The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy and Saratoga Springs metropolitan areas.
- CDTC's designated planning area includes the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga (except the Town of Moreau and the Village South Glens Falls) and Schenectady.
- CDTC is a forum for local elected officials and transportation representatives to share ideas and make decisions about major transportation capital investments.
- CDTC is required by federal law and supported with federal funding.
- Federal transportation funding is controlled by the consensus decisions of CDTC -- about $100 million per year through the Transportation Improvement Program.
- CDTC's decision making body is the Policy Board.
- The Planning Committee serves as the technical committee to the Policy Board.
- CDTC's staff provides technical assistance to the Planning Committee and the Policy Board for informed decision making. Staff activities are listed in the Unified Planning Work Program.
- CDTC's priorities are guided by the Regional Transportation Plan, known as New Visions 2050.
- CDTC has enjoyed a high degree of local success and national recognition due to a highly-collaborative environment of mutual trust and respect.
- CDTC underwent federal certification in 2020 and its planning process has been certified effective September 22, 2020.
For more information about CDTC, explore a brief brochure or read a more detailed Reference Guide to CDTC. For a full understanding of how CDTC operates, read CDTC's Continuing Operations Plan or contact us.
What is an MPO?
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is, by federal law, designated by the governor of each state for every urban area with at least 50,000 residents. MPOs develop solutions to regional transportation problems and address other important issues such as land use, air quality, energy, economic development, commerce, and quality of life.
Each MPO develops a long-range regional transportation plan to guide transportation decision making and activities. The MPO also develops a short-range program of projects, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), to be implemented with federal transportation funds. For each project, the MPO's responsibility is to engage many stakeholders, including the general public, in the planning process. By creating a vision for the region in the long-range plan and by identifying projects and investments that help achieve that vision, the MPO ensures that scarce federal transportation funds are wisely invested.
NYSAMPO
The New York State Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (NYSAMPO) is a coalition of the fourteen MPOs in New York State that work together toward common goals, coordinate with New York State, and identify best practices in the transportation plannning process.
AMPO
The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) provides CDTC with critical federal policy advocacy, technical assistance, training, and access to a collaborative network of MPOs for peer-exchange and knowledge building.
Learn More
Want to learn more about MPOs and the federal transportation planning process? Watch below.
