Cape Cod MPO kicks off FFY2025–2029 TIP; members urged to press legislators as unmet need tops hundreds of millions

Colleen Medeiros presented the kickoff for the FFY2025–2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), describing funding buckets (regionally prioritized projects, state‑prioritized projects, and transit funding), project readiness guidelines (progress toward 25% design for projects in later years), and the scoring/evaluation criteria the MPO endorsed in December. She reviewed a long list of candidate projects and readiness status, including: the Dennis/Harwich Route 28 reconstruction; Provincetown Shank Painter Road corridor and proposed roundabout; Bourne Rail Trail Phase 1; Chatham signal upgrades; Dennis Route 28 streetscape and West Dennis improvements; and Yarmouth Route 28 corridor work. MassDOT‑initiated resurfacing and sidewalk projects on Route 6 and Route 28 were also summarized.

Members asked about the aggregate funding shortfall. Stephen Tupper told the MPO that the TIP prepared last year showed more than $400 million of unfunded highway projects (excluding the Canal Bridges) and that current unmet need will be higher; he said staff will update the numbers and that the region should coordinate outreach to legislators and leverage new federal discretionary opportunities. Member Mark Forrest urged that the MPO prepare an aggregated, shareable summary of unmet need to present to legislators and select boards.

Colleen said staff will present updated financial projections and project evaluation scores at the February meeting to guide programming decisions. She cautioned that if available federal/state funds are insufficient or projects are not at the required readiness level, timelines may need to shift and staff will propose adjustments.

Next steps: staff to present financial projections and project evaluation scores at the February meeting, produce an updated estimate of aggregate unfunded need for members to use in legislative outreach, and continue public outreach on candidate projects.