Background
NIRPC, as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties in Northwestern Indiana, is required to develop a long-range plan that sets regional policy for the development of a multimodal transportation system to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
This Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) must have at least a 20-year horizon, must be fiscally constrained, and must be updated every four years. An update means undergoing a comprehensive review; incorporating the latest available estimates and assumptions for population, land use, travel, employment, congestion, and economic activity; public review and comment; demonstration of fiscal constraint; and a conformity determination.
NIRPC adopted its current MTP NWI 2050+ on July 20, 2023. NIRPC staff have begun the process of updating NWI 2050+. The plan update is intended to build upon the vision of previous plans. It will carry over major goals and maintain the horizon year of 2050 but will incorporate new data and forecasts and public and stakeholder feedback to focus on specific implementation actions that NIRPC and its partners can take to advance these goals.
Planning Tasks
The planning process will include the following tasks:
- Data collection, including reviewing and updating federally required and locally selected performance measures, to develop a regional profile and benchmark regional performance
- Assessment and analysis of data to establish priorities for plan recommendations
- Review, update, and revision of implementation actions
- Updating of socioeconomic forecasts and NIRPC’s travel demand model
- Development of a long-range financial plan
- Identification, review, and analysis of regionally significant projects for inclusion in the long-range plan
- Air Quality Conformity Analysis
Public and Stakeholder Engagement
Throughout the process, NIRPC will involve the NIRPC committees, state DOT and federal partners, regional stakeholders and partners, and the public, including traditionally underserved populations.
Notice of public input opportunities will be posted on this webpage.
Progress
The data collection phase of the planning process was initiated in January, with other major tasks expected to commence over the next few months. NIRPC will provide regular updates to the Transportation Committee and other committees. These updates will be an opportunity to provide input, direction, and feedback on work products.
This page will be updated regularly [last updated 4/13/2026]
- Documents
Coming Soon
- Public Engagement
Coming Soon
