MPO Certification

Every four years, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) conducts a review of the Atlanta region’s transportation planning process. This certification review consists of five primary sequential activities:

1. Advance review of planning documents and other materials
2. Site visit with staff and policy officials
3. Public meeting
4. Final report of recommendations and findings
5. Closeout presentation with ARC policy officials

The review focuses on compliance with federal regulations and is an opportunity to identify challenges, successes and experiences of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Georgia Department of Transportation, transit service providers, and other key planning and implementation agencies. As the MPO for a 20-county region, ARC is the agency ultimately responsible for ensuring a successful outcome to the certification review process. As part of the process, the public is also invited to share their comments.

2023 Certification

ARC’s most recent certification review was completed on September 29, 2023 when USDOT submitted its Certification Review Report.  No corrective actions were identified and ARC’s planning process has been certified for another four years.  The agency received several commendations for work which can be considered a national best practice.  Several recommendations were also made to strengthen certain aspects of the agency’s work and all are either already being addressed or will be addressed at the appropriate point in the next plan development cycle.

The final step in the process was a formal presentation by the review team of their findings to policy officials.  That briefing was held at the joint TAQC / ARC Board meeting on October 11, 2023.

Planning Certification Review – Summary Report