Who We Are & What We Do

The Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG) is both the designated

Council of Governments (COG) and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

for the greater Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area.

MPOs are transportation policy-making organizations made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. The Federal Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1973 requires the formation of a MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. The Act also requires, as a condition for federal transportation financial assistance, that transportation projects be based upon a continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative (3-C) planning process for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA). MPOs help facilitate implementing agencies (including municipal public works departments, county highway departments, and state departments of transportation) to prioritize their transportation investments in a coordinated way consistent with regional needs, as outlined in a metropolitan transportation plan.

   Planning Area

The core of an MPO is the urbanized area, which is initially identified and defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as part of the Decennial Census update. This boundary is adjusted by local officials and approved by the overseeing state Department of Transportation (DOT). The result of which is the official Adjusted Urban Area Boundary (known as the UZA). In Metro COG’s case, the overseeing DOT is the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). The UZA boundary is used to determine the type of transportation funding programs potential projects may be eligible to receive.

In addition to the UZA, the MPO boundary includes any contiguous areas, which may become urbanized within a twenty-year forecast period. Collectively, this area is known as the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA). Metro COG’s MPA boundary was most recently expanded in 2013 and is currently comprised of approximately 1,073 square miles (687,000 acres), across 2 states, 2 counties, 14 cities, and 30 townships. The MPA boundary is effectively Metro COG’s “study area” or area of influence respective to the metropolitan transportation planning program. These areas are significant not only as potential future population centers but also due to their proximity to existing and future transportation assets of regional significance.

   Metro COG is governed by two committees.

The first is the Policy Board, the executive body of Metro COG. The Policy Board is Metro COG’s decision-making arm comprised of 16 voting members who represent the metropolitan planning area. The Policy Board consists of at least three-quarters elected officials, and each jurisdiction’s voting power is based on its approximate share of the area’s population.

The second is the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC). The TTC advises the Policy Board on technical matters related to transportation planning in the region. The committee is made up of planning and engineering from local jurisdictions, transit agencies, and representatives from MATBUS, MnDOT and NDDOT.

   Metro COG also operates four committees:

• Metropolitan Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
• GIS Committee
• Traffic Operations Working Group
• Freight Advisory Committee.

   Metro COG is guided by the following principle documents:

• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

To ensure that Metro COG is an inclusive agency throughout the transportation planning and policy setting processes, the following plans are developed by Metro COG and reviewed by NDDOT. The specific content and purpose of these documents are regulated by the Federal government.

• Public Participation Plan (PPP)
• Limited English Proficiency Plan
• Title VI Nondiscrimination Plan