Financial Plan Resource Group

As part of the long-range transportation planning process, federal law requires metropolitan planning organizations to develop a financial plan that “demonstrates how the adopted transportation plan can be implemented” (23 CFR § 450.324(f)(11)). The financial plan — which will ultimately be a standalone component of the 2026 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) — must demonstrate fiscal constraint by determining that sufficient funding resources will be available to invest in the transportation system as recommended in the long-range plan.

To meet these requirements, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) must assess the anticipated expenditures and revenue sources necessary to carry out the operation, maintenance, and expansion of the region’s transportation system over the planning period (2027-50). This process provides opportunities to:

• ensure the transportation-related goals, strategies, and projects identified in the RTP are financially feasible and sustainable
• explore present-day and anticipated trends and policies that might impact future financial conditions
• identify any funding gaps that need to be addressed and/or funding strategies that should be leveraged to achieve desired transportation outcomes

Comprised of representatives from regional, state, and federal transportation agencies, as well as academic and policy subject matter experts, the Financial Plan Resource Group will support these activities by providing input and guidance on a variety of data and assumptions that will pose implications across the financial planning process.

This page will be updated regularly with materials related to the resource group, including presentations, meeting notes, and more.