Assessing Progress: The State of Metropolitan Planning Organizations under ISTEA and TEA-21

• Published in: International journal of public administration Vol. 28; no. 13-14; pp. 1057 - 1079
• Main Authors: Wolf, James F., Beth Farquhar, Mary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2005; Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Subjects: City Planning; Governance; Government Agencies; Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act 1991-US; metropolitan governance; metropolitan planning organizations; Planning; Public administration; regional planning; Studies; Transportation; Transportation planning; United States > US
• ISSN: 0190-0692; 1532-4265
• DOI: 10.1080/01900690500290629

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and the ensuing Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21 st Century (TEA-21) established a central role for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in regional transportation planning. In this new role, MPOs found themselves bringing together governmental and nongovernmental organizations representing the various transportation modalities in the planning process. At the same time, these MPOs assumed responsibilities for more effectively integrating transportation plans with other public policy arenas that affect and in turn are affected by transportation at the regional level. This paper reviews the progress that MPOs have made in achieving these goals. It concludes that there has been some progress in most areas specified in the ISTEA/TEA-21 legislation, however, the institutional contexts of MPOs substantially limits their effectiveness as regional transportation planning organizations.