What Is KATS-MPO?

Kankakee Area Transportation Study is housed in the Kankakee County Planning Department and produces and keeps records of surface transportation plans, programs, and reports for the Kankakee Urbanized Area.  The work products created by Kankakee Area Transportation Study conform to federal regulations that ensure decision-making and involvement at the local level in the programming of federal surface transportation funds.

Federal legislation requires the creation of a metropolitan planning organization in areas where the urbanized population is 50,000 or more. Every ten years the U.S. Census Bureau performs a census and will designate new urbanized areas in regions that have surpassed that population threshold. The Kankakee Urban Area surpassed threshold in the 1980 Census with a population of 61,451. As a result, a metropolitan planning organization was formed in 1983 and the name of the entity created is the Kankakee Area Transportation Study. The results of the 2010 census reported the Kankakee Urbanized Area to have a population of 81,926.

The Kankakee Area Transportation Study is comprised of a Policy Committee, a Technical Advisory Committee, and professional staff. The Policy Committee is the governing body that establishes policies and priorities of the MPO and approves and adopts the plans and programs and performance measures required by federal legislation. The Technical Advisory Committee reviews technical information included in plans and reports and provides recommendations to the Policy Committee. The Planning Department of Kankakee County provides the professional staff to perform the daily activities of the MPO and also acts as the fiscal agent for the federal and state funding provided for the operation of the MPO.