About

Unified Work Programs (UWPs) are required by federal transportation legislation and fall under the responsibility of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). The development and maintenance of UWPs are subject to the regulations set forth under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and preceding federal transportation bills.

The UWP is a document that outlines the transportation planning work & studies to be conducted within the MPO Region over a one year period. The purpose of the UWP is to coordinate planning efforts, identify regionally significant projects, and allocate State and Federal funding to support local transportation planning activities.

Work Elements

The UWP is organized into distinct work elements that outline specific planning activities and tasks to be undertaken during the fiscal year. The work elements from UWP FY2025 are listed below:

Highlights the core administrative and operational functions of the MPO.

Features the collection, analysis, and management of spatial, demographic, and transportation data to support planning activities.

Focuses on the advancement of the region's long-range transportation goals through development and implementation of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, performance-based planning, active transportation initiatives, freight planning, and targeted regional studies addressing equity, resilience, technology, and sustainability.

Highlights the management of short-range transportation programming through the development of the Transportation Improvement Program, oversight of federal funding allocations, coordination of transit and rail initiatives, and advancement of regional infrastructure priorities.

Features specialized planning initiatives focused on safety, congestion, corridors, environmental sustainability, housing, and livable communities, supporting a more coordinated, resilient, and equitable regional transportation network.

Federal Planning Factors

The following bullet points outline the federal metropolitan planning factors, as defined in 23 CFR §450.306, that guide the development of the Metropolitan Planning Organization's UWP:

  • Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency,
  • Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users,
  • Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users,
  • Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight,
  • Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns,
  • Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight,
  • Promote efficient system management and operation,
  • Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system,
  • Improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation,
  • and Enhance travel and tourism.

Annual Development Process

Each year, the MPO undertakes the following steps to develop the upcoming fiscal year's UWP, in accordance with the "Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Metropolitan Planning Organization Cooperative Agreements Manual":

  1. Budget for Federal Planning Marks (November - February)
  2. Draft the Program (January - March)
  3. Preliminary Review (April)
  4. Approval Process (April - June)
  5. Final Adoption (June)