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Regional Coordination and Fiscal Management & Oversight

This page combines the tools and resources from two branches within the Office of Regional and Community Planning: the Regional Coordination Branch and the Fiscal Management & Oversight Branch. While each branch has distinct responsibilities, together they play a vital role in advancing California’s regional transportation planning through effective coordination, funding management, and compliance.

Regional Coordination Branch

This branch focuses on building strong collaboration between Caltrans, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs). This branch provides technical assistance, policy guidance, and support for the development of key planning documents, such as the Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs) and the Overall Work Programs (OWPs). It also serves as a communication link between Caltrans and regional partners to ensure that planning efforts align with state and federal requirements.

The OWP documents are developed annually by each MPO and RTPA, in coordination with Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). These documents outline regional transportation planning activities of an MPO or RTPA and provide a coordinated framework that aligns transportation planning activities with regional, state, and federal goals, while ensuring efficient use of funds. OWPs promote stakeholder collaboration and compliance with federal and state requirements to advance sustainable regional development.
RTPs are long-range transportation planning documents that define a region’s transportation strategies, goals, and vision for the next 20 to 25 years. These plans are critical for guiding transportation investments, promoting regional collaboration, and aligning projects with priorities such as with environmental sustainability, economic development, and regional development. RTPs guide decision-making, promote collaboration among jurisdictions and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

Fiscal Management & Oversight Branch

The Fiscal Management & Oversight Branch manages over $134 million in federal and state pass-through funds annually, ensuring efficient and compliant resource distribution. Federal funds, including Metropolitan Planning (PL) and Section 5303 funds, support multimodal transportation planning, while additional competitive grants like SPR and Section 5304 are streamlined under the Consolidated Planning Grant (CPG). State funds, such as Rural Planning Assistance (RPA) and SB 1 funds, support regional and sustainable transportation initiatives through formula-based and competitive grant programs, promoting greenhouse gas reduction and statewide planning goals.

Caltrans receives federal pass-through funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to conduct multimodal transportation planning in metropolitan regions. FHWA provides Metropolitan Planning (PL) funds, while FTA provides Section 5303 funds. These funds are distributed annually to MPOs based on an agreed formula involving all 18 MPOs, FHWA, FTA, and Caltrans. Additional federal funds include FHWA’s State Planning and Research Program (SPR) funds and FTA Section 5304 funds, both of which are awarded through competitive grants. These funding sources are streamlined by FHWA and FTA under the Consolidated Planning Grant (CPG), simplifying the oversight and administration process for eligible recipients.
Caltrans administers State Pass-Through Funds which includes resources the from the State Highway Account (SHA) funds and from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA). SHA funds, also referred to as Rural Planning Assistance (RPA) funds, support planning activities for the 26 RTPAs and are made available annually, based on an agreed upon formula. RMRA funds, also known as SB 1 Funds are distributed through the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.
  • Formula Grant
     Distributed annually on a formula basis (consistent with the FHWA PL formula), these grant fund activities that further the region’s RTP and Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS).
  • Competitive Grants (SB1-C)
     Awarded through a competitive process, these grants encourage local and regional multimodal transportation and land-use planning that supports RTPs, State Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction targets and other statewide goals . Both OWPs and RTPs are developed using federal and state pass-through funds to support effective transportation planning and sustainable development across California.

Regional Planning Resources and Tools

OWP Guidance and Statewide Meeting Materials

OWPA

Amendment Transmittal Memo Template

Allocations/Estimates

Certifications and Assurances

Invoicing

OWPA

Allocations/Estimates

Certifications and Assurances

Invoicing

Allocations

FY Closeout Forms

Contacts

Erin Thompson | Office Chief
Regional and Community Planning

Neil Dixon, AICP | Acting Branch Chief

Araceli Zuniga | Branch Chief
Federal and Fiscal Management Oversight Branch