Historical Overview
Historical Overview| The MTPO began operations in 1982, and staff have worked on numerous highway and public transportation projects in the region. Major highway projects include the Quad Cities Beltway, State of Franklin Road in Johnson City, and I-181/I-26 corridor project. The MTPO staff also works closely with the Johnson City Transit System in coordinating capital projects and operating and planning activities. The Johnson City Organization is referred to by both the acronyms "MTPO" and "MPO" and is part of the statewide and national network of Metropolitan Planning Organizations established to deliver and manage transportation programs on a regional basis. Within the region the agency is referred to as MTPO to recognize the stated mission of providing transportation planning services rather than zoning, land use, or general planning activities. |
| Public transportation projects funded via MTPO work activities have included the Johnson City Transportation Center/Terminal, for which construction was completed in 1986, and fixed-route and paratransit buses operated by the Johnson City Transit System. Additional transportation grant programs have helped fund development of Geographic Information Systems in Johnson City and Elizabethton, and commuter service projects coordinated with East Tennessee State University. Current active projects include traffic signal upgrades for Johnson City and Elizabethton and a federal demonstration project involving technological approaches to improve transportation management in the Johnson City region under the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program. |