Proposed Federal Rule Could Consolidate 140 Metropolitan Planning Organizations

Alexander Bond updates the ongoing process at the FHWA/FTA to update a rule regarding the consolidation of metropolitan planning organizations.

The proposed rule, titled the "Metropolitan Planning Organization Coordination and Planning Area Reform" rule, was first announced in June. The rule "would essentially force over 140 MPOs to consolidate with nearby MPOs that serve the same Census-defined urban area," according to Bond.

Initial public comments sparked enough interest to cause the FHWA and FTA to extend the comment period, during which the federal agencies are seeking feedback on three specific areas of concern: "(a) under what circumstances would multiple MPOs be allowed to serve a single urban area; (b) the impact of requiring one set of plan documents; and (c) the forecasted cost of the proposed rule."

According to Bond, the new round of public comments signals a "softer line" on MPO reform. The Eno Transportation Weekly has been tracking the proposed rulemaking since the summer, with previous guest columns by Barry Seymour, executive director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and Steve Heminger, executive director of the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Commission.