Frequently Asked Questions

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) coordinates transportation plans for the Heartland region including the six counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee and the urbanized area of Highlands County including the cities of Sebring and Avon Park.

We provide the forum for local elected officials, their staff, and industry experts, and the public to work together to improve transportation in the Heartland Region. Additionally, we conduct studies to identify and address transportation issues.

The agency consists of:

• A Governing Board made up of elected officials from the six counties and the cities of Sebring and Avon Park
• A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is made up of technically qualified representatives of agencies responsible for planning, maintaining, controlling, developing and improving the transportation system within the Heartland region.
• A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) made up of citizen representatives appointed by the HRTPO Board.
• A Mobility Advisory Committee (MAC) who also may serve as the committee developing and guiding multimodal input including bicycle, pedestrian, trails, transit and other mobility modes.

The Central Florida Regional Planning Council provides staff services to the HRTPO.

A Transportation Planning Organization (also known as a Metropolitan Planning Organization or MPO) is an association of local governments in areas with a collective population of 50,000 or more. Per US Code, Title 23, TPOs/MPOs are in charge of transportation planning and programming for their Urbanized Areas.

The mission of a TPO/MPO is to provide comprehensive, cooperative and continuing (the “3Cs”) transportation planning for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods consistent with the region’s overall economic, social and environmental goals. Special emphasis is placed on providing equal access to a variety of transportation choices and effective public involvement in the transportation planning process. Currently there are 27 TPOs/MPOs in the State of Florida, as designated by the governor.

TPOs/MPOs were first required by the Federal Highway Act of 1962 to provide a “3C” transportation planning process by local, state and federal officials. Designated on November 17, 2014 by Governor Rick Scott of Florida as the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), the federally mandated transportation policy-making organization includes the six counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee and the urbanized area of Highlands County including the cities of Sebring and Avon Park.

Our historically rural counties have collectively experienced double-digit growth in the past two decades: a 45% increase from 1990 to 2010. As a result of this growth, the Sebring-Avon Park area of Highlands County was designated as an urbanized area based on the 2010 US Census. This designation triggered the formation of the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization.

Our counties are connected by economic, environmental, and cultural factors. Through a history in agriculture and mining, with ranching and small business centered on the abundant natural resources including lakes and health care as a major employer, the Heartland counties have worked together in changing times. As the region looks to the future through its Heartland 2060 partnerships it prepares for increasing urbanization and infrastructure investment, it is key that a multimodal transportation system to serve citizens and move goods is built. The first meeting of the HRTPO took place on April 29, 2015.

Transportation planning is important to everyone. How well a citizen can travel to work, school, shopping or the hospital affects their safety and quality of life. The TPO provides an independent yet cooperative forum for regional planning and the allocation of millions of dollars in federal transportation funding annually. The TPO also helps citizens speak with one voice to their state and federal agencies and elected officials on transportation-related issues. Most importantly, effective public involvement insures tax dollars are used in accordance with the greatest needs and desires of the people.

Transportation plans are the first step in a multi-year process to fund, design, purchase land for (Right of Way), and finally construct a transportation project. The HRTPO is responsible for a five-year list of funded transportation projects (Transportation Improvement Program – TIP) and a long range 20-year plan (Long Range Transportation Plan – LRTP) that provides a common vision for the community’s future transportation needs and guides the investment of public funds in transportation facilities. View our current plans here.

Public participation is an important part of all HRTPO planning efforts. Special public meetings are held during planning processes, including the development of the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) that spans 20 years or more. The HRTPO has developed a Public Participation Plan and a Title VI Plan to help guide its public participation efforts.

To request email updates about HRTPO activities and public participation opportunities, click on the “Sign up Now!” button on the right column of this page. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/heartlandregionaltpo/.

Our board and committee meetings are open to the public. For specific times and dates, please see the Events Calendar page. Please visit the Meeting Documents page for current and recent months’ agendas and minutes of meetings.

For any additional information, please contact Marybeth Soderstrom at (863) 534-7130 x 134 or info@heartlandregionaltpo.org.