WESLACO, Texas - Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez described winning the award as “awesome,” while McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez said, “great job, congratulations to all of you.”
We are talking about the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization’s success in picking up the Outstanding Transportation Management Area award.
The award was made by the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. AMPO is a nonprofit, membership organization established in 1994 to serve the needs and interests of MPOs nationwide.
AMPLO represents over 300 MPOs from across the country. Its annual conference was held virtually this year due to COVID-19.
Federal highway and transit statutes require, as a condition for spending federal highway or transit funds in urbanized areas, the designation of MPOs, which have responsibility for planning, programming and coordination of federal highway and transit investments.
The RGVMPO is a federally funded entity that works with Rio Grande Valley communities and the Texas Department of Transportation to plan he region’s future transportation needs.
The RGVMPO was set up last year through the merger of three local MPOs, one that encompassed Hidalgo County, one that catered for Brownsville, and one that focused on Harlingen and San Benito.
The merger made RGVMPO the fifth largest MPO in the state of Texas. Its supporters said the merger would allow the MPO to “sit at the big boys table” when it came to state funding. As a result of the merger, the Texas Department of Transportation agreed to award RGVMPO $1.1 billion over a ten-year period.
Mayor Hernandez chairs the RGVMPO.
“I want to express my gratitude to AMPO for recognizing the successes of the RGVMPO merger with the recent announcement of receiving the Outstanding TMA Award from AMPO,” Hernandez said.
Speaking of the merger, Hernandez said: “This was a long and challenging endeavor that culminated in an effort that represents the region as a while and elevates the needs and priorities of the region in a statewide competitive basis.”
Hernandez added: “We are excited that our staff and local government partners have made the last 15 months as successful as they have been and are confident that the future holds many great things for the regional RGVMPO.”
We are excited that our staff and local government partners have made the last 15 months as successful as they have been and are confident that the future hold many great things for the regional RGVMPO.”
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., is vice chairman of RGVMPO.
“Last year, the leadership of the Rio Grande Valley came together and agreed to regionalize the three MPOs in the Rio Grande Valley into one regional MPO,” Treviño said.
“The Outstanding TMA award received by the RGVMPO is the the fruit of having one regional MPO and the proper professionals to manage the day to day operation of the RGVMPO and ensure that they carry out the metropolitan planning process in adherence with federal statutes and regulations.”
Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez submitted the RGVMPO for the Excellence in MPO Coordination and Partnership category award. However, AMPO judges decided the group deserved the top prize, the Outstanding Overall Achievement Award.
Mendez said it was important to nominate RGVMPO for an award.
“We are glad to hear that the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations agreed with us and awarded the the RGVMPO the Outstanding Transportation Management Area award,” Mendez said.
“This award highlights the major accomplishment of coming together as a region to become the fifth largest MPO in the State of Texas.”
Mendez said the City of Brownsville would continue to work closely with RGVMPO and its planning partners “to make sure transportation infrastructure is a top priority for the region.”
Andrew Canon was previously executive director of Hidalgo County MPO. After an exhaustive selection process he was named to the same position by RGVMPO.
“I am very excited and humbled to learn that the RGVMPO has been awarded the Outstanding TMA award,” Canon said.
“I want to first and foremost thank my staff. Without their dedication over the last 15 months the RGVMPO would not have been as successful. I would also like to thank my policy board and the elected officials who had faith in appointing me as the first executive director of the RGVMPO.”
Canon said the RGVMPO policy board and elected officials also had faith in the MPO’s staff “to implement their visions and guidance to meet the multi-modal transportation needs of the region and fulfill the many state and federal requirements.”
The MPO also serves as a collaborative structure of committees and organizations that creates partnerships to address this region’s needs.
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