Maui MPO facilitates a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning process between the U.S. Department of Transportation, Hawai‘i Department of Transportation, and County of Maui. The MPO develops plans and programs for a multimodal transportation system that facilitates the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. Maui MPO does not construct projects or implement these programs directly. Maui MPO uses four documents to coordinate the transportation planning process: 1) Transportation Improvement Program, 2) Long-Range Transportation Plan, 3) Public Participation Plan, and 4) Unified Planning Work Program.
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the 4-year budget for surface transportation projects that will be undertaken by the State of Hawai‘i and County of Maui and funded in part with federal money. It identifies the public transit, highway, bicycle, and pedestrian projects that will receive federal transportation funds in the near future. The TIP is required to be financially constrained by year and include a financial plan that demonstrates which projects can be implemented using current revenue sources and which projects are to be implemented using proposed revenue sources. The projects identified in the TIP must be consistent with the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
Hele Mai Maui 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is a 20-year vision document that outlines transportation goals, objectives, policies, and projects for Maui. Projects that appear in the LRTP are eligible for Federal transportation funding assistance. The 20-year horizon of the plan incorporates forecasted population, housing, employment, environmental, land-use, and technology changes. The LRTP is updated every five years.
The Maui MPO Public Participation Plan describes the methods and procedures that will be used to encourage participation by interested parties and the general public in the development of the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and various planning studies. The PPP is developed to ensure the involvement of citizen interest groups, freight industry, commerce associations, major economic developments, educational institutions, public transit providers, and other interested persons or groups, including the public at large.
The Maui MPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) describes and programs planning studies and budgetary and staffing requirements for Maui MPO. The annually-updated UPWP is a requirement for metropolitan transportation planning activities performed with Federal funds. The UPWP identifies transportation-related planning studies (called work elements) identify alternative solutions for specific transportation issues and address Federal planning requirements, such as monitoring the impact of projects on low-income and minority populations.
Equity is an important tool to analyze people’s access to transportation and to plan future investments. Planning within an equity framework empowers decisionmakers to invest in places where transportation projects and programs can support historically underrepresented communities that may have fewer transportation options.
The Maui MPO operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and related nondiscrimination authorities, any person who believes she or he has been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice under Title VI may file a complaint with the Maui MPO.