§ 15-A — Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain functions

§ 15-a. Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain\nfunctions. 1. In each urbanized area in which a public transportation\nsystem provides services, the existing metropolitan planning\norganization designated as such by the governor for the purpose of\ncomplying with federal statutes, shall be the metropolitan planning\norganization for the purposes of this section. The metropolitan planning\norganization shall endorse a program of projects for submission to the\nadministrator of the urban mass transportation administration as a\nproduct of the continuing comprehensive planning process.\n In all other areas, no such planning organization need be formed.\nHowever, the requirements of this section which pertain to the actions\nof metropolitan planning organizations may be accomplished in such areas\nby the public transportation system in cooperation with the appropriate\nofficials of the municipalities and counties within the transportation\nsystem operating area and in cooperation with the state department of\ntransportation.\n 2. To develop effective involvement of county and municipal\ngovernments in the metropolitan planning process, counties and\nmunicipalities participating in each regional metropolitan planning\norganization shall develop alternative plans for carrying out the\nprovisions of this section at both the regional and subregional level.\nSuch alternative plans shall consider the continuing and comprehensive\nnature of the planning process; federal and state statutory\nresponsibilities for planning; citizen involvement; transportation\nsystem operator participation; and population representation.\nParticipating counties and municipalities shall submit such alternative\nplans to the governor and the legislature prior to January first,\nnineteen hundred seventy-six.\n 3. In addition to its responsibilities stated in subdivision one of\nthis section, the responsibilities of each metropolitan planning\norganization shall be:\n (a) to develop long-range regional transportation plans for submission\nto the commissioner for consideration for inclusion in the statewide\ntransportation master plan;\n (b) to develop and suggest periodic amendments to the master plan to\nthe commissioner;\n (c) to consult with and cooperate with local officials and\nrepresentatives of carriers and transportation facilities and systems\nwithin their urbanized area;\n (d) to examine the structure, and cost of transit operations;\n (e) to endorse long-range plans assuring maximum utilization and\nintegration of mass transportation facilities and services throughout\nthe State;\n (f) to study the long-range financial needs for improving public\ntransportation systems; and\n (g) to conduct one or more public hearings to carry out the provisions\nof this subdivision.\n 4. To provide for the existence of a transit development program, the\nmetropolitan planning organization shall consult with other planning\nagencies and coordinate its transportation planning process with the\ncomprehensive regional plan developed by the regional planning\ncommission.\n