Amendments to FY 2025/26 - 2029/30 and Amendments to the Fiscal Year 2024/25 -
2025/26 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). Presentation and Status Report for
the Envision 2050 update.
Action Items
5. Review/Approve Draft Amendments to FY 2025/26 - 2029/30 Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP)
Angela Kaufman, Polk TPO Staff, presented the projects from the Florida Department
of Transportation’s (FDOT) roll forward report. The Report identifies projects that were
not committed in the previous state fiscal year 2024 and have automatically rolled into
state fiscal year 2025 of the FDOT Work Program. Therefore, they must be included in
the current TIP which will become effective October 1, 2025.
Motion: Motioned to approve was made by Chuck Barmby, seconded by Carlie
Flagler. Motion carried unanimously.
6. Review/Approve Amendments to the FY 2024/25 - 2025/26 Unified Planning
Work Program (UPWP)
Ryan Kordek, TPO Executive Director, presented the proposed amendments to the
TPO’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). FDOT recently notified the TPO there
are federal planning funds available in FY 2025/26 to cover the cost of these proposed
projects. The first proposed task is to enhance the polktpo.com website with a
dashboard emphasizing safety and transportation data. Second task proposes to add
city and county road context classifications to the major roads in the Roadway Network
Database. The third proposed task consists of the preparation of grants using the
TPO’s general planning consultants in support of the TPO’s priority transportation
projects.
The fourth proposed amendment to the UPWP is being called the I-4 Intermodal
Passenger Rail Station Planning & Feasibility Study and allocates funding for
consultant services to evaluate candidate locations for a high-speed rail station along
Interstate 4 in Polk County. Mr. Kordek gave an update on the status of Brightline
passenger rail service in south and east central Florida. He also covered the status of
the Sunshine Corridor which is being studied by FDOT to provide a passenger rail
corridor (SUN Rail and Brightline) between Orlando International Airport and Disney
Springs/I-4. From Disney Springs, Brightline is planned to extend west through Polk
County and then to Downtown Tampa. Mr. Kordek then provided an overview of
studies and plans that have been prepared by MPO/TPOs in support of potential
station locations for Brightline. While Brightline is likely still years away from
connecting to Tampa, it is important for Polk County to begin studying potential
locations, needs and costs associated with such a facility. This study could be the
