Additional Plans & Programs

The Transportation Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) describes the transportation- related work activities that NEPA Alliance and the NEPA MPO Committees will perform during the work program period for our four county metropolitan planning area. In consultation with the NEPA MPO UPWP Steering Committee, NEPA prepares a work program of activities and budget based on the allotted funding in accordance with the PennDOT, FHWA and FTA planning priorities.

The NEPA MPO is currently developing its draft 2025-2027 UPWP, which will begin on July 1, 2025.  It can be viewed here.  

The Eastern Pennsylvania Freight Alliance is a 10-county region, including 5 MPOs (NEPA MPO, Lackawanna-Luzerne MPO, Lehigh Valley Transportation Study, Reading Area Transportation Study and Lebanon MPO).   This area is among the largest and fastest growing freight handling regions in the country, home to rapid development and redevelopment for warehouse and distribution functions.  The Eastern Pennsylvania Freight Infrastructure Plan is a blueprint for future investments and policies aimed at mitigating the impacts of freight traffic within the region, while also managing the expected continued expansion of freight uses within Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Eastern Pennsylvania Freight Infrastructure Plan can be viewed by clicking on the image.  The Plan appendices can be found here.  The Regional Freight Profile can be found here.

NEPA secured funding from PennDOT to complete the Jim Thorpe Parking Analysis and Complete Streets Study. As a year-round destination for tourism and visitor activities, Jim Thorpe has been experiencing a growing problem of accommodating adequate parking in the downtown area. The Parking Analysis and Complete Streets Study identifies short and mid-range proposals to minimize conflicts between modes, maximize parking facilities, and accommodate efficient movement of pedestrians, vehicles and bicyclists, safely and efficiently. The Jim Thorpe Parking Study was completed in 2020.

The development of the strategic plan was identified as a priority task for NEPA MPO. With the assistance of a consultant, NEPA conducted a strategic planning process over several months to engage the NEPA MPO board members and identify goals and strategies for the NEPA MPO Unified Planning Work Program and Long Range Transportation Plan. The NEPA MPO Strategic Plan was adopted in 2019.

There are three primary public transit services in the MPO region, which include the Schuylkill Transportation System (STS) that services Schuylkill County, the Monroe County Transportation Authority (MCTA) that services Monroe County and the Carbon County Community Transit (CCCT) that services Carbon County. They all provide fixed route and paratransit services within their county borders. Pike County Transportation provides paratransit service in Pike County.

The NEPA MPO recently completed an update of its Coordinated Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Plan with assistance from McCormick Taylor and Delta Development.  The updated plan was adopted on November 2, 2016.  It can be viewed here.  The NEPA MPO is currently updating the plan, with completion expected by June 2025.

NEPA worked with Pike County and Milford Borough towards the completion of a traffic study and parking analysis of downtown Milford Borough.   Milford has been experiencing high traffic volumes, congestion and parking issues in the downtown area.  As a year-round, four-season destination, Milford has also been experiencing a growing problem of conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles.  The study addresses traffic circulation and congestion issues, traffic signals and signage, turning movements, pedestrian safety and parking shortages. The study was completed in August 2022.