The 2008 Review of Florida’s MPO Long Range Transportation Plans

Federal and state transportation statutes require that a long range transportation plan (LRTP) be developed for all urban areas with more than 50,000 people. The agency responsible for drafting and approving LRTPs is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). There are twenty‐six MPOs in Florida. All of the state’s MPOs are members of the Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council (MPOAC), which serves as a statewide discussion forum and policy education organization. In 1997, the MPOAC asked the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida to conduct a comparative review of all LRTPs in the state. The project aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues being assessed and documented in plans, as well as to uncover examples of outstanding planning practice. These studies suggested several technical, methodological, and policy improvements to the transportation planning process. Data from the LRTPs was also used to estimate a statewide twenty‐year metropolitan funding shortfall of $22.3 billion. The project was repeated in 2002 and uncovered a shortfall of $37.7 billion. This project is a continuation of the reviews undertaken in 1997 and 2002. Federal and state legislation have continued to alter the priorities and requirements of LRTPs. In addition, several systemic and voluntary changes have altered the MPO planning environment. Every MPO had adopted a new LRTP since the last review. Overall, the quality of LRTPs improved substantially beyond those reviewed in 2002 and 1997. MPOs have moved away from overwhelming the reader with technical analysis in favor of crafting a document that is accessible to lay readers. MPOs have also increased the rigor of their analysis. Further, MPOs are exhibiting greater attention to regional and statewide issues. + Read more