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What is an MPO? 

Watch Director Gary Harrell explain the MPO in conversation with CCTV’s Elizabeth Billings

An Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a federally-mandated and federally-funded transportation policy-making organization that is made up of representatives from local government and transportation providers. The United States Congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962, which required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area (UZA) with a population greater than 50,000.

Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process. Congress created MPOs in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures of governmental funds for transportation projects and programs are based on a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (“3‑C”) planning process. Statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes are governed by federal law (23  U.S.C. §§ 134–135). Transparency through public access to participation in the planning  process and electronic publication of plans now is required by federal law.

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Member Entities

The Charlotte County MPO coordinates with the following local entities regarding the transportation network within the MPO’s planning area boundary. This boundary includes Charlotte County, the City of Punta Gorda, and the southwest portion of DeSoto County.

All About Acronyms 

Do you know your AAASWFL from your YOE? Click here for a guide to some acronyms the MPO works with on a daily basis.

• 2019/2020 – 2023/2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Roll-Forward Amendment

• 2018/2019 – 2022/2023 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Roll-Forward Amendment

• Adopted 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan

• Draft – Executive Summary (Adopted October 29, 2018) 

• Draft – Implementation Plan 

• Charlotte County-Punta Gorda MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Map – 2019