Regional Planning Affiliation
The Regional Planning Affiliation (RPA 8) is designated as a four-county region excluding the Dubuque Metropolitan Area (MPO.) The RPA 8 region encompasses the counties of Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson, which are located in the eastern-central portion of the State of Iowa. Within this region, the RPA 8 services 58 cities and all of the rural areas in all of their transportation needs. The sizes of the cities range from Durango’s 24 in population to Dubuque’s 57, 213, giving the RPA 8 a vast set of circumstances to work with. (see Boundary Map)
RPA 8 receives federal funds to develop regional transportation plans and programs and to coordinate technical and policy studies on a wide range of transportation issues. The RPA 8 works in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IADOT), local governments and transit providers.
The primary products of the transportation planning process include:
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)- Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP)
- Transportation Enhancements Program
- Public Involvement Plan (PIP)
Taken together, these documents provide a blueprint for the development of the region’s transportation system and direct the expenditure of federal funds for highways, transit, bikeways and other modes of transportation.
RPA Organization and Management
The East Central Intergovernmental Association Regional Planning Affiliation was established on February 2, 1994 through the adoption of Articles of Agreement by the participating organizations in the region. It is one of the 18 RPA's in the state that were formed as part of the Iowa Department of Transportation's implementation of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), particularly in regard to meeting the statewide planning and programming aspects of the legislation.
This cooperative, comprehensive, and continuing transportation planning process was established by agreement between the state and local governments in compliance with the provisions of the ISTEA and continued under subsequent federal transportation legislation reauthorization TEA 21 and SAFTEA-LU. The planning process is implemented through a committee structure. Committees forward their recommendations to the Policy Board for consideration and final action. At this time, the only standing committee is the Technical Advisory Committee, which was formed by the Policy Board at its first meeting on February 2, 1994.
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