MPO Organization

  • The decision-making body for the MPO.
  • Primary forum for stakeholder input.
  • Debates issues, proposals, and projects regarding key actions in the federal transportation planning process.
  • Board composition is cooperatively determined by states and their local governments.
    • Wide variation across all MPOs nationwide:
    • Size (i.e., number of members).
    • Representation (e.g., entities, elected or appointed officials, etc.).
    • Socioeconomic mix.
    • Board must represent 75% of the affected population within the urbanized area (including the largest incorporated city, based on population, as named by the Census Bureau).
    • The MPO policy board formulates and evaluates transportation improvement alternatives, sensitive to the context of regional interest and scaled to the size and complexity of the region. 
  • All MPOs have the same basic planning requirements. The policy board develops the core MPO documents.
  • MPO Policy Board discretion regarding their implementation and conduct.
  • May be mode-oriented, issue-oriented, or focused on a special need.
  • Could include executive leadership from member agencies.
Texas Administrative Code §16.51Responsibilities of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO)