State Transportation Improvement Programs. Transportation programs identify actual improvement projects as well as funding and schedules for implementing them. Illinois law requires IDOT to develop five-year proposed improvement programs for highways, public transportation, airports, and rail modes. The highway edition includes state and federally funded highway projects on the state and local system (five years of state and three years of local highway projects). In addition, after the completion of the state transportation budget, an annual highway improvement program is published that updates the first year of the five-year program. The public transportation edition contains capital projects for a five-year period, with projects in the first year specifically identified. The first year of the program also includes expected operating expenditures. Each spring, the Governor submits the five-year improvement programs for highways and public transportation to the Illinois General Assembly. At the same time, the programs are distributed to local governments, citizens and interest groups for review and comment prior to the adoption of IDOT's budget. IDOT also issues news releases when appropriate. The published five-year programs include a form and telephone numbers for the members of the public to submit their comments to IDOT. All comments received are documented and taken into consideration in the subsequent development of a three-year program required by the federal government. The three-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is required by the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. It contains all federal and state-funded highway and public transportation projects proposed in Illinois over a three-year period. Regionally significant projects are identified individually while other projects are grouped. IDOT publishes a draft STIP after the General Assembly approves the annual state budget. The draft STIP also includes an invitation to the public to review the document and submit comments via the enclosed form or calling the listed telephone numbers. This is accompanied by the publication of display ads in newspapers throughout the state and a statewide news release informing the public of the availability of the draft STIP at IDOT offices and through the Illinois Document Depository Libraries. The comments received on the draft STIP are then taken into consideration in the development of the final STIP. If significant changes are made to the draft STIP, such as program emphasis and the addition or deletion of regionally significant projects, IDOT will publish notifications of the amendments in the newspaper with the predominant circulation in the area impacted by the change.