Draft Background - Jan221
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Resolution to approve LRTP goes here List of Representatives
and Staff Involved
(to come)
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Table of Contents
Background 1
Regional Context 5
Guiding Principles 29
Transportation Funding 55
Road and Bridge Network 61
2022-2030 Project map and tables 95-97
2026-2035 Project map and tables 98-100
2036-2045 Project map and tables 101-103
Bicycle and Pedestrian Network 105
2022-2050 Project maps and tables 116-118
Passenger Transportation 121
Freight Network 137
Aviation 142
Supporting Documents 150
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List of Figures and Maps
(to come)
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The Metropolitan Planning organization
Federal legislation requires any urbanized area with a population over 50,000 to have a metro-
politan planning organization (MPO) to ensure that existing and future expenditures of federal
funding for transportation projects and programs are based on the continuing, cooperative,
and comprehensive (“3-C”) planning process. This helps to ensure that metropolitan region-wide
plans are developed through intergovernmental collaboration, rational analysis, and consen-
sus-based decision making. Transparency through public access to participation in the planning
process and electronic publication of plans is now required by federal law.
The Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) provides transportation
planning services for the Iowa City urbanized area, including Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty,
University Heights, Tiffin, Johnson County, and the University of Iowa. The MPO facilitate col-
laboration of governments, interested parties, and residents of the metro area in the planning
process. The urbanized Area Policy Board is composed
of 15 voting members made up of elected officials from each
of the member entities plus 1 representative appointed by
the president of the University of Iowa. Representation is
proportional to population of the entity, however Iowa City is
limited to 6 members to avoid having a majority of the seats
on the Board.The Iowa City Community School District has one
non-voting school board member. The Board is organized to
conform with the federal requirements of the MPO
•Smart transportation investment means allocating scarce federal and other transportation
funding resources to the areas of greatest need.
•Planning for the metro area should reflect the region’s shared vision for its future and
requires a comprehensive examination of the region’s future and investment alternatives.
•The MPO facilitates collaboration between governments, interested parties, and residents.
Meetings of the Urbanized Area
Policy Board allow representatives of
the MPO entities to discuss shared
goals and challenges and to plan for
investments that benefit the metro
transportation system..
Photo courtesty City Channel 4
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What is the Long Range Transportation Plan?
The development and adoption of a Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is required by the
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for all urbanized areas in order to receive federal fund-
ing under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). The FAST Act is the most
current federal legislation (adopted 2015) that establishes federal transportation funding pro-
grams for surface transportation modes.
The Plan must represent all municipalities in MPOJC’s long range planning area and be compre-
hensive, considering all modes of surface transportation. It should coordinate transportation
issues among and between adjacent municipalities and attempt to address conflicting perspec-
tives. The Plan should be continuing in its evolution and be updated as community priorities
change, but at least every five years according to Federal requirements.
MPO entities and the public should have adequate opportunity to comment on the provisions
of the proposed plan. The Plan should reflect priorities for the community that can be translated
into politically viable and financially reasonable transportation projects during the life of the plan.
The LRTP is the transportation vision for the metro area in the same way that a comprehen-
sive plan is the land use vision for a municipality. A comprehensive plan provides the basis for
subsequent zoning and subdivision laws in a municipality, and a long range transportation plan
should provide a similar basis for the programming of projects for all modes of transportation.
To maximize effectiveness, a transportation plan should be consistent with the land use plans of
the individual entities.
In general, this plan shall carr out a transportation planning process taht provides for consider-
ation and implementaton of projects, strategies, and services that support the Federal Highway
Administration Planing Factors:
•Economic Vitality
•Safety
•Security
•Accessibility and Mobility
•Environment, Energy Conservation, Quality of LIfe
•Integration/Coonectivity
•System Management/Operation
•Preservation
•Resiliency and Reliability
•Travel and Tourism
Long Range Plan Vision:
To ensure the strategic use of public invest-
ments and policies for the creation of a safe,
efficient, and equitable transportation net-
work that enhances economic opportunity
and growth while preserving our environ-
ment and quality of life.
The Metropolitan Area
The Metropolitan Area Planning Boundary is the area in which the
metropolitan transportation planning process is carried out. The
boundary includes the five municipal entities—Coralville, Iowa City,
North Liberty, Tiffin, and University Heights—and a portion of un-
incorporated Johnson County directly adjacent to the metro area.
Only projects located within the urbanized area planning boundary
are eligible for federal funding through the MPO.
North Liberty
CoralvilleTiffin
University
Heights Iowa City
http://www.to2040.org/assets/2015_plan/AppendA_FedPlanFact_adopt_final.pdf