Policy Options for Improving Metropolitan Planning (Continued)

40.	From your MPO’s perspective, to what extent would the following changes improve the effectiveness of your MPO? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Very great extent	Great extent	Moderate extent	Some or little extent	No extent	No basis to judge
40a.	Reductions in transportation planning responsibilities
40b.	Additional funding for planning activities
40c.	Greater flexibility of transportation planning funding
40d.	Attract more trained staff
40e.	Retain more trained staff
40f.	Authority to make land-use decisions
40g.	Authority to conduct land-use planning
40h.	Programming authority
40i.	Project implementation authority
40j.	Greater federal support for transportation research and data
40k.	Other changes – Please specify below.

	Please specify other changes here.

41.	Does your MPO conduct outcome evaluations on completed projects to assess the accuracy of your forecasts (e.g., project cost, ridership, etc.)?
	1.		Yes, on all projects (Click here to skip to question 43.)
	2.		Yes, on some but not all - Continue with question 42.
	3.		No - Continue with question 42.
	4.		Not sure (Click here to skip to question 43.)

42.	Why does your MPO not conduct outcome evaluations on all completed projects? (Select all answers that apply.)
	1.		State conducts such evaluations
	2.		Project sponsor(s) conduct such evaluations
	3.		Lack of necessary funding
	4.		Lack of necessary time
	5.		Lack of trained staff
	6.		Lack of necessary data
	7.		Lack of necessary modeling capacity (e.g., software and trained staff)
	8.		Other reasons – Please specify below.

	Please specify other reasons here.

43.	Notwithstanding limitations in authority, does your MPO currently have the capacity (e.g., funding and trained staff) to assume any of the following responsibilities? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Yes, this is already one of our responsibilities	While not a current responsibility, we can do it	We do not have the capacity to do this	No basis to judge if we could do this
43a.	Land-use planning
43b.	Additional air quality/emissions planning
43c.	Transit operations
43d.	Project implementation authority
43e.	Aviation planning
43f.	Freight planning
43g.	Other responsibilities – Please specify below.

	Please specify other responsibilities here.

44.	A number of changes to the authority, responsibilities, and structure of MPOs have been proposed by various interested stakeholders. To what extent, if at all, do you believe the following proposals are appropriate? (Select one answer in each row.)

		Very great extent	Great extent	Moderate extent	Some or little extent	No extent	No basis to judge
44a.	More distinction of responsibilities among MPOs of different sizes (e.g., in addition to the TMA status)
44b.	Higher population threshold for legal designation as an MPO
44c.	Give Rural Planning Areas MPO-type responsibilities
44d.	Reduction in planning responsibilities
44e.	Additional project implementation authority for MPOs
44f.	Requirement that MPOs consider impact of plans on greenhouse gas emissions

		Very great extent	Great extent	Moderate extent	Some or little extent	No extent	No basis to judge
44g.	More self-determination in composition of MPO board
44h.	Disbursement of transportation planning funds directly from federal DOT to MPOs in lieu of state involvement
44i.	Combination of bordering MPOs to create “mega-region” planning bodies
44j.	Linking of federal funding for transportation planning to MPO performance with respect to particular national goals
44k.	Requirement that MPO travel demand models be reviewed and validated by the state DOTs

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Full Report: GAO-09-868

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