Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA) And Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
SIMPCO houses the SRTPA and MPO for the Siouxland region. The SRTPA provides transportation planning services for Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Plymouth and Woodbury counties in Iowa. The MPO conducts transportation planning activities within the Sioux City metro area which includes Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, a portion of Woodbury and Plymouth counties in Iowa; South Sioux City, Dakota City and a portion of Dakota County in Nebraska; North Sioux City, Dakota Dunes, Jefferson, and a portion of Union County in South Dakota.
The planning activities conducted by the SRTPA and the MPO are funded through FHWA and FTA sources, as well as local financial support. The SRTPA and the MPO are responsible for the following work items:
- Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP) – outlines the annual transportation planning activities the SRTPA/MPO will undertake during the fiscal year.
- Public Participation Plan (PPP) – outlines the process the SRTPA/MPO will follow to adequately involve the public in transportation planning activities.
- Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) – provides direction and guidance for the SRTPA/MPO to make efficient transportation investment decisions over a 20-year planning horizon.
- Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) – promotes joint, coordinated passenger transportation planning programs and provides needs- based justification for passenger transportation projects.
- Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – identifies the capital and non-capital transportation projects proposed for federal and state aid funding or action for the SRTPA/MPO over the next four-year period.
The SRTPA and MPO work closely with the Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, and local city/county staff on work products. Both the SRTPA and the MPO have an established a technical advisory committee and a policy board for guiding the planning and programming process for the region. The technical committee is made up of professional staff, including engineers and planners, from member towns and counties. The policy board includes local elected officials from throughout the region. These officials are responsible for approving all plans and projects developed by the technical committee. Representatives of the state attend all technical and policy meetings to help coordinate planning and programming efforts. In combination with the SRTPA/MPO staff, the committee conducts research, develops technical tools and analysis for the region, and advises the policy board on technical and administrative issues related to regional transportation planning. The SRTPA and MPO convenes interested parties and encourages broad consideration of issues and ideas on how to address the area’s transportation problems.