Federal law requires the formation of an “MPO” for any urbanized area with a population of more than 50,000. The Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization was created in 1979 to plan and budget the use of federal transportation dollars in the Roanoke region. There are currently 14 MPOs in Virginia, and most MPO's are staffed by the local Regional Commission or Planning District. The U.S. Department of Transportation recognizes the Roanoke Valley Area MPO as the entity responsible for transportation-related planning within the Roanoke urbanized area boundary.