Lake Charles Urbanized Area MPO

Notice: (Changes were made by the Transportation Policy Committee on January 20, 2010 to the ARRA List of projects.)

 

Project Selection and Criteria

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), “Economic Stimulus”, Funding Apportionment and Selection Criteria for projects selected for the Greater Lake Charles Urbanized Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

• Project must be completed within 3 years;

• Project must be located within an economically distressed area;

• Project must be eligible to meet the obligation date of March 4, 2010;

• Project must comply with Davis Bacon requirements for all employees;

• Project must comply with Title 23 requirements in Title XII;

• Project must meet an expeditious delivery date; and

• Project must maximize job creation and economic benefit.

Click on the following link to view projects:  http://www.imcal.org/ARRA Projects

The Metropolitan Planning Organization develops three key documents (plans) that are the ingredients for transportation planning and programming for the Lake Charles Metropolitan Area:

 

View each plan by clicking on the links below (PDF format) and all plans are subject to change (please contact the IMCAL office for updates)

 

Together, in tandem, these three documents represent the beginning, middle and end process, or recipe, if you will – for transportation planning success (Click on the MPO Project Selection Process for more details).  Also, if your in need of a Stage 0 application and environmental checklist click on

Stage 0.

 MPO Plans & Studies

1.  Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)   

Developed annually, the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) identifies the funding sources, implementing agencies that will be cooking up planning activities to be worked on by the MPO and its staff in the upcoming year.   To view the FY 2009-2010 UPWP click here:  UPWP FY 09-10

2.  Long Range Transportation Plan (MTP-20 Years into the Future)

The MPO is required to develop the Long Range Transportation (Master Plan (MTP). A blueprint to guide the establishment of priorities for development programs and transportation projects within Lake Charles Urbanized Metropolitan Area, the MTP identifies needed improvements and transportation goals 20 years into the future. Seeking to balance investments in various transportation modes against anticipated funding from federal, state and local sources, the MTP reflects ever changing conditions and new planning principles and is based upon regional population and economic growth projections.

Below see the Updated 2034 MTP(Long Range Transportation Plan) now available.

         

 

 

3.  Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)  Click here for current as of February 9, 2010, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).   Any portions of the online TIP that are not available can be viewed in the IMCAL office or at the libraries in Sulphur, Westlake or at the Lake Charles Ernest Street location. 

The TIP or Transportation Improvement Plan, which identifies, prioritizes and allocates anticipated funding for transportation improvements over the next 4 years, is updated annually. It is not a wish list. Rather, the TIP is the culmination of the planning process, the MTP and UPWP.

Click here for the current "La DOTD/LCMPO Letting List".  The Letting List is a spreadsheet of information detailing each transportation project in the LCMPO.  Each project listed is currently authorized, financially constrained in the TIP and awaiting bids for construction.  

It represents a consensus among local, state and regional officials as to what tangible and funded transportation improvements to services and facilities to pursue in the short- term for:

•  Roadways

•              Aviation

•              Transit

•              Port

•              Pedestrian

•              Bicycle

•              Transportation

•              Disadvantaged

•   Changes are made to the TIP as needed:

•                  

•                  Changes are made to the TIP periodically by request of the Louisiana Department of Transportation or the MPO Transportation Policy   

•                  Committee.  When changes are considered major amendments they must be made by public notice and during a public meeting.  When 

•                  changes only require minor amendments, these changes are identified as "Administrative Changes" and requested to be reviewed by the

•                  Transportation Policy Committee.  Upon a full consensus from the Committee, the minor amendments may be amended without public notice. 

•                  All Administrative Changes shall be available by clicking on this link "Administrative Changes".  Amendments that are considered major shall

•                  be identified as:

•  

•                     a.  Major changes to a project including the addition or deletion of a project;

•                     b.  Major changes in project cost, project/project phase initiation dates, or a major change in design concept or design scope, 

•                     c.  Funding changes are limited to $600,000 for projects less than $3,000,000, or changes of 20% or more in funding; or

•                     d.  Major changes to funding sources, includes adding a new federal funding source for a project not previously funded with federal

•                          funding.              

                        

                          To review Administrative Changes to the TIP click on the TIP link, open PDF file and see page 3

 

                     

            4.  Coordination in Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP)

                        An IMCAL Regional Rural/Urban Transit Network Initiative

 

            A regional transit network is being evaluated for cohesiveness.  During the implementation of the Coordination in Human Services Transportation Plan, the the MPO Policy Committee formed an advisory committee to assess the strengths and weaknesses of transit services throughout the entire IMCAL region.

 

            It is the goal of this committee to explore more efficient means of serving transit rider ship in the MPO area.  See our Coordination In Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP), which outlines proactive measures in planning for the coordination of transit services in the entire IMCAL area.

 

            5.  Title VI Plan (Draft)

            The purpose of this document is to communicate the LCMPO plan for addressing the Federal and state non-discrimination requirements under Title VI, Federal Executive Order 12898 and other related regulations and statutes.  To see the Title VI Plan (Draft) in its entirety click here.  To print out a Title VI Discrimination Form, please click here.

           

 

            Also, the Self Assessment Tool .  The Self Assessment Tool, created out of "United We Ride",  was used to evaluate transit service providers strengths and weaknesses.  For more information on current rural and urban transit services available click on the Brochure link.

• Maps and traffic counts for the Lake Charles Urbanized Area Metropolitan Planning Organization can be viewed at the following links: 

                       2008 and 2004 Traffic Counts in the MPO Boundary

                       2010-2034 MTP Stage I map

                       2010-2034 MTP Stage II map

                       2010-2034 MTP Stage III map

                       2010-2034 Functional Class map

                       MPO Boundary map

                       MPO Project Selection Process Form and Instructions

                       Stage 0 Application and Environmental Checklist

  

 

Other plans and studies conducted by the Lake Charles Area MPO include:

• Public Participation Plan  (PPP) Adopted December 19, 2007 

 

Grant's Biography

Contact the Staff:

Contact: Jonathan Alex        Planning Technician

Click on the Lake Charles Area MPO Power Point