Regional MPO Alliances in Florida: A Model for Setting Megaregion Transportation Policies?

The megaregion concept is increasingly recognized by many disciplines, including transportation planning. In terms of transportation policy setting, consideration must be given to governance, coordination, planning, and programming. The ten identified megaregions in the United States (U.S.) span the jurisdictions of many municipalities, counties, and states. These also encompass many entities responsible for making transportation decisions including metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and other modal authorities. A megaregion has no intrinsic governance structure allowing it to make policy decisions or develop products. While an efficient transportation system is key to the economic vitality and future maturation of a megaregion, system development may be challenged by diffuse direction and power. Transportation policy setting for a megaregion requires some form of governance structure to define boundaries and networks, develop a vision, produce plans, and communicate with its partners, stakeholders and others including the press. Many Florida MPOs have formed regional alliances to address regional transportation issues. This paper describes several of these regional alliances, their governance structures, and planning products and activities. In addition, the paper details the joint effort of two of the regional alliances. The agreements, activities, and products of these regional alliances, while applied on a sub-megaregional level, provide one model for megaregion governance regarding transportation systems. The governance model illustrated by Florida’s MPO regional alliances is but one example of many possible governance scenarios for megaregions. The nature and needs of each megaregion are unique and governance structures will need to be tailored to the specific needs of the individual megaregion