NVCOG members approved two transportation items on Oct. 24: a requested amendment to the 2025–2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to add design phases for a permanent Route 34 structure in Oxford, and an additional allocation for the Shreve Road sidewalks project in Bristol.

The Route 34 item (project 10107181) covers the preliminary and final design phases for a permanent replacement of a temporary structure installed after last summer's flooding. Rich (surname not stated), NVCOG staff presenting the TIP amendment, said construction will be covered in a future TIP amendment. The board moved and seconded the amendment and approved it by voice vote.

NVCOG also considered a cost increase for the Shreve Road sidewalk installation in Bristol. Kevin (surname not stated), NVCOG transportation staff, told the board inflation and the need for four retaining walls raised the project cost; the new project total is about $3.1 million. TTAC had reviewed and endorsed the increase; the board approved the additional allocation by voice vote.

Why it matters: The TIP is the region's fiscally constrained four-year list of federally assisted projects; NVCOG staff said the current TIP update process will return to a three-year cycle and begin public engagement and air-quality conformity modeling this winter. Rich said the project lists will be uploaded to the EcoInteractive platform and that public comment and a draft narrative will be released in January, with adoption expected next spring.

The meeting record did not include roll-call tallies for the votes; outcomes were announced by voice vote as approved.

Ending: NVCOG staff said the new TIP schedule should reduce last-minute amendments and improve project accuracy in the document; individual construction-phase funding will be sought in later TIP cycles or amendments.