§ 15-a. Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain functions. 1. In each urbanized area in which a public transportation system provides services, the existing metropolitan planning organization designated as such by the governor for the purpose of complying with federal statutes, shall be the metropolitan planning organization for the purposes of this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall endorse a program of projects for submission to the administrator of the urban mass transportation administration as a product of the continuing comprehensive planning process.

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In all other areas, no such planning organization need be formed. However, the requirements of this section which pertain to the actions of metropolitan planning organizations may be accomplished in such areas by the public transportation system in cooperation with the appropriate officials of the municipalities and counties within the transportation system operating area and in cooperation with the state department of transportation.

2. To develop effective involvement of county and municipal governments in the metropolitan planning process, counties and municipalities participating in each regional metropolitan planning organization shall develop alternative plans for carrying out the provisions of this section at both the regional and subregional level. Such alternative plans shall consider the continuing and comprehensive nature of the planning process; federal and state statutory responsibilities for planning; citizen involvement; transportation system operator participation; and population representation. Participating counties and municipalities shall submit such alternative plans to the governor and the legislature prior to January first, nineteen hundred seventy-six.

3. In addition to its responsibilities stated in subdivision one of this section, the responsibilities of each metropolitan planning organization shall be:

(a) to develop long-range regional transportation plans for submission to the commissioner for consideration for inclusion in the statewide transportation master plan;

(b) to develop and suggest periodic amendments to the master plan to the commissioner;

(c) to consult with and cooperate with local officials and representatives of carriers and transportation facilities and systems within their urbanized area;

(d) to examine the structure, and cost of transit operations;

(e) to endorse long-range plans assuring maximum utilization and integration of mass transportation facilities and services throughout the State;

(f) to study the long-range financial needs for improving public transportation systems; and

(g) to conduct one or more public hearings to carry out the provisions of this subdivision.

4. To provide for the existence of a transit development program, the metropolitan planning organization shall consult with other planning agencies and coordinate its transportation planning process with the comprehensive regional plan developed by the regional planning commission.