Transportation

Bi-State Regional Commission represents the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for urbanized area transportation planning in the Quad Cities, Iowa/Illinois and Region 9 rural planning for Scott and Muscatine Counties, Iowa. Transportation planning provides a coordinated and continuing process to assist communities in the implementation of transportation improvements. This planning is required before federal funds can be spent on projects. Planning before implementation has the added benefit of providing a technical means of ranking transportation needs and prioritizing available funding. Roadways, transit, railroads, waterways, airports, trails and intermodal facilities are all considered in the planning process.

Local, state, and federal jurisdictions work together with support from Bi-State staff to develop planning and programming recommendations for transportation improvements. In the Quad Cities Urbanized Area, recommendations are considered by the Transportation Policy Committee composed of chief elected officials of cities and counties, Illinois and Iowa State Departments of Transportation, and the Illinois Quad Cities transit district. In Region 9, recommendations are considered by the Region 9 Transportation Policy Committee composed of the chief elected officials from the City of Muscatine, Scott and Muscatine Counties, a small community representative from the Iowa region, and an official from the Iowa Department of Transportation. Programs and services involved in the transportation planning process include:

General Technical Assistance provides for the preparation of grant applications, including RISE and ICAAP in Iowa and Enhancement applications in both states, among others. Conducts corridor, capacity and/or accident analysis, transit analysis, signage studies, air service initiatives, air quality assistance, etc.