Our transportation system consists of many parts that work together to move people and goods within metropolitan areas, statewide and throughout the country. Transportation plays a vital role in today’s economy, providing access to jobs, education, shopping, and recreation. Eastgate’s role as an MPO is to conduct a comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing transportation planning process.

Serving as a regional partner with the United States Department of Transportation [U.S. DOT], Ohio Department of Transportation [ODOT], member communities,

local elected officials, the business community, and citizens across the two county area. Eastgate leads in the development of the region’s Long-Range Transportation Plan and Short Range Transportation Improvement Program. Eastgate contributes to ongoing conversations about issues regarding land use, economic development, climate change, energy use, and the environment.

Eastgate is committed to providing the region with leadership in planning, funding, and development of a regional multi-modal transportation system.

Overview

Every four years, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) must certify that each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) serving a transportation management area (TMA) – a designation by DOT of an urbanized area with a population over 200,000 as defined by the Bureau of the Census or smaller urbanized areas on request by the Governor and MPO – is carrying out the metropolitan planning process in adherence with federal statutes and regulations. FTA and FHWA conduct a review of the metropolitan planning process within each TMA and jointly issue this certification on behalf of the DOT Secretary, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5303(k).

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) conducted a Certification Review of the Transportation planning process for the Youngstown area in 2020. FHWA and FTA jointly view the Certification Review as an opportunity to cooperatively assess the transportation planning process within the region per Federal requirements. A Certification Review is accomplished through three phases including a desktop review, site visit, and documentation of the process in a report.

2020 Eastgate Certification Review Initiation Letter

For more information on the Certification Review process, please visit - https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/transportation-planning/certification-review

Resources

23 CFR 450 - Planning Assistance and Standards - Federal transportation planning regulations (this link goes to the highway version--the transit version, adopted by FTA at 49 CFR 613, is an identical copy which incorprates this section by reference).

FTA Circular 8100.1D - Program Guidance for Metropolitan Planning and State Planning and Research Program Grants - FTA program guidance for metropolitan planning and state planning and research program grants.

FAST Act Fact Sheet: Metropolitan, Statewide, & Non-Metropolitan Planning - Brief FTA fact sheet on the planning provisions in the FAST Act.

FHWA FAST Act Fact Sheet: Metropolitan Planning - FHWA fact sheet on the metropolitan planning provisions of the FAST Act.

U.S. Code Title 49, Chapter 53 - Public Transportation - This is the public transportation section of U.S. Code. The Metropolitan Transportation Planning statute is found at Section 5303; Statewide Transportation Planning is found at Section 5304; and Planning Programs are found at Section 5305. The Metro and Statewide Planning sections are identical to the corresponding sections of Federal Highways code, 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135.

Additional resources related to Metropolitan, Statewide & Non-Metropolitan Planning.