Long Range Transportation Plan/Metropolitan Transportation Plan

One of the core functions of every MPO is to maintain the Region’s Long Range Transportation Plan, also known as the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). Federal legislation stipulates that the MTP must articulate a 20+ year vision for the future of the area’s transportation system. The SMTC is required to update our area’s MTP at least once every 5 years. The current SMTC MTP was adopted by the SMTC Policy Committee on September 23, 2025.

The MTP serves as a blueprint that guides the Syracuse Metropolitan Area’s transportation development over a period of at least 20 years. Updated every five years to reflect changing conditions and planning principles, the plan is based on projections of growth and travel demand coupled with financial assumptions. The MTP considers major urban transportation planning concerns such as complete access to transportation, alternative transportation modes (especially bicycle and pedestrian), the impact of land development on the transportation system, highway traffic congestion, and maintenance of the existing infrastructure. Central to the MTP is the protection of the value of investments already made in the transportation system, while providing resources to pursue innovative solutions to mobility constraints. The MTP also supports enhancing travel choices and anticipates major projects that will be needed over the next 20+ years.