Organization Advisory Council
What is an MPO?
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a regional entity required in urbanized areas with populations over 50,000, and designated by local officials and the Governor of the State. As stakeholders, they work in cooperation with the state and other transportation providers for carrying out the metropolitan transportation planning requirements of federal highway and transit legislation. MPO's are responsible for developing transportation plans and programs for their respective metropolitan area.
For an overview of the Transportation Planning Process in Urbanized Areas, please visit the Illinois Department of Transportation website. The IDOT Office of Planning and Programming is responsible for developing transportation programs aimed at improving the state's transportation system. This includes working with MPOs in urbanized areas to develop programs related to urban transportation. Click here for the MPO Planning Process document for further information.
Below is an 11 minute video which was produced by the Federal Highway Administration and is an introduction to metropolitan transportation planning and the role of the MPOs. It explains who makes transportation decisions and how those decisions are made. Involving many modes such as highway, transit, freight and airports and involving large, diverse geographic areas, large scale transportation planning and decision making is best done at the regional level, and MPOs are the engines that drive collaboration and participation within the region. The video explains the purposes the three MPO documents (the Unified Planning Work Program UPWP, the Transportation Plan, and the Transportation Improvement Program TIP), and how each is prepared. The video also explains how MPOs work with other transportation and land use organizations in the region.
The MPO Advisory Council includes thirteen Metropolitan Planning Organizations in the State. These MPO’s collectively plan and program transportation improvements that directly serve nearly 12.5 million people, indirectly impact millions more and have a significant role in the state and national economies. The transportation network within our planning areas includes 7,343 miles of railroad networks, 34,911 miles of highways, and more than 5,900 bridges.
Illinois MPO Advisory Council Officers
- President: Steve Ernst
Rockford Metropolitan Agency For Planning
313 Main Street
Rockford, Illinois 61101
Phone: 1.815.964.RMAP
Fax: 1.815.967.6913
Email: steve.ernst@rockfordil.gov
- Vice President: Randy Blankenhorn
Chicago Metropolitan Agency For Planning
233 S Wacker Suite 800
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Phone: 1.312.454.0400
Fax: 1.312.454.0411
Email: rblankenhorn@cmap.illinois.gov
- Secretary/Treasurer: Terry Kohlbuss
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
211 Fulton Street, Suite 207
Peoria, Illinois 61602
Phone: 1.309.673.9330
Fax: 1.309.673.9802
Email: tkohlbuss@tricountyrpc.org
Small MPOs
Danville Area Transportation Study
DeKalb-Sycamore Area Transportation Study
Kankakee Area Transportation Study
Stateline Area Transportation Study
Mid Size MPOs
Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study
Decatur Urbanized Area Transportation Study
McLean County Regional Planning Commission
Springfield Area Transportation Study
Large MPOs
Bi-State Regional Planning Commission
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
East-West Gateway Council of Governments
Peoria/Pekin Urbanized Area Transportation Study
Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning
MPO Statewide Coordinator
Illinois MPO Advisory Council
233 S Wacker Suite 800
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Cell: 708.268.6908
Fax: 866.855.9547
Email: marta@ilmpo.org
