MPOs and metropolitan prosperity: Is there a link between regional planning and economic growth

American metropolitan areas have rediscovered regionalism. Regionalism is now being explored by a wide variety of community interests from all three sectors (Dodge 1996, 1). Yet despite the faith in the power of regionalism, the beneficial economic effects of most regional planning remain elusive. The question remains: Does regional planning matter? More specifically, do greater metropolitan planning efforts lead to higher levels of community prosperity and quality?; This dissertation represents an effort to overcome some of the methodological shortcomings of previous studies in exploring whether regional cooperation has a positive effect on regional economic growth and prosperity. The data set includes information on 245 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSAs), drawn from various U.S. Census materials and a survey of all metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) recognized by the US Department of Transportation (Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations 1999).; First, the findings of a path-breaking survey of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are reported. These agencies most frequency undertake planning for regional transportation system and air quality, although they also engage in an eye-popping variety of other tasks. A surprisingly high percentage report being involved in economic development policy-making and implementation. Respondents were most likely to name transportation, regional quality of life, and the available work force as their greatest assets, and most likely to list interjurisdictional economic competition, land use and sprawl, transportation, and the work force as their most significant negative economic factors. Significant variations in response appear due to sub-national region, size of the MSA, regional per-capita income, and population growth rate.; Following this, regression analysis is used to assess whether there is a link between the scope of planning by MPOs and changes in two income measures: per-capita income, and the MSA's share of total income in all MSAs nationwide. The resulting variability in both the coefficients and sign of the independent variable indicates that a two-way relationship might exist between planning and income. As a result, a two-stage least-squares regression procedure is used to try to better isolate existing effects. This analysis indicates that regional planning has a positive effect on both change in per-capita income and change in MSA income share. The dissertation concludes with policy implications and an agenda for future research.