Memorandum Of Understanding

Regarding Transportation Planning and Funding in the
Bridgeport - Stamford Urbanized Area

Section I. Purpose of MOU

According to 23 CFR Part 450 and 49 CFR Part 613, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be established between Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and regional planning organizations (RPOs) comprising the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT). The MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area consist of: the Greater Bridgeport Valley MPO (GB/VMPO); the South Western Region MPO (SWRMPO); the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO); the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG); and, the Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (COGCNV). The RPOs consist of: the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency (GBRPA); the South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA); the Valley Council of Governments (VCOG); HVCEO; SCRCOG; and, COGCNV. The transit operators consist of: the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority (GBTA); the Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART); the Norwalk Transit District (NTD); the Milford Transit District (MTD); the Valley Transit District (VTD); and, the City of Stamford.

The purpose of this MOU is:

1. to define the method for distributing metropolitan planning funds received by the ConnDOT from the Federal Highway Administration (PL) and the Federal Transit Administration (Section 5303) for transportation planning within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area;
2. to define the method to distribute FHWA STP-Urban funds and FTA Section 5307 funds attributable to the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area; and,
3. to define the responsibilities of each MPO for carrying out its region’s transportation planning program and for coordinating with the other MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area.

Section II. Distribution of Planning (PL) Funds To MPOs

Each MPO and designated transportation planning agency in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area will receive its portion of planning funds from the Federal Highway Administration (PL funds) and the Federal Transit Administration (Section 5303 funds) through a statewide process administered by the ConnDOT. The funds will continue to be distributed according to the method developed by the ConnDOT in cooperation with all of the MPOs in Connecticut as described in Attachment A.

Section III. Distribution of STP-Urban (Attributable) Funds for
Bridgeport- Stamford Urbanized Area

The ConnDOT will distribute STP-Urban attributable funds from the Federal Highway Administration as described in Attachment B.

Section IV. Distribution of FTA 5307 (Attributable) Funds for
Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area

The Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area MPOs, RPOs, and transit operators agree to distribute Section 5307 funds from the Federal Transit Administration as described in Attachment C.

Section V. Basic Responsibilities of Each MPO

In accordance with all applicable state and federal regulations, each MPO will conduct transportation planning activities for its region, including:

1. development of the Unified Planning Work Program to address the major transportation issues in their Region and identify the planning tasks to address those issues;
2. development of the Regional Long Range Transportation Plan; and,
3. development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Section VI. Coordination Among MPOs

The MPOs and transportation planning agencies in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area will undertake continuing transportation planning activities to promote coordinated and comprehensive transportation plans and programs and will strive for consistency in plans and policies for the transportation system in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area.

Coordination of Planning Activities. All involved MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area agree to develop a procedure to coordinate regional transportation plans, transportation improvement programs (TIPs), and annual work programs. Attachment D identifies federal transportation planning requirements and guidance.

Coordination of STP-Urban Programs. MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area will develop a procedure for FHWA STP-Urban Program programming.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hands and seals on the day and year indicated.
[Signed copy in file.]

*See Section 1 for acronym detail

Attachment A. Connecticut Department of Transportation
Procedure for Distribution of Transportation Planning Funds to MPOs

The method is based primarily on the total population in each urban planning region (not just the urbanized area within the region). Each MPO receives a share of the planning funds generally proportionate to its share of the combined population of all the urban planning regions in the state. The shares are adjusted to assure that the smallest urban regions receive a funding level that is at least equal to the minimum needed to carry out the urban transportation planning program. The procedure for distribution of transportation planning funds to MPOs is described in the Connecticut Department of Transportation "Distribution of Federal Set-aside Funds for Metropolitan Transportation Planning" document dated August 14, 2002 and the "Planning Funds Distribution" Table dated August 14, 2002.

