Bi-State Regional Commission represents the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for urbanized area transportation planning in the Quad Cities, Iowa/Illinois and 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 the Quad Cities Urbanized Area, recommendations are considered by the Transportation Policy Committee composed of chief elected officials of cities and counties, Illinois and Iowa State Departments of Transportation, and the Illinois Quad Cities transit district. 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. Programs and services involved in the transportation planning process include:

Average Daily Traffic Maps for Quad Cities Metropolitan Area provides average 24-hour traffic counts within the Quad-Cities Metropolitan Area which are provided by the Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation.

General Technical Assistance provides for the preparation of grant applications, including RISE and ICAAP in Iowa and Enhancement applications in both states, among others. Conducts corridor, capacity and/or accident analysis, transit analysis, signage studies, air service initiatives, air quality assistance, etc.

Long Range Planning identifies transportation improvements to accommodate and promote future growth and development for twenty-five years. The "2040 Quad Cities Long Range Transportation Plan" and "Region 9 - 2035 Long Range Plan" documents are available for review and purchase. The Quad Cities plan was adopted in June 2011.

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Regional Architecture describes a plan for implementing ITS technologies to improve transportation system operations. The Bi-State Regional Commission ITS Architecture Plan was adopted in April 2005 and is updated on a five year cycle. The plan discusses deploying ITS technologies within the Bi-State Region for a ten year period, including additional dynamic message signs, automated vehicle locator systems for transit, among other technologies.

its-reg-arc.pdf (6605.3 KB)
Bi-State Regional Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Architecture

Midwest Rail Initiative includes coordination with local communities, Amtrak and federal and state railroad administrations to implement a passenger railroad corridor between Chicago and Omaha via Quad Cities and Des Moines. Bi-State Regional Commission provides staffing for the Midwest Rail Coalition and provides information on implementation issues.

Multi-Purpose Trail Planning provides assistance for bicycle and pedestrian trails, and includes trail master plans, staff assistance to the Great River Trail Council, assistance with portions of the Grand Illinois Trail and American Discovery Trail, greenway planning, and grant application preparation.

Bi-State Region Air Quality Task Force provides staffing for task force seeking ways to improve air quality by reducing ground-level ozone produced by vehicle emissions and industry. Produced 255,000 Aware of Air brochures. Held Alternative Fuels Workshop and teacher training on air quality curricula.

River Crossing Monitoring/Coordination includes coordinating bridge construction and maintenance schedules, whenever possible, and assisting in the implementation of the Mississippi River Crossings Feasibility Study.

Traffic Safety Activities include the prioritization of traffic safety goals in Iowa and Illinois and assistance with enforcement activities to reach these goals.

Transit Planning includes working with  human service agencies, transit operators, local governments, and the public to better coordinate existing transit programs and identify funding to expand area transit services and better serve riders.  Input from these groups is used in updating the Bi-State Transit Development Plan, a four-year program of transit projects for Henry, Mercer, Muscatine, Rock Island, Scott, and Whiteside Counties.”

Transportation Improvement Programming lists the short range, three-year transportation projects and is used to illustrate the allocation of transportation program dollars. Local Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Enhancement fund dollars are ranked through evaluation processes based on a variety of factors. Available for review and purchase is Quad Cities: Davenport-Rock Island-Moline FY 2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program and Region 9 FY 2012-2015 Transportation Improvement Program.

Transportation Planning Work Programs and Other Certifications/Assurances are documents required by the U.S.DOT for metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) which receive federal transportation planning funds. A Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP) is prepared by Bi-State annually to outline staff activities related to urban and regional transportation planning. The Work Program serves to: clarify coordination among many units of government; establish continuing, comprehensive and cooperative areawide planning in the Bi-State region; assist in development of budgets for transportation planning activities and preparation of planning fund requests; delineate requirements for various agencies involved in transportation planning efforts; and establish products, purposes and general methods to be employed in the completion of specific transportation work tasks. TPWPs are prepared on a fiscal year basis (July 1 to June 30) for the urban area and for Region 9 transportation planning area.

tpwp-urban-13.pdf (2163.5 KB) Transportation Planning Work Program FY 2013 (Davenport-Rock Island-Moline, Iowa-Illinois Urbanized Area) - Final June 2012

tpwp-reg9-fy2013.pdf (2814.2 KB) Transportation Planning Work Program FY 2013 (Region 9 Scott and Muscatine Counties, Iowa) Final June 2012

As part of the transportation planning activities, there may be certifications and/or assurances associated with these activities. For direct Department of Transportation (DOT)-assisted planning projects of $250,000 or more, Bi-State is required to establish in accordance with U.S. DOT, 49 CFR Part 26, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. For FFY04, Bi-State received a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5309 New Starts Grant of $297,004 to study the feasibility of transit alternatives in the Iowa Quad Cities. This project met the DBE program threshold and a DBE Program plan has been developed to establish goals for providing contracting opportunities to disadvantaged business enterprises. The overall program goal indicates that 0.7% of federal DOT-assisted contracts are expected to be expended by DBE eligible firms. A copy of the Bi-State DBE Program for the FFY04 grant is provided below in a downloadable format.

dis-bus-ent-pro.pdf (1340.3 KB) Bi-State DBE Program

Regional and Intergovernmental Programs
Drug/Alcohol Testing Consortium of local governments, school districts, and non-profit organizations which must comply with federal requirements for transportation employees working in safety sensitive positions, including transit and public works.

Traffic Safety Activities include the prioritization of traffic safety goals in Iowa and Illinois and assistance with enforcement activities to reach these goals.