Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the forum for cooperative transportation decision-making among Charlottesville, Albemarle, state and federal officials. The MPO considers long-range regional projects and combines public input, technical data, and agency collaboration to develop forward-thinking solutions. Organized for the City of Charlottesville and the urbanized area of Albemarle County immediately surrounding the City, it is responsible for carrying out continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning and programming process*. The MPO coordinates the transportation planning activities of the various transportation-related agencies that have both a direct and indirect impact on the Long Range Plan and Transportation Improvement Program.

Future Transportation Needs

At the January 25th 2012 MPO Policy Board meeting, Steve Williams, executive director of the TJPDC, gave a presentation that discussed the findings from the first, future-year model runs of the MPO’s 2010 Transportation Demand Model. This presentation illustrates how traffic will look in 2040. The MPO is broken down into subareas for easier review. These areas are Downtown/UVA, Pantops and East, Southern area, US 29 Corridor, and Crozet/Ivy. This presentation also illustrates a future year analysis of the transit, cycling and pedestrian networks. If you have any questions or comments please contact Sarah Rhodes by phone at (434) 979-7310 ext. 360 or by email at srhodes@tjpdc.org. Click here for presentation.

The FY10 Annual Listing is available for review

The Annual Listing of Obligated Projects (Annual Listing) includes all projects and strategies listed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for which federal funds were obligated during the immediately preceding program year, from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011 (Federal Fiscal Year). The Annual Listing is intended to improve the transparency of transportation spending decisions by providing an accounting for federal funds that have been authorized and committed by the state or designated recipients for expenditure on projects programmed in the TIP. FFY11 Annual Listing.

FHA Approves Transportation Improvement Program

The Federal Highway Administration has officially approved the FY12 to FY15 Transportation Improvement Program. FHWA determined that both the TIP and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program were in compliance with the requirements of the Federal Code. This this document was approved on September 30th 2011. Click here to review.

Amendments to the Long Range Transportation Plan (UnJAM 2035) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

On July 27th 2011 the MPO Policy Board voted to amend the current Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and FY09 to FY12 TIP*. The final signed resolutions for both of these amendments can be reviewed by clicking the links below.

*The FY09 to FY12 TIP is being amended because the FY12 to FY15 Transportation Improvement Program has not yet been approved by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA). Once this TIP is approved this amendment will be added to the FY12 to FY15 TIP as an adjustment.

Click here to review the resolution and materials amending the LRTP.
Click here to review the resolution and materials amending the TIP.

Letter to Steve Williams, Executive Director of the TJPDC, from Sean T. Connaughton, Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia, regarding funding for local transportation projects.

At the July 27th 2011 MPO Policy Board meeting, the board discussed a letter from Secretary Sean T. Connaughton that gave his assurance that he would recommend to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) several local transportation projects in the Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO for inclusion in the FY 2013 to FY 2018 Six Year Improvement Program, to be considered in the spring and summer of 2012. If you have any questions or comments please contact Sarah Rhodes by phone at (434) 979-7310 ext. 360 or by email at srhodes@tjpdc.org.

Click here to review the letter from the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Transportation regarding local transportation projects.

Letter to the Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton and the Commonwealth Transportation Board on Funding for the US29 Western Bypass and Local Project Priorities

At the July 14th 2011 MPO Policy Board meeting, the board discussed sending a letter to Secretary Sean Connaughton and the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) fully outlining the Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO’s high priority projects. This letter was finalized on July 18th 2011. If you have any questions or comments please contact Sarah Rhodes by phone at (434) 979-7310 ext. 360 or by email at srhodes@tjpdc.org.

Click here to review the letter to the CTB regarding the U.S. route 29 bypass project.”

MPO Unified Planning and Work Program Approved

The MPO Policy Board approved the FY12 Unified Planning and Work Program on May 25th 2011 at the MPO Policy Board meeting. The FY12 UPWP outlines the plan project spending for the MPO over the next fiscal year. This year MPO staff has also put together a UPWP supplement that provides further detail on FY12 spending estimates.

To review the final UPWP document please click here.
To review the UPWP Supplement document please click here.

The FY12 to FY15 Transportation Improvement Program has been approved

The FY12 to FY15 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) has been amended to be in full compliance with FY12 funding estimates. The Charlottesville-Albemarle TIP is used to schedule spending of federal transportation funds within the metropolitan region, in coordination with significant state and local funds, for the federal fiscal years 2012 through 2015. The TIP is a prioritized listing/program of transportation projects that is developed and formally adopted by the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as part of the metropolitan transportation planning process.

Please click here to go to the TIP home page.

MPO Presentation at 2010 Commonwealth Transportation Board workshop

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization was invited to the December 8th 2010 Commonwealth Transportation Board workshop to present on transportation issues within the MPO, including future roadway projects and transportation priorities. TJPDC Executive Director, Steve Williams, gave the presentation. Click here to see the presentation.

CHART Begins Public Participation Initiative

The CHART Citizen Advisory Committee has begun an initiative to improve how the public participates in transportation planning. The Committee crafted a presentation that will be given to various organizations within the Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO. The goal being that the CHART Committee and the MPO can help inform members of the public on transportation issues and then solicit comment from the public regarding regional transportation concerns. The presentation is accessible here. For questions or more information, contact Sarah Eissler by email at seissler@tjpdc.org or by phone at 434-979-7310 x360.

MPO Works to Pursue Regional Transit

Since January 2006, the MPO Policy Board has been working to pursue establishing a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) that would provide fast, frequent, and dependable service to Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. To review staff research provided to facilitate this work, click here.

The MPO Policy Board’s regional transit discussions build on earlier work created by or for communities in Charlottesville and Albemarle, which can be accessed through the hyperlinks below. Some of these works, such as the March 2005 Streetcar Study, focus primarily on transit, while others, such as the Albemarle County Neighborhood Model, include transit as an element of a larger community goal.