CAMPO’s primary purpose is the local coordination and distribution of federal transportation funds. To be eligible for these funds, CAMPO must prepare, adopt, and maintain a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (otherwise known as the MTP or the long-range plan). The MTP forecasts changes in the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA), sets goals for the future, identifies and prioritizes transportation needs, and establishes a financial plan to pay for those needs. Projects that are identified in the MTP are eligible for federal funding, usually for 80 percent of costs. The remaining 20 percent is the responsibility of the local government of jurisdiction (City of Columbus or Bartholomew County). The MTP is updated every five years to ensure it reflects ever-changing community conditions and transportation needs. The MTP is also occasionally amended to include regional projects of significance.
2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (under development)
Consultant Selection: CAMPO has selected Kimley-Horn as the consultant to help with the development of the plan update. The consultants were evaluated on the team’s education and experience, experience with similar sized communities, quality of past work, understanding of the project and innovative ideas, ability to complete the required computer model of local travel demand, and public engagement strategy. This project will be funded with CAMPO’s federal planning funds.
Project Timeline: The MTP update will take approximately a year, with a draft document anticipated in June of 2026 for public review. The Columbus Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and ColumBUS Transit Route Study were recently updated and will be inputs into the MTP but are not, themselves, being revised. The CAMPO Policy Board, made up of City, County, and INDOT representatives, will consider the plan for adoption at their July 2026 meeting.
Public Engagement Opportunities: Throughout the development of the MTP, engagement opportunities will be posted here.
2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (current)
Original Approval: CAMPO’s 2045 MTP was adopted by the Policy Board on November 8, 2021. MTP (Original: Approved Nov. 8, 2021)
Amendment: The CAMPO Policy Board voted to amend the MTP on February 10, 2025. This amendment included adding two projects to the priority Projects list (page 125).
Draft Amendments: Two proposed changes to the priority projects list: (1) amending current project developer from INDOT to City of Columbus for SR 11 Alternative and updating project name to West Side Connector, and (2) adding new project of I-65/SR-46 Gateway Arch Bridge Replacement and Intersection Improvements.
These amendments are open for a 30-day public comment period. The Policy Board will review said amendment requests at their meeting on May 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Please send any comments to Ashley Beckort at ashleybeckort@columbus.in.gov by noon May 11th or attend the meeting at 1:30pm in-person. Click Here for Materials.
