On March 27, 2012, the US Census published the list of 2010 Urbanized Areas (UZA) and reported the Beaufort/Hilton Head Island area urbanized population as 68,998. Federal regulations require the designation of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to provide continuous, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning for areas with an urbanized population of 50,000 or more. As a result, the Lowcountry Area Transportation Study (LATS) was established as the MPO responsible for coordinating the transportation planning process for the urbanized areas of Beaufort and Jasper Counties in South Carolina, including the municipalities of Beaufort, Bluffton, Hardeeville, Hilton Head Island, and Port Royal. In general, the MPO area includes land designated as urban by the most recent (2010) US Census and other land expected to be urbanized within the next 20 years.

The Public Participation Plan establishes a set of policies and techniques through which the MPO can ensure opportunities exist for the public to be involved in transportation planning activities.

For more information about this plan and the Lowcountry Area Transportation Study, click here or on the logo below.