GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	2 

SENATE BILL 1164*
Transportation Committee Substitute Adopted 4/28/99

Short Title:  Establish Metropolitan Planning Boards.  	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to: 

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April 15, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH CONSOLIDATED METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS UNDER STATE LAW.
Section 1.  Article 1 of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 136-15.1.  Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
(a)	Metropolitan Planning Organizations, as defined by 23 U.S.C. § 134 are hereby established in this State.
(b)	Purpose. – The purpose of this section is to implement 23 U.S.C. § 134 and section 8 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, which require that a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) be designated for each urbanized area and that the designated metropolitan area have a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning process that results in plans and programs that consider all transportation modes and supports metropolitan community development and social goals.  Plans and programs developed under this section shall lead to the development and operation of an integrated, intermodal transportation system that facilitates the efficient, economic movement of people and goods.
(c)	Boundaries of MPOs established under this section shall be determined by the Governor, under recommendation from the Secretary.  The recommended boundaries of the MPOs shall reflect accurate and current urban economic regions, including areas of projected expansion over the next 20 years.  To the extent possible, only one MPO shall be designated for each region.  For geographic areas designated as nonattainment or maintenance areas (as created by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA)) for transportation-related pollutants under the CAA, the boundaries of the MPO shall include at least the boundaries of the nonattainment or maintenance areas.
(d)	Prior to making a recommendation to the Governor as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary shall provide for notice and comment to the public and to local governmental units.
(e)  Boundaries of MPOs established under this section shall reflect:
(1)	Areas that capture current and projected commuting patterns;
(2)	The major regional transportation facilities, such as regional rail, highways, greenways, airports, and ports, in their entirety; and
(3)	Consistency with federally designated metropolitan statistical area boundaries.
(f)  In preparing recommendations regarding MPO boundaries, the Secretary shall review, in addition to the criteria in subsection (c) of this section, planning areas currently in use for all transportation modes.  Where appropriate, adjustments should be made to reflect the most comprehensive boundary to foster an effective planning process that ensures connectivity between modes, reduces access disadvantages experienced by modal systems, and promotes efficient overall transportation investment strategies.
(g)  Unless otherwise directed by federal statute, MPO boundaries shall be reexamined every 10 years, following each decennial federal census.
(h)  The voting membership of an MPO shall include representation of local elected officials, officials of agencies that administer or operate major modes or systems of transportation including, but not limited to, transit operators, sponsors of major local airports, maritime ports, rail operators, and appropriate State officials."
Section 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.