The Florence Town Council held a special meeting on Monday, February 25th to make a decision to join either the Maricopa Association of Governments Metropolitan Planning Organization or the Sun Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The Town Council voted 6 to 0 to join the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). At the heart of the discussion was the future regional transportation needs for the Town of Florence. The Town Council discussed the importance of joining an MPO that included San Tan Valley because that is where Florences future transportation needs are most pressing. With Florence joining the MAG MPO, it also means that the Superstition Vistas area will be included into the MAG MPO.

On January 22, 2013 the Florence Town Council originally voted to join the Sun Corridor MPO. At the time, however, the Town Council was informed that the Sun Corridor MPO could include the San Tan Valley. Information arose since the Town Council originally passed the resolution that indicated that the Sun Corridor MPO would not include San Tan Valley.

Although they chose not to join the Sun Corridor MPO, the Town Council indicated their support for the new MPO and how they looked forward to working together on regional transportation issues.

Metropolitan planning organizations are federally-funded organizations that make transportation policies. Funding flows through the Federal Highways Administration and the Arizona Department of Transportation. The funds are used by the members of the MPO to identify existing and future population and transportation needs, as wells as, fund local and regional transportation projects that include, but are not limited to, new or repaired roads, sidewalks, and intersection improvements.   back...