measures and targets section, financial analysis, and the annual listing of obligated projects (status updates on projects programmed in previous versions of the APO’s TIP). To view the schedule for TIP development, please click HERE. Note, the schedule is subject to change.
Open Solicitations
One of the roles APO staff has in the development of the annual TIP is to inform APO member jurisdictions and agencies about ongoing funding opportunities. Click below for a list of federal and/or state grant solicitations and resources for local cities and counties.
Status Report for the FY 2026-2029 TIP
June 3, 2025
Saint Cloud APO staff have spent the past several months working on developing the FY 2026-2029 TIP. The process to update the TIP began back in October 2024 with the kick off of various federal formula program solicitations. In the months since, the APO and its planning partners have worked to award anticipated federal funds for various roadway; bridge; bicycle and pedestrian; and safety infrastructure projects. Additionally, APO staff have worked closely with staff at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to ensure the text of the TIP document fulfills and complies with all applicable federal requirements.
Below is a summary of all action done to date for the development of the upcoming draft TIP.
The Projects
FY 2029 Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBGP) project awards
APO staff received two applications at the conclusion of the FY 2029 STBGP solicitation in January. Those two applications were competing for the $2,402,010 in federal funding sub targeted to the APO for this program.
| Stearns County | Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of CSAH 133/Second Street S and Fourth Avenue S in the City of Sartell | $1,600,000 | $400,000 | $2,000,000 |
| City of Saint Cloud | Heatherwood Road corridor extension from approximately 300-feet west of 47th Street S to 60th Street S | $2,080,000 | $3,120,000 | $5,200,000 |
After a technical review by the APO’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), TAC representatives recommended the Policy Board distribute the federal funding sub target as follows:
- Stearns County CSAH 133/Second Street S roundabout: $1,201,005.
- City of Saint Cloud Heatherwood Road extension: $1,201,005.
The APO’s Policy Board approved the recommendation made by TAC at its Feb. 13, 2025, meeting. These projects have subsequently been added to the APO’s draft 2026-2029 TIP.
FY 2026-2029 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project awards
The HSIP solicitation is facilitated through MnDOT’s Office of Traffic Engineering (OTE) annually. However, prior to projects located within the APO’s planning area being submitted for funding consideration, they must go before the APO’s Policy Board for approval to complete the application.
Two projects within the APO’s planning area – both from Stearns County – were subsequently recommended by the APO’s Policy Board at the Nov. 14, 2024, meeting.
| Rural intersection lighting |
|
$234,000 | $26,000 | $260,000 |
| Edgeline pavement markings |
|
$750,000 | $273,700 | $1,023,700 |
Between December 2024 and early February 2025, OTE staff reviewed all HSIP applications, including those submitted to complete projects within the APO’s planning boundaries. In early February, OTE staff notified the APO that both Stearns County projects had received the requested federal funding amount.
Both projects have been subsequently added to the draft 2026-2029 TIP.
FY 2029 Transportation Alternatives (TA) project awards
The FY 2029 TA program solicitation is facilitated through the Central Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (ATP-3). During this solicitation, two jurisdictions within the APO’s planning area submitted applications to compete for the $2.5 million in federal TA funding assistance sub targeted to ATP-3.
| City of Saint Cloud | 22nd Street S multimodal improvements between Cooper Avenue S and County Road 136/Oak Grove Road | $536,000 | $564,000 | $1,100,000 |
| City of Sauk Rapids | Mayhew Lake Road/CSAH 1 trail extension to Mayhew Creek Park entrance | $346,223 | $86,556 | $432,779 |
During the annual solicitation, ATP-3 had a total of 12 applications for the TA program – including the two projects listed above. Between the close of the solicitation and the final decision to award funding, ATP-3 received notification from the City of Saint Cloud that it was withdrawing its TA application for consideration – having received funding through the APO’s Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) solicitation.
The Central Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (ATP-3) board met on April 3, 2025, to approve funding target distribution for the FY 2029 TA program. The City of Sauk Rapids’s project was one of several TA projects approved for federal funding. As a result, this project has been added to the draft TIP.
FY 2027-2029 Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) project awards
APO staff launched the FY 2027-2029 CRP solicitation for projects that would be located within the APO’s urbanized area boundary. During that solicitation, APO staff received one application.
| City of Saint Cloud | 22nd Street S multimodal improvements between Cooper Avenue S and County Road 136/Oak Grove Road | $536,000 | $564,000 | $1,100,000 |
After a technical review by the APO’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), TAC representatives recommended the Policy Board distribute the full funding sub target for the APO in both FY 2027 ($270,000) and FY 2028 ($270,000) to avoid carrying over a balance of $4,000 in FY 2028 for a future solicitation. This would increase the City of Saint Cloud’s anticipated federal funding to $540,000.
The APO’s Policy Board approved the recommendation made by TAC at its Feb. 13, 2025, meeting. This project has subsequently been added to the APO’s draft 2026-2029 TIP.
Other Projects
APO staff have also been working closely with MnDOT District 3 staff to program various state-led projects within the APO’s planning area. Many of these projects are anticipated for the FY 2029 construction season, however, MnDOT’s Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations has proposed several railroad crossing improvements that are slated for FY 2028 construction.
Additionally, APO staff have been coordinating with Metro Bus to determine the transit commission’s federally-funded program – including vehicle replacements, operational budgets, and various maintenance and other capital improvement projects.
The Document
In addition to maintaining a project table, the TIP also must include a financial review by jurisdiction/agency as well as a determination of fiscal constraint for the projects included in the document. APO staff have worked with the cities, counties, MnDOT, and Metro Bus to determine the financial outlook for each entity. From there, APO staff conducted the fiscal constraint analysis to determine if each jurisdiction and/or agency has the ability to fund the projects listed within the draft TIP as well as maintain their existing system/network.
Per federal regulations, the TIP also must analyze how the proposed federal projects will assist the region in meeting various performance metrics (i.e., safety, infrastructure condition, system performance, transit asset management, and transit safety). APO staff have reviewed the existing performance metrics, the APO’s regional targets for those metrics, and have considered how each of the programmed projects will assist the region in improving (or maintaining) those standards.
Finally, APO staff provide an update on projects that were programmed into previously approved TIPs (FY 2025-2028; FY 2024-2027; etc.). APO staff consulted the project sponsors and requested status reports on each project that has not been completed.
Next Steps
APO staff have provided a copy of the draft FY 2026-2029 TIP to MnDOT as well as staff with both FHWA and FTA for their preliminary review and comment. This was completed in early May to ensure the document was in compliance with all state and federal regulations. APO staff are in the process of updating the document accordingly.
The APO’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has also reviewed a preliminary copy of the draft TIP at its May 29, 2025, meeting. TAC representatives recommended the Policy Board move forward in allowing the document to be released for official public review and comment by no later than July 16, 2025. The APO’s Policy Board is anticipated to take action on this at the June 12, 2025, meeting.
Between now and July 16, APO staff will work closely with MnDOT District 3 staff to ensure the document and all projects contained within the document are consistent and accurate at both the local and state level.
APO staff anticipate public comment to open on the draft on July 16.
Sept. 12, 2024
The APO Policy Board has approved the FY 2025-2028 TIP at its Sept. 12, 2024 meeting.
Interim Deliverables
There are currently no interim deliverables on the draft TIP.
