Federal Funding

The MPO is funded through a federal transportation grant which is administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The federal funding is established through a transportation authorization bill drafted by congress and approved by the president. Since the early 1990’s, six bills have been authorized covering specific time periods.

• 1992 – 1997 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA)
• 1998 – 2005 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)
• 2006 – 2012 Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
• 2013 – 2015 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21)
• 2016 – 2020 Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act)
• 2021 – current Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) also known as the "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law" (BIL)

The current transportation bill, the BIL, continues the practices from previous bills and creates funding opportunities to implement the following goals: 

1. Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians,
2. Improve the safety of our transportation system,
3. Improve healthy, sustainable transportation options,
4. Build a network of EV chargers to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging options,
5. Modernize and expand passenger rail and improve freight rail efficiency and safety, and 
6. Improve our nation’s airports.

For more information on the BIL, please click here.

State Funding

On November 4, 2014, Texas voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure known as Proposition 1 (Prop 1), authorizing a constitutional amendment for transportation funding. Under the amendment, a portion of oil and gas tax revenues that typically go into the Economic Stabilization Fund will be deposited to the State Highway Fund. The amendment did not create any new taxes or fees.

On November 3, 2015, Texans voted on and approved Proposition 7 (Prop. 7), a constitutional amendment to dedicate portions of revenue from the state’s general sales and use tax as well as from the motor vehicle sales and rental tax to the State Highway Fund for non-tolled projects. These funds can only be used to purchase right of way for, and build, maintain, and rehabilitate non-tolled public roads and to pay down certain transportation-related debt.

MPO Funding

Once funding is authorized at the state or federal level, it is distributed to each MPO through two formulas. One formula determines how federal funding will be allocated to the states. This formula is established as part of the federal authorization bill. The second formula determines how state and federal funding is distributed to the MPOs within the state. This formula is determined by the Texas Transportation Commission.