Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the purpose of the Plan?

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Plan update at least every four years, effective January 1, 2007. The Northern Middlesex Metropolitan Planning Organization (NMMPO) adopted its Transportation Plan in 2003; therefore, this Plan must be adopted by September 2006.The Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is a listing of proposed financially feasible multimodal  transportation improvement projects needed to meet the future travel demand of people and goods in the Northern Middlesex Region . These projects include transit, pedestrian and bicycle, and roadway facilities.  The LRTP covers a 25-year period and is used by transportation officials and decision makers to guide the expenditure of transportation dollars.

What’s an MPO and what’s its function in the Northern Middlesex region?

The Northern Middlesex Metropolitan Planning Organization (NMMPO) is one of the 13 Massachusetts regions established to carry out federally funded transportation plans and programs.  The NMMPO is composed of the chairpersons of the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) and the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG), the Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) and the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD). The Secretary of the EOT serves as the Chairman of the MPO. In addition, the following are also voting members of the MPO: the chief elected official from the City of Lowell elected to serve as the city's representative to the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments, a selectman elected to serve on the Council and further elected by the Council to serve as that town's representative to the NMMPO, and an LRTA Advisory Board member representing a community within the NMMPO boundaries other than the City of Lowell, who may also be an elected official. A representative from the Federal Highway Administration and a representative from the Federal Transit Administration serve as ex officio, non-voting members of the MPO .

Does anyone care what I think?

We sure do!   A key component of the Plan update process is to solicit as much input from the public as possible. To that end, a Public Outreach Plan has been developed to provide information about the update process and to invite the input of members of the public, local officials, and the thousands of people who use the region’s transportation system. Click here to get involved.