Evolution of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) into Multi-Functional Regional Roles

In the United States, all three levels of government, federal, state, and local, are engaged in coordinating the movement of goods and people. Recognizing the importance of an inter-connected transportation system, Congress enacted legislation in the mid-twentieth century that conditioned federal transportation funding upon continuing, comprehensive, and coordinated ("3-C") transportation planning linking cities and suburbs. Thereafter, Congress mandated that the states create Metropolitan Planning Organizations ("MPOs") to undertake 3-C planning on a metropolitan scale. Congress has now expanded the scope of transportation planning criteria to include environmental protections, energy conservation, local planned growth, economic development patterns, mitigation of storm water impacts, and resiliency and reliability improvements. The states also undertake regional multi-functional, integrated planning that includes both economic development and environmental factors. This Essay argues that MPOs should be engaged in the planning of other metropolitan functions as well as 3-C transportation planning.