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What is a Metropolitan Planning Organization?

A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is mandated by the Federal Highway Act of 1973 to provide a cooperative, comprehensive, and continuing transportation planning and decision-making process. Each urbanized area in the United States has a MPO which acts as a liaison between local communities, their citizens, and the state departments of transportation (DOTs).

MPOs exist to fulfill the state and federal requirements for establishing transportation priorities for its member jurisdictions through various processes prescribed by law. The processes encompass all modes and cover both short-range and long-range transportation planning.

MPO plans and programs are reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). MPOs are important because they direct how and where available state and federal dollars for transportation improvements and projects will be spent.

Major Responsibilities

As defined by federal and state transportation regulations and agreements, the major responsibilities of the MPO include but are not limited to:

Developing and maintaining a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
Developing the Transportation Improvement Plan – a five-year program establishing funding priorities of transportation related projects
Developing and adopting a two-year Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) with the associated budgets
Incorporating performance goals, measures, and targets into the process of identifying and selecting needed transportation improvements and projects
Developing a congestion management process for the metropolitan area and coordinating the development of all transportation management systems required by state and federal law.
Assisting and providing support in performing its duties relating to access management, functional classification of roads, data collection, and the planning aspects for transportation activities and functions as required by state and federal law

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Hernando/Citrus MPO Overview

In 2014, the Hernando MPO was reapportioned by the Governor to include Citrus County and became the Hernando/Citrus MPO. The planning area, which includes all of Hernando and Citrus counties, is reviewed every ten years in conjunction with the Census.

On November 2, 2023, the MPO Board approved an apportionment plan pursuant to the 2020 Census. On August 8, 2024, the apportionment plan was approved by the Governor pursuant to the Florida Statutes, Chapter 339.175, and the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23 CFR 450.312(a).