Columbia Area Transportation Study Organization (CATSO) moves to adopt Complete Streets Policy

We just received word via MoBikeFed Board Member Rachel Ruhlen that CATSO (the Columbia Area Transportation Study Organization, the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Columbia, Missouri, area) has voted unanimously to develop and implement an MPO-wide Complete Streets policy.  The CATSO Board took the action as they were formally adopting their Long Range Plan, which includes many bicycle, pedestrian, and transit friendly elements.

When CATSO adopts their Complete Streets policy, they will become the 5th MPO in Missouri with a Complete Streets policy.  Already the MPOs from St. Joseph, Kansas City, St Louis, and Springfield have adopted Complete Streets policies. 

An example of a complete street in a city or town.

3.2 Million Missourians Live in an MPO with a Complete Streets Policy

More than 3.2 million Missourians live in Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) areas that have adopted Complete Streets policies--over 50% of the state's population.  Only CAMPO (Jefferson City), JATSO (Joplin), and SEMPO (Cape Girardeau) remain.

With the addition of CATSO's policy, about 3.3 million Missourians will live within the area of an MPO with a Complete Streets Policy.

Missouri's MPOs and RPCs decide priorities for hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation spending

Eight MPOs provide transportation planning to Missouri's largest cities--setting policy and priorities for at least half of the transportation funding that is spent within their boundaries.

Nineteen Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) provide the same function for the remainder of Missouri--all of the area outside of the MPOs.

Both MPOs and RPCs work closely with MoDOT, as MoDOT's Regional Transportation Planning partners, and have a major effect on determining how MoDOT's hundreds of milions of dollars annually in state and federal transportation funding is spent.

Right now, no RPC has adopted a Complete Streets Policy--but several are thinking about it.

And right now, all Missouri MPOs and RPCs are planning how to spend a proposed $8 billion in new Missouri transportation funding--funding that, for the first time, will allow spending on biking, walking, and transit projects.

Over the next couple of months, all MPOs and RPCs will be holding public meetings and developing their project lists.  

Want to get involved?  Now would be a good time to reach out to your local MPO or RPC, tell them you are interested in the process, and provide them with a list of suggestions for bicycle and pedestrian projects in your area.

Read this post for suggestions about how to get involved, what kind of projects you can suggest, and much more.

Promoting Complete Streets Policies across Missouri is one of the major goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri.  The Missouri Complete Streets Page gives you all the information you need to start working towards Complete Streets in your community. Your membership and generous financial support helps make our Vision become reality!