METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
CONTACT INFORMATION
Located at Hattiesburg Train Depot/Hattiesburg Intermodal Facility, the office is open Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
308 Newman Street
Post Office Box 1898
Hattiesburg, MS 39403-1898
601-545-6259
Staff
Calvin Russell, MPO Division Manager
Hema Gopalan, GIS Specialist
Grant Hobgood, GIS Technician
Addie West, MPO Administrative Assistant
KEY DOCUMENTS & LINKS
2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan PART ONE
2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan PART TWO
2019-2020 Unified Planning Work Program
POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Toby Barker, Mayor
City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Proxy: Lamar Rutland
Ginger M. Lowery
Andrew Ellard
Hal Marx, Mayor
City of Petal, Mississippi
Proxy: Steve Stringer
Amy Heath
John Weeks
Chris Bowen, Board of Supervisors-D5
Forrest County, Mississippi
Proxy: David Hogan-D1
Rodrick Woullard-D4
Burkett Ross-D3
Charles Marshall-D2
Steve Lampton, Board of Supervisors
Lamar County, Mississippi
Proxy: Michael Hershman
Don Walker
Kelly Castleberry, P.E.-District 6 Engineer
Mississippi Department of Transportation
Proxy: Evan Wright – Jackson, Mississippi
Sammy Holcomb
Perry Brown
Jeff Altman
David Seyfarth
Randal Jansen
Federal Highway Administration
(Non-Voting Member) – Jackson, Mississippi
The Metropolitan Planning Organization’s primary activities are transportation oriented. It provides the staff for the Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar Metropolitan Planning Organization (HPFL-MPO) and is responsible for the integrated planning of transportation systems in the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal, and parts of Lamar County and Forrest County. Using federal regulations and guidance, short and long-term transportation plans that meet community objectives are developed and implemented. A multi-modal planning approach is used to assure a vibrant and growing system of roads, rail lines, transit systems, and airports.
PURPOSE
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are regional transportation planning agencies, which provide a forum for cooperative decision-making concerning area-wide transportation issues. The MPO was created by federal and state law to develop transportation plans and programs which encourage and promote the implementation of transportation systems which embrace the various modes of transportation in a manner that will maximize the mobility of people and goods.
The federal legislation focuses on planning for urban areas, rather than individual cities. Every urbanized area with a population of more than 50,000 persons must have a designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for transportation to qualify for federal highway or transit assistance. All transportation projects should be supported and coordinated with the MPO’s long-range plans to be eligible for federal funds.
BACKGROUND
Mississippi Governor William Winter established the Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar Metropolitan Planning Organization in August 1982. The HPFL-MPO was established when the Hattiesburg central area reached a population status of 50,000 plus. The HPFL-MPO area consists of the City of Hattiesburg, the City of Petal, a portion of Forrest County and a portion of Lamar County.
The smallest of MPO’s in the State of Mississippi, representatives from the City of Hattiesburg, City of Petal, Forrest County and Lamar County, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are involved in the transportation planning process for the MPO. Their purpose is to provide effective leadership in the development of transportation plans and programs.
COMMITTEES
The Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar MPO Policy Committee is the primary committee responsible for developing policies and procedures to guide transportation planning process for the Hattiesburg Urbanized Area (HUZA).
The board consists of the mayors from the City of Hattiesburg and Petal, presidents of the Forrest County and Lamar County Board of Supervisors, the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the executive director of the MPO and the Federal Highway Administration (non-voting member).
The MPO staff and the technical committee assist HPFL-MPO Policy Committee with planning and recommendations. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) supports the planning efforts of the HPFL-MPO, which is vital because of the diverse array of projects that can be funded in the HUZA.
MEETINGS
All HPFL-MPO Policy Committee meetings are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each quarter. All HPFL-MPO Technical Committee meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Wednesday of the month. All meetings are held at the Hattiesburg Intermodal Facility 308 Newman Street, at 10 a.m.
Public participating in the transportation process is encouraged. All meetings of the Policy and Technical committee meetings are open to the public. Members of the public may request time on the agenda of the HPFL-MPO committees to comment on specific subjects of interest to the representatives. A minimum of two weeks advance notice should be given for requested agenda time.
Technical Committee Scheduled Meetings, Agendas & Minutes
- April 11, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- July 11, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- October 11, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- January 9, 2019:
- April 10, 2019:
- July 10, 2019:
- October 9, 2019:
Policy Committee
- April 25, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- July 25, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- October 24, 2018: Agenda | Minutes Approved
- January 23, 2019:
- April 17, 2019:
- July 24, 2019:
- October 23, 2019:
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Andrew Ellard, HPFL-MPO Executive Director
Lamar Rutland, City of Hattiesburg
Hunter White, City of Hattiesburg
Jerald Little, City of Hattiesburg
Ginger M. Lowrey, City of Hattiesburg
Caroline Miles, City of Hattiesburg
Nick Williams, City of Hattiesburg
John Weeks, P.E., City of Petal
Amy Heath, City of Petal
Nick Connolly, P.E., Forrest County
Corey Proctor, Forrest County
John Weeks, Forrest County
Kyle Wallace, Forrest County
Mike Slade, Forrest County
Robert “Bob” Taylor, Forrest County
JeVaughn Osgood, Forrest County
Don Walker, P.E., Lamar County
Jason Lamb, Lamar County
Michael Hershman, Lamar County
Randal Jansen, Federal Highway Administration
Kelly Castleberry, Mississippi Department of Transportation
Perry Brown, Mississippi Department of Transportation
Jeff Aultman, Mississippi Department of Transportation
David Seyfarth, MDOT District 6 LPA Coordinator
Evan Wright, Mississippi Department of Transportation
Sammy Holcomb, Mississippi Department of Transportation
April Fairley, Mississippi Department of Transportation
Geoffrey Crosby, P.E., Neel &Schaffer
Allison Beasley, Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District
Daniel Jayroe, Area Development Partnership
Dr. Robert Blevins, William Carey College
Dr. Rodney Bennett, University of Southern Mississippi
Thomas Heanue, Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport
Vincent Nelms, Hub City Transit
MASTER PLANS & DOCUMENTS
Hattiesburg Area Pathways Master Plan
Public Participation Plan (PPP)
Title VI Compliance Plan with Limited English Proficiency Plan
