UPWP Purpose

The SFY 2010-2012 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) describes the planning activities of the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) in Erie and Niagara Counties. GBNRTC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Greater Buffalo- Niagara Region.

Developed biannually, in cooperation with federal, state and local agencies, the UPWP provides a comprehensive view of short and long-range transportation planning activities. Designated by the Governor of the State of New York, GBNRTC has the responsibility to perform the continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative planning process for the region. The UPWP identifies the transportation planning activities that are to be undertaken in support of the vision, goals, objectives, and policies identified in the Long Range Plan 2030 adopted in January 2007.

Funding for Planning Activities

The most recent authorizing legislation, SAFETEA-LU, enacted on August 10, 2005 by the United States Congress and signed by the President, authorizes the MPO to receive Federal Highway Administration PL program funds in an amount set at one and a quarter percent of the funds authorized for the following programs:

SAFETEA-LU also provides funding for transit planning based on 3 percent of the total amountof transit funds provided to the region. Transit funding is administered by the Federal Transit Administration, which allocates the funds to the states on behalf of the MPO.

• Interstate Maintenance (IM);
• National Highway System (NHS);
• Surface Transportation Program (STP);
• Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (HBRR); and
• Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ).

Other Federal and State Funds

In addition to FHWA and FTA funds, other federal and state funded programs impact the transportation planning and decision-making process. Coordination with these activities is effected through the UPWP, with member agencies of the GBNRTC being either directly involved or part of regional and state review mechanisms. The following program is illustrative but not all inclusive of these other activities:

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds are received for Aviation Facilities Planning
• Capital funds from the Congestion Management Air Quality (CMAQ) program for Demand Management and for Areawide Signalization Studies

Download the 2010-2012 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) here.