What is a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)?

In every urbanized area in the United States, a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is designated to conduct regional transportation planning and to select federally funded projects.  This MPO system was established by the federal government to give people who are affected by transportation decisions a say in how those decisions are made.

Although the State Department of Transportation has the primary role of administering the expenditure of these funds, all federally funded transportation projects in the Region must be approved by the MPO.

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is the designated MPO for the Capitol Region.  Every year, CRCOG makes decisions that influence the improvement of the Region’s transportation system.  As members of the CRCOG Policy Board, chief elected officials from each community vote on transportation decisions.

MPO Certification Review

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration will review the transportation planning program of the Capitol Region Council of Governments on July 14, 2009. Additional information is available on the MPO Certification Review Page.