E-2: MPO Governing Board Training on Congestion Reduction

Abstract

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Governing Board members are responsible for establishing a long-range transportation vision for their metropolitan area and for making a variety of other significant transportation planning and programming decisions. These decisions have noteworthy and long-lasting impacts on the character of their communities, including the impact on system-wide and corridor level congestion. Yet, the vast majority of MPO Governing Board members come to their position without any background in transportation system development and even less on the nature of congestion. This training program, created under the guidance of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), and the Florida MPO Advisory Council (MPOAC), will educate MPO Governing Board members on their role in managing and reducing congestion in their metropolitan area. The modular podcast-style video training program (which will be available for free download on several websites, including the AMPO, NARC, and MPOAC websites) will cover a number of topics including the definition of transportation congestion, the root causes of congestion, the advantages and disadvantages of congestion, and the techniques for managing and reducing congestion where appropriate. It will also include a description of the basic process and product requirements for MPOs and the role played by MPO Governing Board members. Upon completion of the training, MPO Governing Board members will better understand their role in defining the future of congestion on their regional transportation system, resulting in a more robust planning and programming approach to congestion reduction nationwide.