Metropolitan Planning Organizations

A metropolitan planning organization is an organization created and designated to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process. MPOs are required to represent localities in all urbanized areas with populations over 50,000, as determined by the U.S. Census. MPOs are designated by agreement between the governor and local governments that together represent at least 75% of the affected population (including the largest incorporated city, based on population) or in accordance with procedures established by applicable state or local law. An urbanized area with a population over 200,000, as defined by the Bureau of the Census and designated by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is called a transportation management area.

Louisiana presently has eleven MPOs. Four metropolitan areas are designated as TMAs: Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans and Shreveport. There are seven metropolitan areas with a population between 50,000 and 200,000: Alexandria, Hammond, Houma, Lake Charles, Mandeville-Covington, Monroe and Slidell. For more information, see Highway Inventory.

An MPO typically includes a technical staff, a technical advisory committee and a transportation policy committee. The TAC advises the TPC on technical matters, plans and policies. The TPC is the decision-making body of the MPO regarding transportation projects within the metropolitan area. It is primarily comprised of local government officials from the various municipalities within the metropolitan area, but also includes representation from DOTD as well as the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Association.