Unified Planning Work Program

About the UPWP

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is adopted annually in accordance with joint Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration (FHWA/FTA) transportation planning guidelines. The UPWP describes the planning activities that are anticipated for the coming fiscal year and documents the allocation of state and federal funds associated with each planning activity.

The UPWP is a listing of the projects, priorities and work tasks the CRTPO will undertake during the fiscal year. It reflects the CRTPO’s short-range planning needs and is the instrument for coordinating metropolitan planning activities in the CRTPO’s planning area. The UPWP’s primary objective is to develop an integrated planning program which considers the planning activities of each transportation mode and coordinates these activities to produce a plan that serves all areas of the region. The UPWP has traditionally been developed using the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) as the primary planning guidance document; however, development of the FY 2023 UPWP is also guided by the goals and strategies outlined in the CRTPO’s first Strategic Plan that was adopted in November 2021.

Most of the tasks outlined in the UPWP are required by either Federal or State law and are ongoing. At the Federal level, these tasks include the development of a fiscally constrained MTP and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), implementation of the Congestion Management Process (CMP), setting performance targets in coordination with state and local partners for national performance measures, and engaging the public and stakeholders to establish a shared vision and goals for the community. At the State level, NC General Statute 136-66.2 requires each MPO to develop a Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP).

Funding for transportation planning is a product of Federal, State and local sources, with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) providing 80 percent of the funding. The remaining 20 percent is the required match for Federal funds and is provided by local jurisdictions through a method outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding.