You have a transportation project in mind for your community that you believe may be eligible for federal funds from NOACA. You would like to begin construction as soon as possible so your community can reap the rewards of the completed project.

Many project sponsors are surprised to learn that a typical project can take seven years or more from concept to finished state – and more complex projects can take as long as 30 years! The fact is, almost all transportation projects are more complicated than they first appear, and they may take longer to implement than anticipated.

One way you can identify potential problems – and minimize the risk that a project will be prolonged – is through early planning and coordination with NOACA. In project development, NOACA advocates a three-stage process:

• planning,
• programming and
• prioritizing.

Following these steps can increase the likelihood that your eligible project will receive federal funds within a reasonable time. The process for a conceived project is defined as a three phase process of: acquiring funds, preparing plans, and actual construction.

Schedule

Because of the lead-time required to process project applications and obtain comment, NOACA posts an annual Project Planning Review (PPR) schedule.

Local project sponsors can also visit the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) web page designed to assist a Local Public Agency (LPA) within District 12 to understand and navigate the successful delivery of a project that requires oversight from ODOT. The intent of the web page is to serve a dual purpose both as a reminder/checklist for the experienced LPA and also as a brief orientation for new or infrequent agencies.