- HRTPO
- About HRTPO
- About Us
About Us
About Us
Transportation projects are as constant as the tides in Hampton Roads. Such projects are indicative of a population on the move and a region with a growing economy.
But unlike the tides, these sorts of projects don’t just happen naturally. One does not decide to build a road or map out transit routes through multiple cities without a careful and comprehensive planning process. Such projects require collaboration among multiple government entities and agencies; suggestions and support from stakeholders and the public at large; and attention to project budget to maximize limited funding.
We are responsible for that regional planning process. We are the Hampton Roads Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO).
Why Us?
In 1962, the United States Congress passed legislation that mandated urban transportation planning as a condition for receiving federal transportation funding in any Urbanized Area, that is, an area with a population greater than 50,000.
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 required the establishment of a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3-C) transportation planning process to be carried out by states and local communities, within a Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA).
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a transportation policy-making organization comprised of representatives from local, state, and federal governments; transit agencies; and other stakeholders that oversees and conducts the 3-C transportation planning process. The goal of this planning process is the development and operation of an integrated, intermodal transportation system that facilitates the efficient, economical movement of people and goods within the MPA.
Any highway or transit project or program to be constructed or conducted, with federal funds and within an MPA, must be a product of the 3-C planning process. Additionally, any highway or transit project deemed to be regionally significant, regardless of the source(s) of funding, must receive MPO approval to proceed.
The HRTPO is the MPO for the Hampton Roads MPA and serves as a forum for regional collaboration, helping communities prepare for the future while ensuring transportation works for everyone.
Who are we?
As the MPO for the Hampton Roads MPA, the HRTPO Board’s voting representation includes elected officials from the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, and the Counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, and York; plus representatives from the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR), Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA), the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), and four members of the Hampton Roads General Assembly delegation (two senators and two delegates).
Non-voting board members include the region’s Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), the Chairs of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Freight Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC), and representatives from the Virginia Department of Aviation (VDOA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Invited participants include representatives from the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) and the region’s military installations.
HRTPO membership is continually assessed to account for emerging transportation trends or shifts in regional transportation and membership may increase or decrease as deemed appropriate.
The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) provides staffing for the HRTPO to assist them in carrying out the HRTPO’s responsibilities, and coordinate efforts with the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (HRT), Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA), and VDOT. The HRTPO's Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) provides reviews of and recommendations on all regional transportation planning efforts.
For more information on the organization, please visit