Federal Requirement

In order to efficiently and effectively coordinate the use of federal funding for transportation projects, the Governor designates a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in each urban area having a population of at least 50,000 people or greater (as per the Federal Highway Act of 1962).

Organization

The Montgomery Area Transportation Planning Process is conducted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO includes elected officials of political jurisdictions within the Study Area Boundary, as well as a representative of the Alabama Department of Transportation Sixth Division.

The MPO provides its members a forum for cooperative, continuous, and comprehensive decision-making regarding projects which may have regional impacts in addition to the more obvious local ones.

Study Area

The study area represents the area that the MPO has predicted to be urbanized by the forecast year of their long-range transportation plan, in our case, by the year 2025.  All MPO plans, programs, and projects are limited to the study area. The Census Bureau determines the urbanized area.

The Montgomery Area MPO Study Area encompasses portions of Autauga, Elmore, and Montgomery County (see map).

 Agreement

One of the early steps in any transportation planning process is the development of an agreement. The agreement legally delineates the concerned governmental entities, defines the duties of each entity, and outlines the organization structure of the MPO. The first agreement of the Montgomery MPO was executed in 1973.  The most recent agreement was executed in 1995.  The 1995 agreement is between the City of Montgomery, Montgomery County, City of Prattville, Autauga County, City of Wetumpka, City of Millbrook, Town of Coosada, Elmore County, Alabama Department of Transportation, and Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (non-voting status).