New Orleans Regional Planning Commission

New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
Name	New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
Formation	1966
Type	Metropolitan planning organization
Headquarters	New Orleans, Louisiana
Region served	Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish
Leader title	Executive Director

New Orleans Regional Planning Commission is a metropolitan planning organization serving the New Orleans metropolitan area and surrounding parishes in southeastern Louisiana. The agency coordinates regional transportation, land use, hazard mitigation, and economic development planning across jurisdictions including New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, St. Bernard Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, and St. James Parish. It interfaces with federal entities such as the United States Department of Transportation, state bodies including the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, and local governments including the City Council of New Orleans.

History

The commission was established in 1966 amid nationwide expansion of metropolitan planning prompted by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 and the rise of metropolitan governance models following studies like the Kerner Commission and urban renewal debates tied to the Great Society. Early activities linked to regional growth included coordination with the Port of New Orleans, the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, and parish planning departments in Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish. During the aftermath of Hurricane Betsy (1965) and later Hurricane Katrina (2005), the commission played a coordinating role alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, contributing to recovery frameworks that intersected with agencies such as the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority, and non-profits like Greater New Orleans, Inc..

Organization and Governance

The commission's governing board includes appointed representatives from municipal and parish governments, transportation providers such as the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, and stakeholders from institutions like Tulane University and Louisiana State University. Administrative functions are overseen by an executive director and staffed divisions that interact with federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, state entities like the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, and regional bodies such as the Hurricane Protection Office. The commission conducts public meetings subject to open meetings standards reflected in state laws and interfaces with elected bodies including the Mayor of New Orleans and parish presidents like the Jefferson Parish President.

Planning Functions and Programs

The commission develops regional long-range plans that coordinate with the Metropolitan Planning Organization requirements under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act and federal transportation planning rules administered by the United States Department of Transportation. Programs include multimodal planning tied to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, freight coordination with the Port of South Louisiana, bicycle and pedestrian initiatives interfacing with local master plans, and hazard mitigation planning aligned with the National Flood Insurance Program and coastal restoration projects coordinated with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. The commission also administers mapping and GIS services used by agencies such as the Louisiana Geographic Information Center and supports programs addressing resilience strategies promoted by organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Urban Land Institute.

Major Projects and Initiatives

Major initiatives have included regional transit studies linked to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, freight mobility projects coordinated with the Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and corridor planning affecting state routes overseen by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Post-Katrina recovery initiatives involved collaborative efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on levee systems and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects. Other projects have engaged academic partners such as University of New Orleans and Loyola University New Orleans in research on coastal resilience, and civic partners such as Entergy New Orleans in energy and infrastructure planning.

Funding and Partnerships

The commission's funding derives from federal allocations under the United States Department of Transportation, state grants via the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, and local contributions from member parishes and municipalities including New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. It acts as a recipient and administrator of federal discretionary grants such as those from the Federal Transit Administration and manages partnerships with philanthropic organizations such as the Kresge Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for technical assistance and planning studies. Collaborative partners include regional economic development groups such as Greater New Orleans, Inc., environmental advocates like the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, and engineering firms that have worked on projects tied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Impact and Criticism

The commission's regional plans have influenced transportation investments, floodplain policy, and land use coordination across parishes, shaping projects involving the Port of New Orleans, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and regional transit corridors. Critics have argued that metropolitan planning organizations nationally, including this commission, can be constrained by fragmented governance among entities like parish governments and by funding mechanisms tied to federal formulas such as those under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which some advocates contend prioritize highway projects over transit and resilience. Academic studies from institutions like Tulane University and policy analyses by organizations such as the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution have examined the commission’s role in recovery equity, resilience planning, and intergovernmental coordination, prompting calls for greater transparency, community engagement, and alignment with climate adaptation efforts driven by agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Category:Organizations based in New Orleans Category:Metropolitan planning organizations in the United States