The transportation planning process within a Transportation Management Area (TMA) must address congestion management through a systematic approach that ensures safe and effective integration and operation of the multimodal transportation system. This approach relies on a cooperatively developed metropolitan-wide strategy for both new and existing transportation facilities, in accordance with the funding eligibility criteria under Title 23 U.S.C. and Title 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53.

On August 31, 2023, the MPO, initiated an update to the 2019 Congestion Management Plan (CMP). This update involved reviewing the current goals and objectives of the CMP, the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and the Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) Master Plan to set new goals and define the study network for the 2024 CMP.

Data sources for the CMP were identified and collected to monitor and evaluate the established goals and objectives. Performance measures were selected based on data availability, feasibility, and the consistency of analysis procedures.The team assessed these performance measures, which included safety and mobility metrics, to evaluate the quality of traffic operations within the region.

Furthermore, strategies to address congestion were developed within four main categories: Connectivity, Data Collection, Safety, and Mobility. Each strategy was outlined with detailed descriptions of the project type, strategy, funding sources.  Also, as well as estimated costs for congestion mitigation strategies.