Brookings:  MPOs Underrepresent Cities

Posted by Sheila Redick on February 03, 2006

Metropolitan Planning Organizations are the most often cited manifestations of regional governance. Problem is, a new study from Brookings, "An Inherent Bias? Georgraphic and Racial-Ethnic Patterns of Metropolitan Planning Organization Boards," examines 50 MPOs across the nation and finds that while 29 percent of board votes represent urban jurisdictions, 56 percent of residents in these metropolitan areas live in urban jurisdictions. And, it turns out, decisions about where transportation dollars are directly influenced by board make-up. If MPO board votes were weighted in proportion to the populations they represent, urban votes would compose nearly two-thirds of all board votes, while suburban areas would represent nearly one-third. Not surprisingly, MPO boards also underrepresent racial minorities.

With the push toward regionalism, it's important to get it right.

Read the complete report here.