What is an MPO?
The Metropolitan Planning Organization is an entity encouraged by federal legislation whose mandate is to help ensure that current and future expenditures for transportation programs and projects have a basis or foundation in a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive planning --the "3-C" planning process.

What is the area served by the Danville MPO?
Several federal agencies have been involved in defining MPO's, including the Bureau of the Census, Office of Management and Budget, and the Federal Highway Administration/U.S. Department of Transportation.  In the early 1980's it was recognized that an urbanized area of 50,000 population existed within Danville and portions of Pittsylvania County and so boundaries were drawn and steps taken to establish the MPO agency and establish an initial boundary.  Since then a study area boundary has also been established at a distance outside of the Urbanized Area boundary.  With the 2000 Census, these boundaries have changed to a limited extent.

What is the MPO Policy Board?
The Danville MPO has a governing body whose voting members are made up of three members from the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, two members from the Danville City Council, the Danville City Manager, and a member from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).  A number of voting alternates are also specified.  The Policy Board meets to determine policy matters and vote on issues brought to them by the Chairman and/or MPO Administrator.  The Board meets when sufficient agenda items warrant a called meeting.  Meeting information is posted on the PDC's Calendar of Events page.  Click here for a listing of the MPO Bylaws, MPO Policy Board, Staff Contact Persons, Technical Committee/Project Management Team, Citizens Advisory Committee, or Freight Committee Membership.

How is the Danville MPO contacted?
The Executive Director of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission is a primary contact person and can be reached at 1-276-638-3987 (voice); 1-276-638-8137 (fax); rdowd@wppdc.org (email); address: MPO Administrator, West Piedmont Planning District Commission, P.O. Box 5268, Martinsville, VA 24115-5268.  Alternatively, the Danville City Manager, Danville City Engineer, Danville Regional Airport Manager/Director of Transportation Services, and Pittsylvania County Administrator are other avenues for contacting the MPO.

What does the MPO do?
The Danville MPO develops plans and programs that are subject to approval by federal transportation agencies in order for federal-aid to transportation funding to flow to the region governed by the MPO.  The national transportation act, Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, dictates that primary MPO activities shall include development and maintenance of a Long-Range Transportation Plan and a Transportation Improvement Program.  The agency also develops a Unified Transportation Planning Work Program on an annual basis that outlines planning activities that are to take place and the funding determined to be required to undertake the annual efforts and effectively serves as both the MPO's budget and work program.

Long-Range Transportation Plan for Year 2030
The current Long-Range Transportation Plan covers a period out to the Year 2030.  The document includes a map showing color coded segments of existing corridors where improvements are recommended and some new segments where new construction is recommended in the future sometime before Year 2030.  Also included are text and tables further detailing the recommendations.  At this time the MPO anticipates updating the Plan by June 2009 with work to begin in Spring 2008. 

Transportation Improvement Program, FY 2003-2005; FY 2005-07; & FY 2006-08 Update
The MPO has an approved Transportation Improvement Program for the Fiscal Year period of 2003 through 2005.  The document details projects to improve the area's transportation system, facilities, and services based on what is believed at this time to be amounts of funding reasonably thought to be available for the work during the three year time period.  The program covers transportation elements such as transit, paratransit, transit for the elderly and handicapped, urban streets, primary roads, secondary roads, safety program projects, enhancement program projects, and Route 58 corridor improvement program projects.  The August 2004 update of the document to the period FY 2005-2007 is posted here.  As of March 20, 2006, the MPO adopted a new TIP for FY 2006-2008.

Unified Transportation Planning Work Program, FY 2008
The MPO adopted its annual Unified Transportation Planning Work Program in the spring of 2007.  The document specifies the work activities that the MPO Board, its staff, and contracted consultants may be expected to carry out during the period of July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.  Efforts will include initiation of the area Long-Range Transportation Plan for the Year 2035 and development of three consultant-led study projects.