About Walla Walla Valley MPO/SRTPO
The WWVMPO is a bi-state Metropolitan Planning Organization in the Walla Walla Valley area located in southeast Washington. It was formally designated on March 27, 2013 by the Governor of Washington and on April 4, 2013 by the Governor of Oregon. A year earlier the U.S. Census Bureau published the official population numbers for each of the country’s urbanized areas (UZAs) and urban clusters. Based on existing federal law urbanized areas with populations greater than 50,000 must either be designated as a new MPO or be incorporated into an existing MPO within one year. The population of the Walla Walla, WA-OR UZA was 55,805 based on the 2010 Census, which includes the cities of Walla Walla and College Place, WA and Milton-Freewater, OR.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) “carry out a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (3C) multimodal transportation planning process for the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) that encourages and promotes the safe and efficient development, management, and operation of surface transportation systems to serve the mobility needs of people and freight and foster economic growth and development, while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution…” (23USC134.)
The WWVMPO has the authority to plan, prioritize and select surface transportation projects receiving funding through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The MPO is also responsible for ensuring the region is in compliance with federal transportation planning requirements.
Members of the WWVMPO/SRTPO are:
The WWVMPO also serves as a Sub-Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SRTPO) of the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments for Walla Walla County. An agreement with BFCOG was finalized in August 2013 to create a Walla Walla SRTPO from the existing Benton-Franklin-Walla Walla RTPO to more efficiently facilitate regional planning. There are 16 RTPOs across Washington State with some covering only one county and many covering multiple counties. In addition to the MPO member list shown above, other participants in the SRTPO are from area tribes, local transportation service providers and private employers.
The WWSRTPO receives state funding for transportation planning activities, and member association is voluntary. It is responsible for ensuring that the transportation elements of comprehensive plans adopted by towns, cities and counties in the region conform to state requirements, and that those comprehensive plans are consistent with the regional transportation plans adopted by the organization.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) “carry out a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (3C) multimodal transportation planning process for the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) that encourages and promotes the safe and efficient development, management, and operation of surface transportation systems to serve the mobility needs of people and freight and foster economic growth and development, while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution…” (23USC134.)
The WWVMPO has the authority to plan, prioritize and select surface transportation projects receiving funding through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The MPO is also responsible for ensuring the region is in compliance with federal transportation planning requirements.
Members of the WWVMPO/SRTPO are:
- City of Walla Walla
- City of College Place
- City of Milton-Freewater
- City of Prescott
- City of Waitsburg
- Valley Transit
- Port of Walla Walla
- Walla Walla County
- Umatilla County
- Washington State Department of Transportation, South Central Region
- Oregon Department of Transportation, Region 5
The WWVMPO also serves as a Sub-Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SRTPO) of the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments for Walla Walla County. An agreement with BFCOG was finalized in August 2013 to create a Walla Walla SRTPO from the existing Benton-Franklin-Walla Walla RTPO to more efficiently facilitate regional planning. There are 16 RTPOs across Washington State with some covering only one county and many covering multiple counties. In addition to the MPO member list shown above, other participants in the SRTPO are from area tribes, local transportation service providers and private employers.
The WWSRTPO receives state funding for transportation planning activities, and member association is voluntary. It is responsible for ensuring that the transportation elements of comprehensive plans adopted by towns, cities and counties in the region conform to state requirements, and that those comprehensive plans are consistent with the regional transportation plans adopted by the organization.