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| Hawaiʻi Metropolitan Planning Organization | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hawaiʻi Metropolitan Planning Organization |
| Type | Metropolitan planning organization |
| Headquarters | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi |
| Region served | Urban Honolulu County |
Hawaiʻi Metropolitan Planning Organization is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the urbanized area of Honolulu County on the island of Oʻahu, coordinating regional transportation planning among local, state, and federal partners. The organization works with entities such as the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and community stakeholders including Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization predecessors and interagency working groups to develop long‑range plans and short‑range programs. It integrates inputs from agencies like the Hawaiian Electric Company, transit operators such as TheBus (Oʻahu), rail builders like Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, and regional partners including Hawaii State Legislature committees to align project delivery, policy, and funding.
The MPO traces its origins to federal planning requirements established through the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act mandates that shaped regional planning in the United States. Early regional efforts involved coordination among the Board of Water Supply (Honolulu), Honolulu City Council, and the Department of Planning and Permitting (Honolulu), evolving into a formal MPO to satisfy criteria from the United States Department of Transportation and to engage with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency on air quality conformity. Notable milestones include adoption of metropolitan transportation plans influenced by regional studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and collaboration with the Honolulu Rail Transit Project stakeholders during design and environmental review phases.
The MPO is governed by a policy board composed of elected and appointed officials representing jurisdictions such as the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, and federal partners like the Federal Transit Administration. Technical advisory committees include staff from agencies like the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, planners from the Department of Transportation Services (Honolulu), and representatives from utility agencies such as the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Advisory bodies often consult with academic experts from the University of Hawaiʻi System, environmental advocates including Sierra Club Hawaiʻi chapters, and business organizations like the Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association. Intergovernmental agreements with entities such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism frame decision‑making, public participation, and conformity requirements.
The MPO’s statutory responsibilities encompass development of a long‑range Metropolitan Transportation Plan coordinated with Clean Air Act requirements and regional land use strategies from the City and County of Honolulu General Plan. It prepares the Transportation Improvement Program in consultation with Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration guidance, addresses modal planning for transit providers like TheHandi-Van (Honolulu), freight corridors connecting to the Port of Honolulu, and active transportation networks linked to resources such as Ala Moana Beach Park. The organization also coordinates regional travel demand modeling using tools adopted by agencies like the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and engages with federal programs including the Highway Trust Fund and grant processes administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The MPO conducts performance‑based planning consistent with requirements from the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act and integrates data from travel surveys administered by research units at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and monitoring networks operated by the Hawaii State Department of Health for air quality metrics. Processes include congestion management documented in technical memoranda aligned with standards from the Transportation Research Board, environmental review coordination under the National Environmental Policy Act, and public outreach tied to forums facilitated with organizations like the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The MPO uses scenario planning to evaluate alternatives influenced by projects such as the Honolulu Rail Transit Project and regional freight strategies linked to the Interstate Highway System standards.
Budgetary resources derive from federal formula funds administered by programs under the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, state matching funds from the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, and local contributions from the City and County of Honolulu. Grant programs include discretionary awards from entities like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding streams, competitive grants such as those from the US DOT BUILD program, and environmental resiliency funds coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Financial planning aligns with capital programming for agencies like the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and operating subsidies for transit operators including TheBus (Oʻahu).
Major programs supported involve multimodal projects ranging from corridor improvements on arterials such as Kamehameha Highway to transit investments associated with the Honolulu Rail Transit Project, bicycle and pedestrian networks near destinations like Waikīkī, and freight access upgrades serving the Port of Honolulu. The MPO coordinates pilot programs with institutions like the Hawaii Department of Education for school trip planning, partners with the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office on electrification initiatives, and supports safety campaigns aligned with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Grant‑funded project lists in the Transportation Improvement Program prioritize asset management, resiliency projects proximate to Nuuanu Pali and coastal zones, and modernization efforts informed by studies conducted with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Performance monitoring follows federally required measures for safety, infrastructure condition, congestion, system reliability, and transit performance under rules issued by the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. Outcomes are reported in coordination with statewide targets set by the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and evaluated through datasets from the Hawaii State Department of Health and regional travel models developed at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Measured improvements include project delivery milestones for rail and arterial upgrades, reductions in congested vehicle hours on key corridors managed by the Department of Transportation Services (Honolulu), and progress on transit ridership metrics for operators like TheBus (Oʻahu).
Category:Transportation in Hawaii