Attachment B. Distribution of STP-Urban (Attributable) Funds for
The Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area

The ConnDOT will distribute U.S.DOT STP-Urban attributable funds from the Federal Highway Administration to the MPOs in accordance with the following apportionment procedure.

The Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area is a Transportation Management Area (TMA) which is defined as an urbanized area with a population over 200,000, as determined by the latest decennial census. As provided by TEA-21, STP-Urban funds are attributable to this TMA, Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area. These funds will be apportioned among the MPOs within the Bridgeport-Stamford Census Boundaries proportionate to its share of the population within this urbanized area. Each year the ConnDOT will determine the amount of federal funding available to the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area, and then calculate each MPO’s share based on the proportionate share method described above. The ConnDOT will inform each region of the amount of funding provided to it.

GB/VMPO and SWRMPO are MPOs that have populations greater than 200,000 within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized area. As such, these primary MPOs may use the Bridgeport- Stamford Urbanized Area attributable funds on eligible projects anywhere in their respective MPO regions.

HVCEO, COGCNV and SCRCOG do not have populations greater than 200,000 within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area. HVCEO and COGCNV are MPOs that have a total population greater than 50,000 within their MPO boundary, but each has less than 50,000 population within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area. SCRCOG is a primary MPO with a population greater than 200,000 within the New Haven Urbanized Area TMA, with a population of less than 60,000 within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area. As a consequence, SCRCOG, HVCEO and COGCNV are not primary MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area and must use Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area attributable funds on eligible projects only in the portion of their MPO regions that lie within the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area.

The Chairmen of the five MPOs or designees, and MPO staff in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area will meet at least once each year at an appropriate time to determine how to deal with STP Urban programming. Determinations and recommendations will then be brought back to their respective MPO Boards for action.

Attachment C. Distribution of FTA 5307 (Attributable) Funds for
The Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area

The Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area MPOs, RPOs and transit operators agree to distribute Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 funds attributable to the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area in accordance with the FTA 5307 Split Agreement procedure developed by ConnDOT.

The FTA sub-area split agreements are prepared annually for Connecticut’s three large urbanized areas and the Governor’s area, which is a consolidation of Connecticut’s smaller urbanized area apportionments. Sub-area split agreements are required by the Federal Transit Administration when there is more than one designated recipient in an area or when Section 5307 apportionments are transferred from a large urbanized area to the Governor’s area. These agreements contain a listing of all of the Section 5307-funded projects to be undertaken in the respective urbanized area during a federal fiscal year, as well as an accounting of any carry-over funds that will be transferred from the urbanized area to the Governor’s area.

In consultation with the transit operators, the ConnDOT develops an annual FTA Section 5307 program to best meet the transit operators needs on a statewide basis. The annual FTA Section 5307 program is incorporated into the STIP and regional TIPs which are endorsed by MPOs. FTA Section 5307 sub-area split agreements that reflect the projects endorsed in the STIP and TIPs are prepared by the ConnDOT and executed by the transit operators.

The Chairmen of the five MPOs or designees, MPO staff, and transit operators in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area and the Connecticut Department of Transportation will meet at least once each year at an appropriate time to discuss FTA Section 5307 programming. Bridgeport- Stamford Urbanized Area MOU

Attachment D. Federal Transportation Planning Requirements and Guidance

All involved MPOs in the Bridgeport-Stamford Urbanized Area will develop procedures to coordinate transportation planning activities in accordance with applicable federal regulations and guidance. The regulations and guidance include, but are not limited to:

• 23 CFR Part 450 Planning Assistance and Standards, September 22, 1999 (US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration)
• 49 CFR Part 613
• Qualifying Urban Areas for Census 2002; Notice, Federal Register, May 1, 2002 (US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census)
• Designation of Transportation Management Areas, Federal Register, July 8, 2002 (US Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration)
• Frequently Asked Questions Applying 2000 Census Data to Urbanized and Urban Areas in the FTA Planning Programs and FHWA Programs, Posted May 2, 2002 (US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration)

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