Section 15-A. Metropolitan planning organization and participants; certain functions

1. In each urbanized area in which a  public  transportation
  system   provides   services,   the   existing   metropolitan   planning
  organization designated as such by  the  governor  for  the  purpose  of
  complying  with  federal  statutes,  shall  be the metropolitan planning
  organization for the purposes of this section. The metropolitan planning
  organization shall endorse a program of projects for submission  to  the
  administrator  of  the  urban  mass  transportation  administration as a
  product of the continuing comprehensive planning process.
    In all other areas, no such  planning  organization  need  be  formed.
  However,  the  requirements of this section which pertain to the actions
  of metropolitan planning organizations may be accomplished in such areas
  by the public transportation system in cooperation with the  appropriate
  officials  of  the municipalities and counties within the transportation
  system operating area and in cooperation with the  state  department  of
  transportation.
    2.   To   develop   effective  involvement  of  county  and  municipal
  governments  in  the  metropolitan  planning   process,   counties   and
  municipalities  participating  in  each  regional  metropolitan planning
  organization shall  develop  alternative  plans  for  carrying  out  the
  provisions  of  this section at both the regional and subregional level.
  Such alternative plans shall consider the continuing  and  comprehensive
  nature   of   the   planning   process;   federal  and  state  statutory
  responsibilities  for  planning;  citizen  involvement;   transportation
  system    operator   participation;   and   population   representation.
  Participating counties and municipalities shall submit such  alternative
  plans  to  the  governor  and  the  legislature  prior to January first,
  nineteen hundred seventy-six.
    3. In addition to its responsibilities stated in  subdivision  one  of
  this   section,  the  responsibilities  of  each  metropolitan  planning
  organization shall be:
    (a) to develop long-range regional transportation plans for submission
  to the commissioner for consideration for  inclusion  in  the  statewide
  transportation master plan;
    (b)  to  develop and suggest periodic amendments to the master plan to
  the commissioner;
    (c)  to  consult  with  and  cooperate  with   local   officials   and
  representatives  of  carriers  and transportation facilities and systems
  within their urbanized area;
    (d) to examine the structure, and cost of transit operations;
    (e) to endorse  long-range  plans  assuring  maximum  utilization  and
  integration  of  mass  transportation facilities and services throughout
  the State;
    (f) to study the  long-range  financial  needs  for  improving  public
  transportation systems; and
    (g) to conduct one or more public hearings to carry out the provisions
  of this subdivision.
    4.  To provide for the existence of a transit development program, the
  metropolitan planning organization shall  consult  with  other  planning
  agencies  and  coordinate  its  transportation planning process with the
  comprehensive  regional  plan  developed  by   the   regional   planning
  commission.