Federal Law – 23 U.S.C. 134(k)(6) and 49 U.S.C. 5303(k)(6) – requires the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to jointly conduct a review of the metropolitan transportation planning process for each Transportation Management Area (TMA), which is defined as an urbanized area with a population over 200,000 by the U.S. Census. This review occurs every four years to ensure that the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is carrying out a performance-based, comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing transportation planning process in compliance with federal statutes and regulations.

The certification review serves to highlight best practices, exchange information, and identify opportunities for improvement. It typically involves three main activities: (1) a site visit; (2) a review of planning documents (both before and during the site visit); and (3) preparation of a Certification Review Report summarizing findings and recommendations