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As the region’s federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC), BHJ was created locally to undertake both the metropolitan transportation planning needs for the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH urbanized area, and the regional planning and development activities for West Virginia Region 11. The BHJ MPC strives to fulfill the federal Metropolitan Transportation Planning requirements of the most current authorized surface transportation legislation, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 2015 (FAST Act). The Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning and Development Council (BH RPDC), established and organized by West Virginia Code 8-25, is responsible for the comprehensive planning and development activities within West Virginia Region 11 bounded by the geographic area of Brooke and Hancock counties.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Brooke Hancock Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission is to:

  • Promote intergovernmental communication, cooperation and collaboration on issues and problems that have a greater-than-local impact.
  • Provide coordinated and continued regional planning services.
  • Provide information, facts and quantitative data to help local elected officials make informed decisions.
  • Serve as a liaison to state and federal governmental agencies and assist in the administration of their programs.

Work Program

Each year the BHJ Commission and BH Council approves an annual work program for BHJ. The work program falls broadly into five categories:

  1. West Virginia Planning and Development Services provides oversight of the of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Funded in part through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), and the West Virginia Department of Development;
  2. Economic Development includes administration of the CEDS and regional Brownfield Assessment Program funded in part by the ARC, EDA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and local government dues;
  3. Transportation Planning includes activities are financed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (Federal Highway and Transit administrations/FHWA, FTA), Ohio and West Virginia departments of transportation, and local government dues;
  4. Community Development provides project administration and grant loan provides project administration and grant loan assistance to membership governments and public service districts funded in part through local dues and administrative contracts; and
  5. Administrative, Management, Title VI Compliance, and Intergovernmental Review, which includes clerical, accounting, and executive director services.

Detailed activities in these categories are outlined each year in the public, “Overall Work Program and Fiscal Year Budget”. (PDF document)

Bell Mural in Steubenville
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