Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the body which approves federally funded projects in Hampshire and Hampden counties. The MPO jointly develops, reviews, and endorses a Planning Works Program which includes a Unified Planning Works Program (UPWP); a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP); a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), as well as any transportation plan or program that may be required by federal and state laws and regulations. The MPO is a forum for cooperative transportation decision making and will seek and consider the advice of any interested party in the Pioneer Valley. The Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) meets monthly to discuss transportation issues and makes recommendations on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and Unified Planning Works Program (UPWP) endorsements to the MPO.
The MPO consists of ten members including: The Chairperson of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC); the Chairperson of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA); the Secretary of Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) and six local representatives. These six representatives must each be an Elected Official from a given community. See the full list of MPO members in the resources section of this page.