Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle MPO Urban Area Update

How the 2020 Census update impacted HEPMPO.

United States Census

The first US federal Census happened in 1790 and has taken place every 10 years, with the most recent update in 2020.

The Census

  • results are used to dictate congressional apportionment and electoral boundaries.
  • provides rich data like population trends and growth prediction for important decision making in emergency services, healthcare, education and more.
  • benefits the community and helps ensure they get their fair share of funding.

2020 Census: What is the Census?

Urban Areas

The population count from the Census is used to create Urban Areas (UA).

An Urban area is, as defined by the US Census Bureau, an area comprised of a densely settled core of Census Blocks that meet minimum housing unit density and/or population density requirements.

Why are UAs important?

  • Urban Areas dictate type and amount of funding for advanced infrastructure projects in the area, UAs are eligible for special funding.
  • USDOT designates MPOs to the urban areas to carry out planning processes.
  • FHWA uses Census designated UAs and adjusts the boundaries to create Urbanized Areas (UZA): an area with a population of 50,000 or more.

The web tool to the right is from the US Census and can show all of the United States Urban Areas, along with other beneficial US Census data.

UA Criteria

The US Census Bureau can change the criteria used for forming urban areas after each decennial Census.

This ensures distinctions continue to be relevant for planning and decision making.

For example:

In 2010, the Census Bureau's criteria for designating UAs used track/block density of 500 persons/mi^2 and hops (<0.5 miles) and jumps (<2.5 miles) that included the area in between hops and jumps.

In 2020, the criteria changed to use block density of 385 housing units/mi^2 and hops (<0.5 miles) and jumps (<1.5 miles) that do not include the corridor in between two populated areas.

Benefits to 2020 criteria

  • Gives more direct measure of developed landscape.
  • Gives ability to update UAs between Censuses.
  • Prevents individuals from being identified by a Census Block.

MPOs

What is an MPO?

An MPO is the policy board of an organization created and designated to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process and are required to represent all localities within its region.

MPOs use a "3C" approach to planning.

So, the MPO, using a thorough and comprehensive '3C' planning process, helps guide the advancement of the transportation system and distribution of federal funds in order to meet the needs of the communities within its region by collecting, analyzing, and studying data, engaging with the community, networking with other agencies and recommending projects that are of best interest to the region as a whole.

The MPO is responsible for

  • developing the regional Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and the
  • Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
  • Establishing safety targets
  • Holding policy board meetings and other community outreach hearings
  • Assisting local transit agencies and planning authorities

During this planning process, the MPO uses the most recent Census data and its designated urban area boundary to assess which road segments are eligible for certain funding.

HEPMPO

The Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle MPO is the designated MPO that represents Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, WV and Washington County, MD.

HEPMPO works with agencies such as:

  • WV Department of Transportation
  • Maryland Department of Transportation
  • Maryland Transit Administration
  • Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority
  • and many others

In 2010, HEPMPOs Urban Area had a population of 182,696 people, covered ~134 square miles and extended into Franklin County, PA.

In 2020, HEPMPOs UA had a population of 197,557 people, covered ~121 square miles and now includes part of Frederick County, VA.

Use the double arrow button to slide from map to map to see the change between HEPMPOs 2010 and 2020 UA.

MPOs use a "3C" approach to planning.