During the 2017 National Regional Transportation Conference, Debora Glasgow shared how the expansion of the Southwest Oklahoma Regional Transportation Planning Organization occurred to bring in counties previously unserved by a regional transportation entity.

2.  OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TANSPORTATION-Laura Chaney
Planning & Performance Branch Manager
 NORTHERN OKLAHOMA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
ORGANIZATION
 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
ORGANIZATION
 GRAND GATEWAY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
ORGANIZATION
 ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION
 CONSULTANT – Julie Sanders
 NADO RESEARCH FOUNDATION AND RPO AMERICA
 ** SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA REGIONAL TRANSPORATION
PLANNING ORGANIZATION**

3. RPO
AMERICA
COUNCIL OF
PEERS
SHARE THE
CONCEPT
ODOT
SUPPORT
OKLAHOMA
RTPO

4. 2012 ODOT ESTABLISHED AND
FUNDED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING PILOT PROGRAM
SWODA WAS APPOINTED AS THE PILOT
GROUP FOR WESTERN OKLAHOMA

6. Transportation Language

7. SWODABOARD
SWODA Board of Trustees by resolution created Southwest Oklahoma
Regional Transportation Planning Organization (SORTPO). SORTPO
established a regional transportation policy board, technical committee,
developed and implemented a Public Participation Plan, coordinated
data collection and the adoption of a county transportation plan. These
milestones were accomplished by support and guidance from ODOT.

8. In federal fiscal year 2016 through a collaborative effort
involving South Western Oklahoma Development
Authority (SWODA), Southwest Oklahoma Regional
Transportation Planning Organization (SORTPO), the
Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments
(ASCOG) and the Oklahoma Department of
Transportation (ODOT) the SORTPO area was redefined
to include both SWODA and ASCOG regions. Effectively
this established a RTPO area of sixteen counties in the
southwest quadrant of the State of Oklahoma.
The initial work performed by SORTPO set the foundation
for expansion and growth for regional transportation
planning in southwest Oklahoma.

9. Successful collaboration and cooperation between state
transportation, council of governments, and local
stakeholders is an undertaking that is due recognition
and acknowledgement to all “players” involved. All too
often the “Friday lights syndrome” can sabotage
opportunities for local areas to excel. SWODA and
ASCOG recognized the opportunity to incorporate
efforts and expand the RTPO area already established
by SWODA thus paving the way for a more efficient and
effective planning process.

10. ODOT’s investment of federal Statewide Planning
and Research (SPR) funds and staff support in
Oklahoma’s Regional Transportation Planning
Organizations (RTPO) continues to meet with
successes; which can be measured by the
establishment of a regional transportation policy
board, development and implementation of the
Public Participation Plan, review and prioritization of
regional Transportation Alternative Program (TAP)
grant applications, coordination of data collection
and the development and adoption of multiple
county long range plans since 2014.