Re: [CTPP] Effective Date of New UAs

The urban clusters are effective as of being in the Census Federal Register. For those areas which now have 50,000 population, the Governor and local officials will have to decide if an existing MPO will handle that planning work or if a new one is need and who that should be. See Burbank and Adams memorandum of 12/21/2000 (www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/c2000mem.htm ) They should do this within 12 months of the Federal Register. For those areas that will be bigger than 200,000, FHWA will publish a separate Federal Register with the official list of TMAs. After that is done, the clock starts for them to make the necessary changes for those requirements. The earliest that PL funds will be available to new MPOs will be October 2002. Ben Williams, P.E. Metropolitan Planning Specialist Federal Highway Administration Southern Resource Center V (404) 562-3671 F (404) 562-3700 ben.williams(a)fhwa.dot.gov Web Site www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenters/southern I've got a question for FHWA folks. When do the new urban areas become effective for Federal funding purposes? The FAQ from FHWA someone referenced does not answer this question. I assume the MPO must submit its new urban area (based on the Census-defined urbanized area) to FHWA first. To give you an example, we have two suburban communities that have been added to the UA that have shared ride taxi systems funded with Federal Non-Urbanized Area Formula Program funds. Because they are now in the UA, they will not be eligible for those funds. The other example is the use of STP-Urban funding on projects located within communities that are now within UA boundary, but weren't before. When can these communities apply for such funds? Thanks in advance for your response(s). Bill Schaefer,Transportation Planner Madison (WI) Area MPO