Engagement in the Transportation Process

This page outlines the major transportation plans produced by MARC, their purpose, timeline and potential engagement strategies.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan

An illustration of a person walking through checkpoints on a timeline

Overview

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is the centerpiece of our planning process and serves as a blueprint for the long-term management of the region's transportation system. It identifies improvements for the next 20 to 30 years and sets goals, policies and strategies ranging from road and transit improvements to projects that enhance bike, pedestrian and freight movement. 

View the MTP

MTP public participation strategies

Updates

The MTP is updated every five years when the region is in air quality attainment and every four years when the region is in nonattainment. The Kansas City region is currently in attainment. For each major MTP update, MARC will develop a public participation strategy that outlines opportunities for public involvement throughout the planning process.

To encourage early and ongoing engagement, MARC may share draft chapters and planning materials during development, in addition to releasing the complete draft MTP for formal public review.

Between major updates, the MTP may be amended to reflect new projects, funding changes, program updates, or other planning needs.

Timeline

The final draft MTP will be available for public review and comment for at least 30 days, consistent with federal requirements.

MTP amendments are subject to a minimum 14-day public comment period. This review period supports coordinated public comment opportunities when proposed changes affect both the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Comments

When public comment is requested, MARC will share information through a variety of communication channels, which may include:

  • MARC websites and online engagement platforms
  • Email distribution lists
  • Social media
  • Blogs and newsletters
  • Digital and print advertising
  • Other outreach methods, as appropriate

All comments received during the public review period will be collected, reviewed, and summarized. MARC will consider public input, including comments related to financial plans, and incorporate responses or revisions, as appropriate, into the final MTP documentation.

MTP amendments versus administrative modifications

Amendments

The MTP may be amended between major updates to:

  • Add, remove, or revise transportation projects.
  • Update financial information to maintain fiscal constraint.
  • Address air quality conformity requirements.
  • Reflect changes in planning data, programs, or federal, state, and local funding.

Before an amendment is adopted, MARC's Total Transportation Policy Committee (TTPC) reviews the proposed changes and releases a draft for public comment. The public comment period for MTP amendments is at least 14 days. Public review is limited to the chapters and appendices affected by the proposed amendment.

Administrative Modifications

Administrative modifications are changes to the MTP that are considered minor and do not require public review or comment. These may include:

  • Minor corrections to text, formatting, or grammar.
  • Small changes to project costs or funding sources.
  • Adjustments to project schedules or initiation dates.
  • Updates that do not require a new demonstration of fiscal constraint.
  • Updates that do not require an air quality conformity determination in applicable areas.

Administrative modifications help keep the MTP current while allowing more significant changes to go through the public review process.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

Illustration of a city with roads, a river, buildings and houses

Overview 

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) contains major surface transportation projects planned to receive federal, state and local funding in the next five years. Project examples include new roadways, additional through lanes to existing streets, interchange construction or modification, improvements to intersections, transit amenities and bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transportation programs, among others. 

View the current TIP

TIP Public Participation Strategies

Updates

We update the TIP every two years and process amendments on a quarterly cycle. Special amendments may also be processed at other times throughout the year. 

In the event of declared state and/or federal emergencies, or at the discretion of MARC's executive director, MARC may elect to process any emergency-related TIP revisions through an expedited public participation process - a seven-day review instead of 14 days. Emergency-related revisions that would normally require formal approval can be ratified by the MARC Board of Directors at the next scheduled opportunity. 

Participation period

Early and continuous public participation should be done for the TIP including calling for public review and comments on projects submitted by local governments. TIP full plan updates and amendments require a 14-day public comment period. 

Comments

When we receive a comment on the TIP or its amendments, we will provide an individual response, acknowledging the comment and addressing any issues. During an update to the TIP, we will gather, summarize and analyze public comments, including on the financial plans, and include them as part of the final document. 

TIP amendments versus administrative modifications

Amendments

Amendments are significant changes to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that require formal review and public comment.

  • TIP amendments are limited to three per year when a new TIP is being developed and four per year in other years.
  • Amendment deadlines are established to allow sufficient time for reviewing air quality conformity, financial capacity, and other required analyses.
  • Requests must be submitted far enough in advance to allow approximately two months for staff review and preparation.
  • One amendment cycle each year typically aligns with the annual transit-related TIP amendment.
  • The Transportation Technical Planning Committee (TTPC) reviews amendment requests and releases them for public comment.
  • Amendments are subject to a minimum 14-day public comment period.
  • Public review is limited to the TIP chapters and appendices affected by the proposed changes.

