About

The Capital Regional Transportation Council

The Capital Regional Transportation Council is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) carrying out federal requirements for cooperative transportation planning and programming within the metropolitan area that includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga (except the Town of Moreau and the Village of South Glens Falls), and Schenectady Counties. The Transportation Council is a forum for local elected officials and transportation representatives to share ideas and make decisions about major transportation capital investments. The Transportation Council is required by federal law and supported with federal funding. The MPO’s core products include the Long Range Transportation Plan (In Motion), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).

For a full understanding of how the Transportation Council operates, read our Reference Guide, or contact us.

Counties that Capital Region transportation Council serves

The In Motion Plan will:

  • Provide a framework for managing and investing in the region’s multi-modal transportation system for a 25+ year planning horizon

  • Assess the performance of the existing regional multi-modal transportation system
  • Propose planning and policy strategies to meet the region’s economic, transportation, development, and sustainability goals
  • Provide robust public outreach and engagement opportunities at all phases of the plan
  • Assess and project future conditions of the region’s transportation system and finances
  • Conform with air quality requirements
  • Include a Financial Plan 

The In Motion Plan will address national performance goals, including:

  • Safety – To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.

  • Infrastructure Condition – To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair.

  • Congestion Reduction – To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System.

  • System Reliability – To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system.

  • Freight Movement and Economic Vitality – To improve the National Highway Freight Network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development.

  • Environmental Sustainability – To enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

  • Reduced Project Delivery Delays – To reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices.

Why Now?

The current MTP (New Visions 2050) is set to expire in September 2025. The new plan (In Motion) will provide the blueprint for transportation system improvements for the next 25 years. The MTP is updated every five years, and all transportation projects and investments must be consistent with its principles to be eligible for federal funds.