The Metropolitan Planning Organization
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are responsible for meeting specific urban transportation planning requirements established by federal law. In Whatcom County, WCOG has been assigned these duties by the Governor of Washington State.
MPO planning is conducted primarily within a Metropolitan Planning Area. In Whatcom County, the Metropolitan Planning Area includes the cities of Bellingham and Ferndale, their urban growth areas and adjacent portions of the County. Federal transportation planning responsibilities are established by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and are described in Title 23 (Highways) and Title 49 (Transportation) of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Policy-level MPO decisions are made by a Board of elected officials; the MPO Policy Board is constituted by the Whatcom Transportation Policy Board. Meetings are held monthly, and technical review and advice are provided by the standing Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, as well as WCOG staff.
MPOs are required to develop, and keep current, Metropolitan Transportation Plans complying with the cited federal rules, to coordinate with all parties involved in the provision of transportation facilities and services, and to advocate and facilitate public involvement in such activities.
MPO Funding
Metropolitan Planning funds are apportioned by the U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA), to the Governors of the states through a statutory formula. The Governors then allocate funds to the recognized Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in urbanized areas. These funds are used for the development and implementation of the MPO Unified Planning Work Programs.
Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO)
The RTPO was created in 1990 through the enactment of the Growth Management Act (ESHB 2929, as amended and HB 1928). Administered through the Whatcom Council of Governments, management of the RTPO is through a policy board established from the membership of the WCOG Full Council. The statutory creation of RTPOs is found in RCW 36.70.060.
The Whatcom Transportation Policy Board is responsible for the development of a regional transportation plan (RTP). This plan should show that transportation systems "function as an interconnected and coordinated system" and that "transportation planning should be coordinated with local comprehensive plans". The RTP is developed in coordination with the member jurisdictions and the state Department of Transportation.
The RTPO staff and Policy Board have been directly involved with the Washington State Department of Transportation in the development of a statewide Washington Transportation Plan (WTP). The WTP links together local, regional, and state transportation plans in order to provide coordinated, strategic directions for sound transportation investments.
A variety of projects have been undertaken by the Whatcom RTPO in recent years. Please refer to the Projects Section of this web site for a listing and description of these projects.
The RTPO also participates in the development of transportation improvement programs (TIP) for the region. This document prioritizes projects for each jurisdiction within Whatcom County including state projects. To qualify for funding under the federal Surface Transportation Program (STP), a project must be identified in the TIP. The STP is a federal program that is part of the Federal Highways funding act: the Transportation Efficiency Act for the Twenty First Century (TEA-21); funds in this program may be used on any road that is not classified as a local or minor rural collector on the Federal-aid system. It is then submitted to the state for inclusion in the state TIP. Projects within the TIP should be consistent with the RTP.
The Local Agency Guidelines (PDF) provide the RTPO and local governments with compliance specifications in regards to administrative procedures for transportation projects. This includes local awards procedures, right-of-way procedures, and environmental processes.