Evolution and Devolution: A National Perspective on the Changing Role ofMetropolitan Planning Organizations in Areawide Intermodal Planning

摘要

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) dramaticallychanged the metropolitan planning process by presenting new opportunities and responsibilities to the institutions in charge of metropolitan planning. The legislation fundamentally altered intergovernment relationships at the federal, state, and local levels by devolving unprecedented decision-making authority for project selection and funding allocation to state and local governments. Seemingly, one of the prime benefactors of this change was the metropolitan planning organization (MPO), the institution created to perform federally required transportation planning for metropolitan areas. In this study, the authors investigated the genesis and evolution of MPOs. They reviewed the changes in MPOs over time, including the statutory mandates and funding changes that have affected both their planning capabilities and priority setting. Special attention was paid to the changes created by ISTEA and the institution's ability to deal with the requirements of intermodalism.