Bi-State Regional Commission represents the Regional Planning Organization (RPO) for Region 9 rural planning for Scott and Muscatine Counties, Iowa. Transportation planning provides a coordinated and continuing process to assist communities in the implementation of transportation improvements. This planning is required before federal funds can be spent on projects. Planning before implementation has the added benefit of providing a technical means of ranking transportation needs and prioritizing available funding. Roadways, transit, railroads, waterways, airports, trails and intermodal facilities are all considered in the planning process.
Local, state, and federal jurisdictions work together with support from Bi-State staff to develop planning and programming recommendations for transportation improvements. In Region 9, recommendations are considered by the Region 9 Transportation Policy Committee composed of the chief elected officials from the City of Muscatine, Scott and Muscatine Counties, a small community representative from the Iowa region, and an official from the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Additionally, the RPO also conducts regional transit planning for Region 2, representing the geographic area of rural Rock Island County and Henry, Mercer and Whiteside Counties, Illinois. Region 2 Transit Advisory Committee provides oversight for rural transit planning and human services coordination in an advisory capacity to the Illinois Department of Transportation.