HR 5711: Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act

Overview

Bill Number: HR 5711

Title: Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act
Status: Introduced in House
Introduced: October 08, 2025

Purpose and Intent

The Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act aims to strengthen the role of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in transportation decision-making and improve regional coordination of infrastructure investments. The bill seeks to address concerns that current MPO structures and processes do not adequately reflect the needs of growing urban and suburban areas.

Key Provisions

• Expands the geographic scope and authority of MPOs to cover entire metropolitan statistical areas, rather than just urbanized areas
• Requires MPOs to develop long-term regional transportation plans that integrate land use, housing, economic development, and environmental considerations
• Mandates that MPOs have voting representation from a diverse range of stakeholders, including local governments, transit agencies, port authorities, and community organizations
• Increases federal funding for MPO operations and planning activities, with a focus on supporting data collection, modeling, and performance monitoring
• Establishes new performance-based criteria for allocating federal transportation dollars to MPOs, rewarding those that demonstrate progress on key regional priorities

Affected Parties and Impacts

The bill would primarily impact metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, transportation agencies, and residents of urban and suburban areas. Key effects include:

• Expanded MPO authority and responsibilities, requiring greater regional coordination and long-term planning
• Increased federal funding and performance-based incentives for MPOs to enhance their planning capabilities
• More diverse stakeholder representation in MPO decision-making, potentially shifting regional priorities
• Potential changes to how federal transportation dollars are allocated within metropolitan regions

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

The Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act was introduced in the House of Representatives on October 8, 2025. It has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which will likely hold hearings and mark up the bill before sending it to the full House for consideration. If passed by the House, the bill would then move to the Senate for further review and potential amendments before a final vote. Given the bill's focus on improving regional transportation planning, it may receive bipartisan support, but the timeline for potential enactment remains uncertain.