Emergency Amendments

In the event of a declared state or federal emergency, or at the discretion of MARC's Executive Director, emergency-related TIP revisions may follow an expedited process.

  • Public review may be reduced from 14 days to 7 days.
  • Examples of situations that may warrant expedited action include:
    • Immediate threats to public health and safety
    • Declared emergencies or major disruption events
    • Potential loss of federal or state funding
  • Emergency revisions requiring formal approval may be ratified by the MARC Board of Directors at its next scheduled meeting.

Administrative Modifications

Administrative modifications are minor updates that do not significantly affect the TIP and do not require public review, a new fiscal constraint demonstration, or an air quality conformity determination.

Examples include:

  • Minor changes to project costs
  • Minor adjustments to funding sources
  • Minor revisions to project schedules or initiation dates
  • Editorial, formatting, or grammatical corrections
  • Other routine updates that do not substantially change the scope or intent of a project

These modifications allow the TIP to remain current while avoiding the formal amendment process for routine updates.

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

Illustration of a document flowing through review and a pie chart

Overview

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is a document that describes all the work we plan to take on in the coming year. The plan describes each major activity, who will perform the work and the schedule for completing it. The UPWP also contains information on the proposed budget for each activity. 

MARC develops the UPWP with input from local governments, area transit providers, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). 

View the UPWP

UPWP public participation strategies

The UPWP is updated annually in August/September and released for public review and comment for a minimum of 14 days.

Final approval is made in November/December. Amendments are made throughout the year and are released for public comment when projects are either added or deleted, or when significant changes are made to the document. 

UPWP amendments versus administrative modifications

Amendments

Amendments are significant changes to the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) that require formal review and public comment. Under MARC's UPWP Modification Policy, a formal amendment is required for:

  • Adding funding.
  • Transferring funds between tasks or activities that cumulatively exceed 1% of the approved Consolidated Planning Grant (CPG) budget or $5,000, whichever is greater.
  • Adding or removing a project or activity.
  • Reallocating CPG training funds to another task.
  • Revising a project's scope or objectives.
  • Adding costs that require prior federal approval, such as foreign travel.
  • Changing the source or amount of matching CPG funds.
  • Changing key personnel identified in the UPWP.
  • Contracting, subgranting or otherwise using a third party to perform activities central to the CPG-funded work program.

The Transportation Technical Planning Committee (TTPC) reviews proposed amendments and releases them for public comment. Amendments are subject to a minimum 14-day public comment period. Public review is limited to the sections of the UPWP affected by the proposed changes.

Administrative Modifications

Administrative modifications are minor revisions that do not require public review or formal committee approval. Examples include grammatical, spelling and other editorial corrections.

Under MARC's UPWP Modification Policy, staff will:

  • Notify the Kansas and Missouri departments of transportation of approved modifications.
  • Update and publish the UPWP following approval by the MARC Director of Transportation and Environment.
  • Provide a summary of administrative modifications to the TTPC with the next formal UPWP amendment.

These updates allow the UPWP to remain current while avoiding the formal amendment process for routine changes.

Public Participation Plan

Illustration of a diverse group of individuals

Overview

The Public Participation Plan specifies goals, strategies and techniques to be considered when engaging the public in our planning process. This planning process, dictated in the first section of this document, occurs every five years, following the year of the adoption of the MTP. Additionally, MARC will develop an Annual Engagement Workplan to supplement this plan in a more iterative, incremental manner.  

Process

This planning process, dictated in the first section of this document, occurs every five years, following the year of the adoption of the MTP. Additionally, MARC will develop an Annual Engagement Workplan to supplement this plan in a more iterative, incremental manner.  

Comments

The plan requires a 45-day public review and comment period. All comments will be considered in the final review by the TTPC, prior to its adoption. The adopted plan will be posted on the MARC website and be available in both English and Spanish. 

Additional considerations

Special Plans

We sometimes develop or facilitate the development of special plans and studies beyond those that are federally required. This additional planning work may include developing a more detailed plan for a particular mode of travel, like a regional bike or freight plan, or assisting local governments in developing a corridor or area plan. The processes to develop these will include a public participation process in most cases. Project managers will develop a public participation strategy with guidance from this Public Participation Plan. 

Coordination with partner agencies

MARC will consult with agencies and officials within the MARC MPO boundary who are responsible for other planning activities that are affected by transportation, including transit agencies, state departments of transportation and federal agencies. We will coordinate planning processes by ensuring representatives from these organizations are continually involved in and informed about the activities of MARC committees and work groups. We will also work closely with KDOT and MoDOT to coordinate the public involvement and consultation processes for their statewide transportation planning.