Our Regional Plan

The MPO's Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) guides the area's metropolitan transportation systems over the next 20 years. With the help of transportation planners, engineers, elected officials and the public, the plan ensures facilities and services required to support the mobility needs of the regional community and its future growth are anticipated and available. Look below for the 2050 MTP and its amendments (an updated project list is in Amendment 7 below).

** In December 2024, the Transportation Policy Committee approved a new version of the region's MTP, the "CIRCLE 2050 MTP". That document is currently being reviewed by federal agencies for transportation conformity and will replace the 2050 MTP below upon approval. Visit the CIRCLE 2050 MTP page for more information.

What is the Metropolitan Transportation Plan?



Goals of the MTP

The MTP supports:

  1. Enhancing transportation options and choices for all users
  2. Implementing strategies that address congested segments
  3. Supporting economic mobility for all Central Indiana residents
  4. Improving job access for Central Indiana commuters
  5. Ensuring the efficient movement of goods and freight
  6. Improving safety for travelers system-wide through project investment
  7. Preserving or enhance the existing transportation system
  8. Minimizing negative impacts of the transportation system on the natural environment
Transportation Conformity Reporting

Amendments to the MTP require an updated Transportation Conformity Finding. The elements necessary to demonstrate Transportation Conformity include communication with the Interagency Consultation Group, demonstration of fiscal constraint, and public comment. Below are the guidance documents and the Transportation Conformity reports and findings for the original and each amendment of the 2050 MTP.

Transportation Conformity Guidance

Original 2050 MTP

Amendment 1

Amendment 2

Amendment 3

Amendment 4

Amendment 5

Amendment 7

Projects Outside the MPA

The following is a compiled list of INDOT projects located outside of the Metropolitan Planning Area but within the Transportation Conformity Area (aka the "donut area"). These projects have been reviewed by the Interagency Consultation Group as part of the Transportation Conformity review process.

Approved Plan & Amendments

From time to time, projects or assumptions made in a plan will change. As part of the federal process, an expansion project must be in the regional transportation plan, or MTP. When projects arise that are not in the plan, the plan must be amended. Here you will find the original MTP and amendments to the MTP. Each amendment includes a full, revised project list.

Amendments to the 2050 MTP will be made up to twice annually. Check the 2025 meeting schedule for MTP amendment request deadlines, as well as TIP amendment request deadlines.

Current MTP including Amendments & Modifications

Original

Amendment 1

Amendment 2

Amendment 3

Amendment 4

Amendment 5

Amendment 6

Amendment 7



Amendment Requests

The following includes a calendar for amendment request deadlines, and forms that include information required for amendment requests. All amendment requests must be started in MiTIP.

2025 Calendar and Deadlines
Amendment Request Required Information
Congestion Management Worksheet
Amendment & Modification Procedures


Performance Measures

Current:

2022 Regional Performance Measures Annual Report
2022 Regional Performance Measures Trend Report (2019-2022)

Additional:

Federal Performance Measures and Targets


Additional MTP Components

Below are a few additional components of the 2050 MTP. These were individual projects that contributed toward the final recommendations of the MTP.

Transportation Survey Summary

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (IMPO) receives federal funding annually to support transportation investments within Central Indiana. To ensure that those funds are meeting the needs of the region, the IMPO surveys the region to establish goals to address in the transportation system, and also preferences for how much of the funding should be allocated to various project types (new roads, preservation of roads, bikeways, transit, etc.). The survey for the 2050 Metropolitan Plan Update was conducted in July and August of 2020, and responses were balanced/weighted by county to reflect the population distribution of the region.

Regional Activity Centers

A Regional Activity Center (RAC) is a major destination where clusters of employment, residents, and/or visitors are located. Identifying these RACs can help cities, counties and the region focus limited transportation resources and funds towards areas of high activity and most trips generated. The IMPO defined eight types of RACs, and identified their locations within the region. These were used as part of the 2050 MTP process. For more information, check out the "Regional Activity Centers" item on the Technical Studies page.

Scenario Planning

Transportation and land use planning are heavily linked, often with one reacting to the other. Scenario Planning helps the IMPO think through the various ways Central Indiana could grow and change over the next 30 years. We started by combining the region's city, town, and county future land use maps into one master map that we call the "base scenario". Then, we created three more scenario options. Finally, using public and stakeholder feedback, we created the Preferred Scenario. The Preferred Scenario was used in transportation modeling and will be referenced in future planning work. Visit the Scenario Planning page for more information.


2050 MTP Projects Map

The following map indicates projects as of the most recently approved amendment of the 2050 MTP.

View larger map