The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) acts as the formal transportation body for the greater Des Moines metropolitan area. The MPO is committed to implementing a comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing multimodal transportation planning process and provides a regional forum to ensure coordination between the public and local, state, and federal agencies in regard to planning issues and to prepare transportation plans and programs. The MPO develops both long- and short-range multimodal transportation plans, selects and approves projects for federal funding based upon regional priorities, and develops methods to reduce traffic congestion.