California Department of Transportation
Caltrans Transportation Planning Planning Offices Office of State Planning State Planning and Research (SPR) Planning Program Overview

State Planning and Research (SPR) Planning Program Overview

SPR Part I is a Program that receives Federal funds from the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) . These Federal funds are 2 percent set-a-side for the State of California.

The two-percent is portioned into two parts; Part I, is for Planning activities that receives 75 percent of the 2 percent. The Division of Transportation Planning (DOTP) manages this; and, the remaining 25 percent of the 2 percent goes to Part II for Research activities that the Division of Research and Innovation oversees (DRI).

Both SPR Part I and II fund projects at 80 percent and require a 20 percent match coming from non-federal sources.

SPR Part I Planning funds are used by Caltrans to fund planning activities mandated by federal and state law. All SPR activities must meet federal eligibility criteria and be included in an annual work program approved by the Federal Highway Administration.

Federal eligibility criteria for Part I Planning are:

• Support planning activities of national or statewide significance;

• Engineering and economic surveys and investigations;

• Planning of future highway programs and local public transportation systems, including statewide planning;

• Development and implementation of management systems; and

• Studies of the economy, safety and convenience of highway usage and the desirable regulation and equitable taxation thereof.

Please see Federal Guidelines Website for more information : http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/legislat.html