N.Y. Transportation Law § 15-a: Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain functions

§ 15-a. Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain

functions. 1. In each urbanized area in which a public transportation

system provides services, the existing metropolitan planning

organization designated as such by the governor for the purpose of

complying with federal statutes, shall be the metropolitan planning

organization for the purposes of this section. The metropolitan planning

organization shall endorse a program of projects for submission to the

administrator of the urban mass transportation administration as a

product of the continuing comprehensive planning process.

In all other areas, no such planning organization need be formed.

However, the requirements of this section which pertain to the actions

of metropolitan planning organizations may be accomplished in such areas

by the public transportation system in cooperation with the appropriate

officials of the municipalities and counties within the transportation

system operating area and in cooperation with the state department of

transportation.

2. To develop effective involvement of county and municipal

governments in the metropolitan planning process, counties and

municipalities participating in each regional metropolitan planning

organization shall develop alternative plans for carrying out the

provisions of this section at both the regional and subregional level.

Such alternative plans shall consider the continuing and comprehensive

nature of the planning process; federal and state statutory

responsibilities for planning; citizen involvement; transportation

system operator participation; and population representation.

Participating counties and municipalities shall submit such alternative

plans to the governor and the legislature prior to January first,

nineteen hundred seventy-six.

3. In addition to its responsibilities stated in subdivision one of

this section, the responsibilities of each metropolitan planning

organization shall be:

(a) to develop long-range regional transportation plans for submission

to the commissioner for consideration for inclusion in the statewide

transportation master plan;

(b) to develop and suggest periodic amendments to the master plan to

the commissioner;

(c) to consult with and cooperate with local officials and

representatives of carriers and transportation facilities and systems

within their urbanized area;

(d) to examine the structure, and cost of transit operations;

(e) to endorse long-range plans assuring maximum utilization and

integration of mass transportation facilities and services throughout

the State;

(f) to study the long-range financial needs for improving public

transportation systems; and

(g) to conduct one or more public hearings to carry out the provisions

of this subdivision.

4. To provide for the existence of a transit development program, the

metropolitan planning organization shall consult with other planning

agencies and coordinate its transportation planning process with the

comprehensive regional plan developed by the regional planning

commission.