Memphis Urban Area MPO Information

The Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (Memphis MPO), created in 1977, is responsible for the transportation policy development, planning, and programming for the counties of Shelby and Fayette, Tennessee, and DeSoto and Marshall Counties, Mississippi. The MPO planning boundary covers all of Shelby County, Tennessee and DeSoto County, Mississippi and portions of Fayette County, Tennessee and Marshall County, Mississippi. Federal Regulations require that a MPO be designated to carry out a comprehensive, continuing and coordinated (“3-C”) transportation planning process for urbanized areas with a population of 50,000 or more. The Memphis MPO consists of 24 elected officials, Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA), Memphis-Shelby County Port Commission (MSCPC), and representatives from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). The Shelby County Department of Regional Services provides staff to the Memphis MPO and serves as its fiscal and administrative agent. Using federal regulations for guidance, short and long-term transportation plans that meet community objectives are developed and implemented. A multi-modal planning approach is used to assure a vibrant and growing system of roads, rail, transit systems, pedestrian/bicycle trails, airports and waterways. The Memphis MPO functions under a committee structure comprised of the Transportation Policy Board (TPB), the Engineering and Technical Committee (ETC), and various advisory committees.