MPO planning requirements are specified in the transportation legislation know as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). One of the planning provisions sets forth the requirement for MPO’s to develop and publish an annual listing of projects that were federally obligated during the MPO’s previous program year. By definition an obligated project is one that has received authorization from a Federal agency. This authorization constitutes a legal commitment and obligation from the agency to pay for the Federal share of the project cost. The project program year follows the state fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. The purpose of this effort is “to increase the transparency of government spending on transportation projects and strategies in metropolitan areas to state and local officials, and the public at large.
