Ohio’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) is all-encompassing. And by all-encompassing, we’re talking about Ohio’s STIP containing information on four years of transportation projects funded by state, federal, and local government sources.
Ohio’s STIP Coordinator/Manager Natasha Turner describes STIP as a four-year “roadmap” of transportation projects coming to Ohio. And when it comes to this roadmap—at more than 3,700 pages—there’s a lot to unfold.
A federally mandated report that each state must provide, Turner describes the STIP as being “a statewide prioritized list of transportation projects that have been funded and planned for some phase of work over the four-year period. It is intended to show the federal government that Ohio’s transportation projects were well-planned and realistic as they do not exceed the funding available to pay for them,” she added.
Turner, a more than 25-year veteran of ODOT who began in the District 5 Office (Jacksontown) as a college intern, has served as Ohio’s Statewide STIP Coordinator/Manager for the past 12 years. In her role, Turner is responsible for the four-year planning program’s development, implementation, and maintenance.
Just as STIP serves as a bellwether to the FHWA that Ohio’s transportation planning is figuratively on the right road, Turner said the plan is a good indicator for heavy/highway contractors as well. “A contractor could look at the STIP and plan, in advance, which projects to bid on and how to allocate resources to design and construct them. The STIP includes road, bridge, public transit, rail, freight, bicycle, and pedestrian projects, so there are a lot of opportunities for the many contractors across the state.”
“It is a roadmap for the types of transportation projects intended to be delivered statewide over the four-year period,” she added. “If a project is not included in the STIP, then it cannot expend federal dollars for any phase of project work.”
Collaboration drives STIP, as Turner works with ODOT’s program managers, Ohio’s 17 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and six Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs), other transportation stakeholders—including city engineers, county officials, township trustees, public transit authorities, the County Engineers Association of Ohio, private transportation providers, ODNR, sheriffs, port authorities, and more—the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in producing the report.
With well more than 100 individuals directly having a role in the STIP’s planning and development, Turner said, “It takes a collaborative group of people each doing their part to create the statewide four-year program. Transportation stakeholders coming together across the state for the common good of maintaining, repairing, improving, and advancing Ohio’s transportation system are a vital part of ODOT accomplishing our mission.” She added, “It takes all of us working together to keep transportation in Ohio moving forward.”
These “big table discussions” guide Turner’s other roles as Statewide STIP Coordinator/Manager, which includes establishing STIP policy, procedures, and guidance; providing ongoing direction and leadership for STIP-related questions and concerns; working regularly with stakeholders for STIP advancements and streamlining possibilities; managing the business development of the electronic STIP; and creating, organizing, updating, and running various reports and presentations. Along with her work with the STIP, Turner also assists with ODOT’s Capital Program reporting and project management system known as “Ellis.”
Overseeing her sixth STIP, which work on the 2026-2029 edition has begun, Turner said there have been advances made with the internal processes of organizing, developing, and updating the report. “… The earlier versions of the STIP were managed solely in an Excel spreadsheet with revisions being manually updated,” she said. “That has evolved over the years to using internally built queries, which use our Ellis project management system data.”
Turner said ODOT has worked to improve processes and provide more reporting tools for their MPO and RTPO partners in developing STIPs. She added that recent updates to those processes will greatly advance future reports’ developments. “We are currently developing an electronic STIP module as part of our Ellis system. This module will provide a means for ODOT, the MPOs, and RTPOs to develop and maintain our TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) project lists directly in a system with all of us using one main data source. It is a very exciting advancement for ODOT and the development and maintenance of the STIP.”
Turner said STIPs are not wish lists, as projects listed in the plan have already been approved, designed, and slated for construction. “Project selection is a separate process that occurs prior to the project being included in the STIP,” she said, pointing out that the STIP summarizes project decisions made during planning stages. “… Simply put, projects get selected, funded, and scheduled for a specific time period,” she added. “Projects that are selected with funding for some phase of work within the four-year STIP period get coordinated for inclusion in any applicable MPO TIP and the STIP.”
Because of the everchanging nature of construction timelines, the STIP’s four-year planning format is updated/revised every two years. “The STIP, once approved, is dynamic in that it is revised regularly before the next scheduled biennial development period,” said Turner. “This is done to ensure that we are reflecting changes in the program as they occur.” She said biennial reviews make for busy times for all involved. “Once the biennial development starts, we maintain the current STIP while developing the next STIP—so it’s pulling double duty at times. There are lots of deadlines that can overlap. It is a hectic time for ODOT, the MPOs, RTPOs, and our federal partners.”
As mentioned, along with work in updating the 2024-2027 STIP, the task of developing the next four-year roadmap of projects has begun. Turner, however, is excited to see how the new electronic reporting and development will work. “This development cycle will be extra busy and exciting, as we will be rolling out the e-STIP and using it as part of the 2026-2029 STIP development.”
STEPS TO BE INVOLVED IN STIP
Turner said Ohioans can get involved in the development of the 2026-2029 STIP by commenting on the plan’s draft during the public involvement period from March 11-April 11, 2025. She mentioned three ways people can provide comment:
- Visiting transportation.ohio.gov/stip to review the draft
- Contacting their respective ODOT District by going to STIP Contacts | Ohio Department of Transportation
- Contacting their area MPO or RTPO at MPO & RTPO Websites | Ohio Department of Transportation
The Stuff in STIPS
Here is the required information that can be found in the federally mandated four-year transportation planning document:
- Project Listings – Details of highway, transit, and non-motorized transportation project schedules within the report’s four-year period.
- Cost Estimates & Funding Sources – Project cost estimates and information on what federal, state, and/or local funds are being used.
- Project Phases & Timing – Planning, design, and construction timelines, as well as expected completion dates.
- Performance Measures – Information detailing how the project will improve safety, infrastructure condition, congestion, and system reliability.
- Public Involvement & Consultation – Details of collaboration with public stakeholders, local government, and Native American tribes regarding the project.
- Environmental Considerations – Information showing compliance with environmental planning regulations.
Keeping Track of TRAC & STIP
For the layperson (pun intended), it’s often a “chicken and egg” scenario, but it can also be referred to as a “cause-and-effect dilemma.”
In this situation, TRAC (Transportation Review Advisory Council) is part of the STIP (Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan). And if the STIP contains TRAC projects, that’s a good thing.
Projects selected for construction by the state’s TRAC mean Ohio motorists, travelers, citizens, and businesses will all benefit from the increased capacity and reduced congestion these new projects will provide. TRAC is a nine-member group that includes the ODOT Director and individuals appointed by Ohio’s Governor, the House of Representatives Speaker, and the Senate President. They assist in deciding which large projects—those costing $12 million or more—will utilize statewide and regional transportation investments. TRAC projects are administered by ODOT and meet the requirements of being located along state or federal routes. These projects are deemed “critical to the mobility, economic development, and quality of life for the citizens of Ohio.”
According to Natasha Turner, where TRAC and STIP are connected is that the STIP planning document incorporates both federal- and state-funded projects scheduled for construction in the upcoming four-year period. “The projects selected by TRAC are incorporated into the four-year STIP,” she explained.
