MPO Overview

What is an MPO

A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a federally designated transportation planning agency responsible for coordinating transportation planning and decision-making in urbanized areas with populations greater than 50,000. Established by Congress through the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962, MPOs were created to promote regional coordination through a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (“3-C”) transportation planning process.

MPOs bring together local governments, transportation agencies, and other stakeholders to develop long-range transportation plans, prioritize transportation investments, and ensure that federal transportation funds are allocated in accordance with regional goals and priorities.

The Tri-Cities Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (TCAMPO) is the federally designated transportation planning agency responsible for coordinating the regional transportation planning process for the Tri-Cities Area urbanized area. TCAMPO is one of 15 MPOs in Virginia and is governed through a three-part organizational structure consisting of:

• an executive decision-making body (Policy Committee),
• an advisory body (Technical Advisory Committee), and
• a full-time professional staff responsible for supporting the MPO’s planning activities and serving the member jurisdictions.