COPYRIGHT © 2021 HRTPO - Created by: CFRPC
HRTPO 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan
View the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan
The draft plan was available for public comment January 25 - February 25, 2021. We considered all input and comments and the final draft plan was presented for adoption to the HRTPO Board on March 10 at a public meeting.
Vision & Mission
Vision
Tomorrow’s transportation system will connect the Heartland’s communities, providing choices to move people and goods efficiently, safely, and reliably, while supporting a competitive economy.
Mission
Development of transportation systems to support a prosperous, globally competitive economy that improves the quality of life for the Heartland residents while minimizing impacts to the natural environment.
2045 Goals
Safe Connected Quality Equitable Accessible Resilient
The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), coordinates transportation plans for the Heartland region of Florida including the six counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee and the urbanized area of Highlands County including the cities of Sebring and Avon Park. The HRTPO provides the forum for local elected officials, their staff, and industry experts, and the public to work together to improve transportation in the Heartland Region.
As the metropolitan planning organization for the Heartland of Florida, the HRTPO prepared the region’s second Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for the year 2045. The Plan was prepared in accordance with federal requirements of both the Federal Legislation, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, and rulemaking, and the Florida 2060 Transportation Plan.
Stakeholders in the process include the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the cities in the region, the six counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee, and the general public.
The Future of the Region
The counties of the Heartland share a rich cultural history and unique natural resources that provide dynamic opportunities and challenges in the coming decades. The six HRTPO counties are within the South Central Rural Area of Opportunity (RAO), which is defined as a region composed of rural communities that have been adversely affected by extraordinary economic events or natural disasters and designated as such by the State of Florida. The main economic activities of the region include agriculture (primarily citrus, sugar cane cultivation and cattle ranching) and natural resources, services including health care, and tourism.
Heartland 2060: Building a Resilient Region—Revisited has convened hundreds of citizens, stakeholders, influencers, committed volunteers, and elected officials, both in-person and virtually. The work summarized in this report looks at today and forecasts what might be in the Heartland’s future. It served as a basis for thoughtful engagement with the conclusion that collaboration must continue as we find opportunities and solve mutual concerns to become a more resilient region and is the basis for the population, economic, and employment data that informed the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan for the Heartland Region.
Technical Support Documents
The following documents supported the development of the 2045 LRTP and are available to view or download below:
Regional Overview
Public Involvement and Consultation
Modal Options
- HRTPO Highlands Transit Plan, 2017
- FDOT Heartland Rural Mobility Plan, 2018
- HRTPO DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan, 2020
- HRTPO Glades and Hendry Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan, 2020
- HRTPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Plan, 2019
- FDOT District One Freight Mobility and Trade Study, 2016
Roadway Needs Plan
- HRTPO Congestion Management Plan, 2017
- HRTPO Transportation Trend Report, 2017
- M-CORES Southwest-Central Florida Connector Task Force Final Report, 2020
- FDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program, 2019
- FDOT Complete Streets Implementation Plan, 2015
- FDOT Context Classification Guide, 2020
- FDOT Guidance for Assessing Planning Impacts and Opportunities of Automated, Connected, Electric, and Shared-Use Vehicles, 2018
- FDOT 2021 - 2025 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), 2021
Funding Plan
About the Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization
The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) coordinates transportation plans for the Heartland region including the six counties of DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee and the urbanized area of Highlands County including the cities of Sebring and Avon Park. Our organization provides the forum for local elected officials, their staff, and industry experts, and the public to work together to improve transportation in the Heartland Region.
Created by federal law and Florida Statutes, transportation organizations like the HRTPO exist to provide regional coordination of transportation investments, while ensuring that the public, especially those traditionally underserved by the transportation system, have opportunities to participate in the decision-making process.
This agency consists of:
- A Governing Board made up of elected officials from the six counties and the cities of Sebring and Avon Park.
- A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is made up of technically qualified representatives of agencies responsible for planning, maintaining, controlling, developing and improving the transportation system within the Heartland region.
- A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) made up of citizen representatives appointed by the HRTPO Board.
- A Mobility Advisory Committee (MAC) who also may serve as the committee developing and guiding multimodal input including bicycle, pedestrian, trails, transit and other mobility modes.
Contact the HRTPO
info@heartlandregionaltpo.org
Phone
863-534-7130
HRTPO Website
heartlandregionaltpo.org
Location
555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830