The geographic area governed by a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA). The MPA boundary typically includes a wider geographic area than the Urban Area Boundary (UAB).
The federal government gives MPOs numerous planning, programming, and project selection responsibilities. This official designation of Wisconsin’s MPA boundaries every 10 years is an important action and requires the Governor or their designee to approve all MPA boundaries, after approval by the MPOs. In Wisconsin, the Governor delegates this authority to the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. WisDOT coordinates with each MPO on review and approval of the MPA boundaries, in conjunction with review and approval of the MPOs’ UABs. Federal regulations require that the MPA boundary include, at a minimum, the entire geographic area defined by the census-defined urban area boundary. And WisDOT guidance requires the MPA boundary to include the entire geographic area encompassed by the adjusted UAB. WisDOT Planning staff coordinate with MPO officials to review and revise the MPA boundaries. A primary consideration for revision is the expected growth (or reduction) of the Metropolitan Planning Area during the next 20 years.
MPA boundary revisions are formally approved by the respective MPO board; WisDOT has final approval of all MPA Boundaries in Wisconsin.
Transportation projects that fall within the MPA boundary are included in the respective MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP); transportation projects that fall outside the MPA boundary are included directly in WisDOT's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) Boundary Maps
Guidance documents