The Linn County Regional Planning Commission (LCRPC) is an organization made up of the elected government officials within the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area and their appointed representatives. Since its inception in 1962, the major activity of the Commission has been the preparation of areawide plans to help guide orderly growth and development within the region. Such plans include Land Use, Open Space and Outdoor Recreation, Transportation, Air Quality, Water and Sewer Systems, Solid Waste Management, and Housing and Community Development. The LCRPC is a planning organization – it does not build things. Staff for the LCRPC is the Long-Range Planning Division of the Cedar Rapids Community Development Department.
Members of the Linn County Regional Planning Commission Policy Board:
Cedar Rapids citizen representatives appointed by the City Council (3)
Cedar Rapids Council members (4)
Cedar Rapids Mayor
Fairfax Mayor
Hiawatha Mayor
Linn County Supervisors (3)
Marion Mayor
Robins Mayor
The LCRPC is recognized by the state and federal governments as the official metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area, which carries with it the requirement for completing certain planning and programming tasks in cooperation with those governments. One such task, and the most significant recurring responsibility of the LCRPC, is preparation of the Transportation Plan for the metropolitan area. The Transportation Plan provides guidance for local elected officials and others regarding various modes of transportation available or potentially available, the financial capabilities of the public agencies involved, and public comments regarding transportation identified as part of the LCRPC Public Participation Process. Another major task is the annual preparation of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a four-year program of transportation-related improvements within the metropolitan area, including streets and highways, trails, transit, rail, and sidewalks.
Technical advisory committees of the LCRPC are responsible for reviewing and coordinating plans and potential metro area projects and making recommendations to the LCRPC for formal action. These advisory committees include representatives of the LCRPC, areawide citizen interests, and other technical personnel when appropriate. Two examples are the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC), which is charged with mainly roadway and transit issues, and the Transportation Enhancements Committee, which reviews potential “enhancements” to the transportation network such as trails, sidewalks, artworks, landscaping and others. Membership on those committees is outlined below:
Cedar Rapids Airport Director
Cedar Rapids City Engineer
Cedar Rapids City Traffic Engineer
Cedar Rapids Street Director
Cedar Rapids Transportation Operations Manager, Five Seasons Transportation & Parking
Hiawatha City Engineer
IDOT District Planner
Linn County Engineer
Marion Planning & Development Director
Robins City Engineer
Federal Highway Administration representative (non-voting)
Federal Transit Administration representative (non-voting)
Iowa Department of Transportation representative (non-voting)
Cedar Rapids City Engineer
Cedar Rapids Landscape Architect
Cedar Rapids Parks Director
Hiawatha City Administrator
Linn County Outdoor Recreation Planner
Marion Parks Director
Marion Planning & Development Director
Robins City Engineer