Politics
Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia MPO Under 2025 Federal Certification Review
The review by federal agencies examines the metropolitan transportation planning process that guides funding and project priorities for Chattanooga area residents.
How we reported this
The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration are conducting a 2025 Transportation Management Area Federal Certification Review of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia MPO. The final report from this review is expected in June 2026. This process checks whether the MPO's planning meets federal requirements for the region's multimodal transportation system.
The 2021 Federal Certification Review found that Chattanooga's metropolitan transportation planning process met all federal planning requirements with no corrective actions needed. The current review follows that earlier finding and applies to ongoing decisions about road, transit and related infrastructure projects.
Update to Coordinated Public Transit Plan
On June 26, 2026, the TPO Executive Board approved a major update to the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan. The updated plan prioritizes mobility for seniors, individuals with disabilities and low-income residents. This plan guides how local transit services connect people to jobs, medical care and daily needs in the Chattanooga area.
Chattanooga's 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, completed in January 2024, remains the long-range multimodal planning document and stays effective until January 2029. It provides the framework that federal reviews assess for compliance and coordination with local priorities.
Current Studies and Resident Access
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Center for Urban Informatics and Progress is studying CARTA bus routes. The work focuses on increasing ridership and accessibility, especially for low-income households that lack vehicle access. Findings from this study can inform adjustments to routes that serve daily travel needs across Chattanooga neighborhoods.
Residents who rely on public transit or coordinated human services transportation will see the effects of these planning documents in service availability and connections. The MPO planning process determines how federal resources align with local projects that affect commute times, route coverage and infrastructure maintenance.
The next steps involve completion of the 2025 certification review and continued implementation of the updated coordinated plan. Local agencies will incorporate any outcomes from the federal report into future updates of the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and related transit studies.