2024 Baltimore Transportation Management Area Certification Review

PROJECT SUMMARY: Every four years, the USDOT must certify that each metropolitan planning organization (MPO) serving a transportation management area (TMA) – a designation of an urbanized area with a population over 200,000 – is carrying out the metropolitan planning process in adherence with federal statutes and regulations. Certification of the planning process is a prerequisite to the approval of federal funding for transportation projects in TMAs. FTA and FHWA conduct a review of the metropolitan planning process within each TMA and jointly issue this certification on behalf of the DOT Secretary, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5303(k). The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) is the designated MPO for the Baltimore urbanized area, including the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore, and the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Queen Anne’s. On July 13, 2024, the Federal Review Team jointly certified the planning process for the BRTB TMA.

The TMA Certification Review consisted of three parts: a desk audit, site review, and public comment. It encompassed the transportation planning process conducted cooperatively by the BRTB, State of Maryland, and public transportation operators across the region. I represented FTA Region 3 in co-leading the Certification Review in partnership with the FHWA Maryland Division. My work included planning documentation review, federal regulation compliance analysis, public comment administration, site review facilitation, report writing and editing, and Federal Review Team coordination.

TEAM: FTA Region 3, FHWA Maryland Division, EPA Region 3

ROLE: Federal Review Team Co-Lead

TOOLS USED: Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, and Word