Ed Christopher
Resource Center Planning Team
Federal Highway Administration
4749 Lincoln Mall Drive
Matteson, IL 60443
708-283-3534
Ed.Christopher@dot.gov
edc@EdTheFed.com
Slides at
EdTheFed.com
http://www.edthefed.com/presen
tations/What_is_an_MPO.ppt
What is Transportation Planning?
Why Does it Exist?
Transportation Planning is a Process
It exists to provide the information
needed for decision makers to
choose among alternative strategies
for improving transportation system
performance
Transportation Planning is a Process




Establishing a community/regional vision and
identifying how transportation fits into the vision
Developing/utilizing a cooperative and inclusive
transportation vision and operations concept for
the region
Understanding the types of decisions needed to
achieve the vision
Assessing the opportunities and limitations of the
future in relation to goals and desired system
performance measures
and there’s more…
Transportation Planning is a Process




Identifying near- and long-term consequences of
alternative choices
Relating alternative decisions to goals, objectives,
and system performance measures
Helping decision makers establish priorities and
develop an investment program
Presenting this information to decision makers
How is all this done?
Federally, Urban Transportation
Planning Began
in 1962 with the Federal-Aid Highway Act

Required that transportation projects in urbanized
areas of 50,000 or more people be based on a
transportation planning process

Provided a funding mechanism for the process to
develop

Required the 3C planning process (cooperative,
continuing and comprehensive)
~ 51 years old
What is the 3C Planning Process?




Cooperative—cooperation between
federal, state, local levels of
government and various agencies
within each level
Continuing—need to periodically
reevaluate and update transportation plan
Comprehensive—referred to 10 elements
for which inventories and analyses were required
Consultative
(evolved in over the last 20 years)
“Cooperation means that the parties involved in carrying out the
transportation planning and programming processes work together
to achieve a common goal or objective” 23 CFR 450.104
Ten Basic Elements
(Comprehensive Defined)
1. Economic Factors Affecting Development
2. Population
3. Land Use
4. Transportation Facilities (Inc. Mass Transit)
5. Travel Patterns
6. Terminal and Transfer Facilities
7. Traffic Control Features
8. Zoning, Building Codes, Subdivision Codes
9. Financial Resources
10.Social and Community-Value Factors
What Emerged From This?

Analytical Process and Tools
Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPOS)


Transportation Plans
Analytical Process
Four Phases
1. Collection of Data
2. Analysis of Data
3. Forecasts of Activity and Travel
4. Evaluation of Alternatives
The Urban Travel Forecasting Process
Basic Four-Step Process
1. Trip Generation
2. Trip Distribution
3. Mode Split
4. Traffic Assignment
Other processes are evolving
Activity
Dynamic
Simulation
Metropolitan Planning Organizations

1973 Federal-Aid Highway Act


Dedicated money to planning activities
Planning Regulations

Formalized the process, organization and
procedures
Who is the MPO?
MPOs are Policy Boards comprised of local
elected officials, officials of public agencies
that administer or operate major modes of
transportation and State officials
A Policy Board Can Include
 Mayor(s)






Regional Planning Commission Chair
County Executive
Airport Director
Port Commission Executive
Transit Authority Executive
DOT Manager
How is the MPO Board Empowered?
Required for urbanized areas of over
50,000
 Designation by agreement between
Governor and local governments that
represent at least 75% of population
(including the central city or cities) or in
accordance with procedures in State or
local law

What Area Does an MPO Cover?

Urbanized Areas over 50,000 people
Special case for Urban Areas over 200K
people (Transportation Management Area or
TMA)


Metropolitan Planning Area
Metropolitan
Planning Area
Urbanized Area
How do MPOs Decide Things?
Generally through Consensus
and a Committee Process

Governor and local officials
(or State law) determine voting
status and agreements


By-Laws
What Do MPOs Do?

Serve as the Forum for the 3C Process
Prepare/adopt 20 year Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP)

Develop Transportation Improvement
Program (TIP)

Develop Unified Planning Work Program
(UPWP)


Publish a Public Participation Plan
Additionally MPOs…
Publish an annual listings of projects for
which Federal funds have been obligated

Maintain a Congestion Management Process
(CMP) for TMAS only


Program Projects and Funds (STP, CMAQ)
Track air quality conformity for compliance
with State plan

Conduct technical studies, including travel
surveys, demographics, and travel demand
modeling

Additionally MPOs…
Work with member agencies to develop
financial estimates for the RTP and TIP

Ensure fiscal constraint (balance revenues
to expenditures)

Initiate public involvement and involve the
public

Coordinate Plans and programs with state
and other federal agencies


and much more . . .
The Long Range (Transportation) Plan
Metropolitan Transportation Plan

At least a 20 year Horizon
Long and Short-Range
Strategies/Actions

Updated every 5 years (4 in nonattainment areas)


Use Latest Data

Be Approved by the MPO
Some MTP Elements
Current and Forecasted Population and
Employment
 Future Land Use Plans
 Projected Demand of Persons and Goods
 Adopted Management and Operations
Strategies
 Multimodal Evaluation of Needs





Pedestrian and Bike
Public Transit and Freight
Roadway Element
Freight Element
Performance Based Approach



Support National Goals
Surface Transportation Targets
Public Transit Targets
Feds set goals
State and transit set their targets
MPO sets its targets (180 days or less)
Monitor and Report on Progress
Transportation Improvement Program
(TIP)
Priority List of Projects Spanning at
Least 4 Years

Typically Updated Annually (required
every 4 years)

Prepared in Cooperation with State and
Public Transit Operator(s)


Opportunity for Public Comment

Lists Funding Sources
TIP (Cont’d)

Describes Projects

Must include regionally significant projects
regardless of funding

May include non-federally funded projects

Must include federally funded projects

Financially Constrained

Consistent With 20 Year Plan
Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

Annual Program
Documents Planning Work Done with
SAFETEA-LU Funds Over the Next One
to Two Years


Includes Relevant State/Local Activities

Has a Schedule

Identifies Responsible Agency

Discusses Planning Priorities
Public Involvement Process
(Participation Plan)

Proactive and inclusive



Public involvement in overall planning activities
Outreach to affected minority and low income
populations
Numerous methods

Open houses, Newsletters

Presentation, Internet

Cable access television programs
Financial Constraint
Required by ISTEA and reaffirmed by
TEA-21 and SAFETEA-LU (MAP-21)
 Designed to bring realistic
expectations of current and future
revenues to process
 Long Range Plans can have illustrative
projects
 Uses “year of expenditure”
cost estimates

Additional Resources
http://www.edthefed.com/planning
http://www.edthefed.com/planning
http://www.edthefed.com/planning
http://www.edthefed.com/planning