SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization

The SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the official transportation planning organization for eight (8) Central Pennsylvania Counties (Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union), as designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 27, 2013. Prior to that date, the counties identified above were part of the SEDA-COG Rural Planning Organization (RPO). The 2010 decennial Census resulted in a new urbanized area (UZA) determination that required the formation of an MPO for the affected Bloomsburg-Berwick UZA; local and state parties agreed to make the MPO coverage contain the entirety of the 8 counties listed above.

The SEDA-COG MPO operates via an agreement with PennDOT to approve studies and capital improvements for highways, bridges, transit, railroads, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and other transportation concerns. Three primary documents are developed and approved by the MPO: the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and annual Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). In executing its work, the MPO strives to help provide a balanced transportation system for the maximum benefit of people, businesses, and communities in the region.

Consistent with its bylaws, the SEDA-COG MPO’s governing body consists of 17 voting members: one representative from each of the eight member counties (typically the county planning director); three representatives from PennDOT (Engineering District 2-0, Engineering District 3-0, and Central Office); one representative from transit; one representative from multi-modal interests; one representative from the SEDA-COG Board; one representative from SEDA-COG’s Transportation Program; one representative from the largest municipality (by population) in the Bloomsburg-Berwick UZA; and one representative from the 2nd largest municipality (by population) in the Bloomsburg-Berwick UZA . In addition to the 17 voting members, the MPO includes non-voting members. Such non-voting members receive MPO reports and agendas and may participate in MPO discussions. Non-voting members include, among others: Lycoming County officials, Centre County officials, Luzerne County officials, Federal Highway Administration officials, Federal Transit Administration officials, SEDA-COG staff, other state and federal resource agencies, and private citizens with an interest in transportation and economic development throughout the region.

In 2019, the MPO adopted a new Strategic Plan to help shape future work programs and the region’s overall transportation planning direction. The strategic planning process provided MPO members an opportunity to assess the direction of the current program and identify issues demanding attention, as well as corresponding short-term priorities and recommended actions. The Strategic Plan can be downloaded by clicking HERE.