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 these branches serve separate purposes, together they support California’s regional transportation planning efforts by ensuring effective coordination, compliance, and funding management.

Regional Coordination Branch: This branch focuses on fostering collaboration between Caltrans, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs). We provide 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). Additionally, the branch facilitates communication between Caltrans and regional partners to ensure that planning efforts align with state and federal requirements.

The OWPs are developed annually by MPOs and RTPAs, in coordination with Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The OWP outlines the annual regional transportation planning activities of an MPO or RTPA and provides a coordinated framework for aligning transportation planning activities with regional, state, and federal goals. It ensures efficient use of funds, fosters collaboration among stakeholders, and supports compliance with federal and state requirements to advance sustainable regional development.

The RTPs are long-range transportation planning documents that outline a region’s transportation vision, goals, and strategies for the next 20 to 25 years. They are critical for coordinating transportation investments and ensuring projects align with regional growth, environmental sustainability, and economic development goals. RTPs guide decision-making, promote collaboration among jurisdictions and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

Fiscal Management & Oversight Branch: This branch is responsible for managing approximately $134 million in federal and state pass-through funds annually and ensures the efficient and compliant distribution of planning funds.

Caltrans receives federal pass-through funds from the FHWA and FTA to conduct multimodal transportation planning in metropolitan areas. FHWA provides Metropolitan Planning funds also known as PL, whereas FTA provides section 5303 funds. These funds are made available to the MPOs on an annual basis based on an agreed upon formula by all 18 MPOs, FHWA, FTA, and Caltrans.

In addition to PL and FTA section 5303 funds, FHWA provides State Planning and Research Program (SPR) and FTA section 5304 funds that are awarded to eligible grantees via a competitive grant program. FHWA and FTA instituted a transportation planning funds process called the Consolidated Planning Grant (CPG) which includes these fund sources. 

Caltrans also receives state pass-through funds from the State Highway Account (SHA) funds and from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA). The SHA funds are also referred to as Rural Planning Assistance (RPA) funds and are used to conduct planning activities. These funds are made available to the 26 RTPAs annually, based on an agreed upon formula. The RMRA are also referred as SB 1 Funds and they reside under the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program. The Formula Grant (SB1-F) is distributed to the MPOs annually on a formula basis (consistent with the FHWA PL formula) to further the region’s RTP SCS. The Competitive Grants (SB1-C) are awarded to eligible grantees via a competitive grant program. The grant specific objective of the SB1-C Grants is to encourage local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning that furthers the region’s RTP SCS (where applicable), contributes to the State’s GHG reduction targets, and other State goals.

The OWPs and RTPs are developed with these federal and state pass-through funds.