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Implement Phase

Header that says 20+ years above person with telescope looking at two circular arrows overlaid by pedestrian, bus, automobile and bicycle icons representing the transportation system.

Implementing a Transportation System Plan (TSP) extends well beyond the adoption date, guiding actions by the jurisdiction, facility owners, and service providers.

Seeing projects through

Seeing planned projects through to construction requires several development steps. Prior to construction, additional permits and coordination with government agencies may be required where projects impact resource lands or environmentally sensitive areas.

Tracking your results

TSPs offer direction over a long planning period, and their relevance can wane over time. It is important to periodically assess how well the TSP predicted transportation needs and whether developments (such as changes in land use, availability of funding sources, or advances in technology) change priorities.


Modal and refinement plans can play a role in implementing a local TSP. Modal plans provide more detailed information regarding a specific transportation mode than what was included in the adopted TSP. The TPR allows for an applicable plan to be incorporated by reference (in whole or in part) into a TSP (OAR 660-012-0010[2]). A modal plan must be consistent with and can implement the adopted TSP. Mass transit, transportation, airport, and port districts must prepare and adopt plans for transportation facilities and services they provide, and these plans must be adequate to implement a local TSP (OAR 660-012-0015[6]). Refinement plans provide detailed information related to a facility. Refinement plans are necessary when a transportation need exists, but the mode, function, and general location of a transportation improvement have not been determined, and a range of alternatives must be considered before identifying a specific project or projects. As described Step 7: TSP Documentation – Other Elements, a refinement plan may be necessary to implement a TSP recommendation.​

The transportation funding program identifies which projects, programs, or services developed in the TSP process will be funded based on existing and anticipated revenue sources and the projected costs of proposed projects and programs (See Step 6: Funding Program). The outcome of the funding program is a list of preferred transportation projects/programs based on prioritization of alternatives into constrained and unconstrainted project lists (See Step 5: Alternatives Development and Evaluation). Jurisdictions can select projects from this list to include in their local capital improvement plans or programs. Typically, these are short-range plans (usually 4 to 10 years) that identify capital projects and that allocate capital funds as approved by the jurisdiction's elected officials. In addition, cities and counties in metropolitan areas and Metro are required to conduct additional analysis to demonstrate that there will be no increase in vehicle miles traveled per capita if specific roadway projects are included in the constrained project list (See Enhanced Review of Select Roadway Projects).

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is ODOT's capital improvement program for state and federally funded projects. Local projects on state highways or other projects that require state or federal funding must be selected and approved in the STIP before they can be constructed. Information on the STIP development and project selection processes can be found on the STIP website.

If a TSP project is federally or regionally significant and is located within a metropolitan area, it needs to be programmed for inclusion in a Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program. All Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs are incorporated by reference into the STIP. Information on Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program project selection procedures, including timelines and criteria, can be accessed through the respective MPO.​

Project development includes determining the precise location, alignment, and preliminary design of transportation facilities or improvements authorized in a TSP. The TPR requires each jurisdiction to adopt land use regulations to implement its TSP. Depending on the nature of the transportation improvement, additional land use decision-making may or may not be required prior to construction. The TPR (OAR 660-012-0045[1]) lists improvements that, under ordinary circumstances, need not be subject to land use regulations. It also identifies types of improvements that will require further land use decision-making. Additional land use decision-making typically is required where the facility or improvement impacts farm or forest lands, Goal 5 resources, floodways or other hazard areas, estuarine or coastal shoreland areas, or the Willamette River Greenway. For these improvements, local governments must provide a review and approval process that is consistent with the TPR section on transportation project development (OAR 660-012-0050).​

Cities and counties should continuously monitor opportunities arising from innovations in transportation technology, demand for evolving mobility needs, and the impact these trends have on investment priorities. While the TSP is a plan for conditions 20 or more years into the future, it cannot anticipate all advances in technology or their impact on the way people travel within and to a jurisdiction. Examples of potential advances include:

  • Alternative fuel sources that influence the cost of driving and operating transit service
  • Autonomous vehicle technology that impacts the safety and efficiency of roadways
  • Electric-assisted bicycles and other wheeled mobility devices that reduce topography and distance barriers of travel for non-motorized road users​

Metropolitan  Areas

Cities and counties located in metropolitan areas are required to provide an annual report documenting progress toward meeting the requirements in the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR). Metro is responsible for coordinating with jurisdictions within its planning area and preparing this required annual report. Reports are reviewed and approved by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD).

Minor Report

During most years, cities, counties, and Metro are required to report on the state of coordinated land use and transportation planning, any recent or upcoming amendments to the TSP, progress on including underserved populations, and any current or recent select roadway project review or authorization pursuant to OAR 660-012-0830. 

Major Report

When a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) adopts a regional transportation plan, cities, counties, and Metro must include additional information in their next annual report. This includes information on actions considered to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and an assessment on regional and local performance targets set in the TSP. Requirements for reporting on performance measures differ depending on whether a jurisdiction has a land use and transportation scenario plan approved by the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC). Jurisdictions with an approved scenario plan must report on the performance measures from the plan; all other jurisdictions must report on specific actions to reduce pollution and increase equitable outcomes. OAR 660-012-0905(2) includes the minimum reporting requirements for cities and counties that do not have an approved land use and transportation scenario plan. 

Major report submissions include the opportunity for public comment and can be appealed to the Land Conservation and Development Commission. Jurisdictions that fail to report can be referred to a compliance hearing before LCDC, which has the authority to issue a remand enforcement order.



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