addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAs1.2 THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE: MPOS AND RTPASRegional transportation planning is long-range (20+ years), areawide planningwith the purpose of guiding the region’s transportation system development in afiscally and environmentally responsible manner, consistent with the needs,preferences, and sensibilities of the community. Among the key regionaltransportation planning entities in California are 18 MPOs and 26 RTPAs 2 . Everycounty in California is served by a RTPA and every county with at least oneurbanized area is also served by a MPO.Federal law [Title 23 United States Code Section 134] defines a MPO as a forumfor cooperative transportation decision-making. A MPO covers an urbanizedarea over 50,000 in population, but a single MPO may serve more than oneurbanized area. MPOs are generally known in California as councils ofgovernment or associations of government. RTPAs are local transportationcommissions, county transportation commissions, councils of government, andassociations of government.Figure 1.1 provides a map of California MPOs and RTPAs.This guide is intended to provide California MPOs and RTPAs with an overviewof climate adaptation, suggested data and information that can help themincorporate climate adaptation into the regional planning, and to provide a stepby-stepprocess for those MPOs/RTPAs which would like to incorporate climaterisks into their regional plans.2 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/orip/.1-2 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.