MARYLAND MEMBERS
Representing Maryland Dept. of Transportation: Carolyn K. (Lyn) Erickson
Representing Wicomico County (appointed by County Executive & County Council): Matthew E. Creamer; John B. Hall; one vacancy.
Representing City of Salisbury: Jacob R. Day; John R. (Jack) Heath.
Representing City of Fruitland: John D. Psota
Representing Delmar, Maryland: Thomas G. (Bunky) Luffman, Jr.
Representing Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland: Michael P. Pennington
DELAWARE MEMBERS
Representing Delaware Dept. of Transportation: Drew Boyce
Representing Sussex County: Robert B. Arlett
Representing City of Seaford: Charles Anderson
Staff: Keith D. Hall
P. O. Box 870
Salisbury, MD 21803 - 0870
(410) 548-4860; fax: (410) 548-4955
e-mail: khall@wicomicocounty.org
web: www.swmpo.org/
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a federally mandated and federally funded transportation planning and policy-making organization that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities. Federal law requires the formation of such an organization for any urbanized area with a population of more than 50,000. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs is channeled through this planning process. Congress created these organizations in order to ensure that expenditures of governmental funds for transportation are based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive planning process. For each of their respective regions, MPO Councils are charged with developing a 20-year Long-Range Transportation Plan; a short-term (usually 2 to 6 years) program called the Transportation Improvement Program; and a Unified Planning Work Program (annual budget).
Following the 2000 Census, the Salisbury area was classified as an urbanized area. The area encompasses Salisbury, Fruitland, and Delmar in Maryland; the surrounding unincorporated areas of Wicomico County, Maryland; Delmar, Delaware; and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Sussex County, Delaware. For the purposes of federal transportation funding, the Governor designated the Salisbury urbanized area as a Metropolitan Planning Organization in February 2004.
Governed by its Council, the Salisbury-Wicomico Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative transportation planning in its geographic boundaries, which include the 20-year projected growth area. The Council began meeting in November 2004 and adopted bylaws later that year. In December 2011, after certain County departments were reorganized, their responsibilities for permitting, inspection, fire safety, and development transferred from the Wicomico County Department of Public Works to the Organization.
Annually, the Council reviews, revises, and adopts the Unified Planning Work Program, which describes all transportation planning activities to be undertaken in the next fiscal year. Under its bylaws, the Council is assisted by the Technical Advisory Committee, which provides technical expertise from planners and engineers.
The Council has twelve voting members. Nine are from Maryland, and three are from Delaware.
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