As a metropolitan planning organization (MPO), East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG) is responsible for implementing the metropolitan transportation planning process for the St. Louis Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA).
The St. Louis MPA
The St. Louis MPA covers the bi-state St. Louis region and includes the city of St. Louis and Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, and St. Louis counties in Missouri and Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois. Click on the map below to view a larger version in pdf.
The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process
The federal government has specified the transportation planning process requirements for metropolitan areas like the St. Louis region. These requirements are defined in federal transportation legislation and regulations. Based on these requirements, EWG is responsible for:
- Providing a forum for cooperative transportation decision making in the St. Louis region
- Carrying out a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive performance-based multimodal transportation planning process that:
- Supports the economic vitality of the St. Louis region, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency
- Increases:
- the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users
- the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users
- the accessibility and mobility of people and freight
- Protects and enhances the environment, promotes energy conservation, improves the quality of life, and promotes consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns
- Enhances the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight
- Promotes efficient system management and operation
- Emphasizes the preservation of the existing transportation system
- Improves the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation
- Enhances travel and tourism
- Developing a metropolitan transportation plan (or the Long-Range Transportation Plan)
- Developing the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
- Developing the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
- Developing a Public Involvement Plan (PIP)
The Transportation Management Area Planning Certification Review
The Transportation Management Area Planning Certification Review (Certification Review) is conducted every four years by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) to ensure that EWG, as an MPO, is meeting the metropolitan transportation planning process requirements. In early 2021, FHWA / FTA completed EWG’s most recent certification review and issued the 2021 Certification Review report.
Looking for Certification Reviews from Prior Years?
EWG’s Library contains important agency documents including those from prior years. Use the link below to access the Certification Reviews for the four-year periods from 2001 through 2017.