The Texas Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at the Texas Department of Transportation, 200 East Riverside Drive, Room 1A-2, in Austin, Texas to receive public comments on the January out of cycle 2011 Revisions to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for FY 2011-2014. The STIP reflects the federally funded transportation projects in the FY 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) for each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in the state. The STIP includes both state and federally funded projects for the nonattainment areas of Beaumont, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston. The STIP also contains information on federally funded projects in rural areas that are not included in any MPO area, and other statewide programs as listed.

Title 23, United States Code, §134 and §135 require each designated MPO and the state, respectively, to develop a TIP and STIP as a condition to securing federal funds for transportation projects under Title 23 or the Federal Transit Act (49 USC §5301, et seq.).

Section 134(j) requires an MPO to develop its TIP in cooperation with the state and affected public transit operators, to provide an opportunity for interested parties to participate in the development of the program, and further requires the TIP to be updated at least once every two years and approved by the MPO and the Governor or Governor's designee. Section 135(g) requires the state to develop a STIP for all areas of the state in cooperation with the designated MPOs and, with respect to non-metropolitan areas, in consultation with affected local officials, and further requires an opportunity for participation by interested parties as well as approval by the Governor or the Governor's designee.

A copy of the proposed January out of cycle 2011 Revisions to the FY 2011-2014 STIP will be available for review, at the time the notice of hearing is published, at each of the department's district offices, at the department's Transportation Planning and Programming Division offices located in Building 118, Second Floor, 118 East Riverside Drive, Austin, Texas, and on the department's website at:

www.txdot.gov

Persons wishing to review the January out of cycle 2011 Revisions to the FY 2011-2014 STIP may do so online or contact the Transportation Planning and Programming Division at (512) 486-5033.

Persons wishing to speak at the hearing may register in advance by notifying Lori Morel, Transportation Planning and Programming Division, at (512) 486-5033 not later than Monday, February 14, 2011, or they may register at the hearing location beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the hearing. Speakers will be taken in the order registered. Any interested person may appear and offer comments or testimony, either orally or in writing; however, questioning of witnesses will be reserved exclusively to the presiding authority as may be necessary to ensure a complete record. While any persons with pertinent comments or testimony will be granted an opportunity to present them during the course of the hearing, the presiding authority reserves the right to restrict testimony in terms of time or repetitive content. Groups, organizations, or associations should be represented by only one speaker. Speakers are requested to refrain from repeating previously presented testimony. Persons with disabilities who have special communication or accommodation needs or who plan to attend the hearing may contact the Government and Public Affairs Division, at 125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483, (512) 463-9957. Requests should be made no later than three days prior to the hearing. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate the needs.

Further information on the FY 2011-2014 STIP may be obtained from Lori Morel, Transportation Planning and Programming Division, 118 East Riverside Drive, Austin, Texas 78704, (512) 486-5033. Interested parties who are unable to attend the hearing may submit comments to James L. Randall, P.E., Director, Transportation Planning and Programming Division, 118 East Riverside Drive, Austin, Texas 78704. In order to be considered, all written comments must be received at the Transportation Planning and Programming office by Monday, February 28, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.

TRD-201100027

Joanne Wright

Deputy General Counsel

Texas Department of Transportation

Filed: January 5, 2011