The LLTS MPO PPP, LEP, and Title VI Plan Public Comment Period is now Open

Lackawanna County and Luzerne County, PA – The Lackawanna Luzerne Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization (LLTS MPO), the regional transportation planning agency that administers state and federal funding for transportation projects, announced today the launch of a 45-day public comment period for a series of plans designed to guide its approach toward obtaining public input as part of the regional transportation planning process. The MPO’s draft Public Participation Plan, Title VI, and Limited English Proficiency plans are available for review from September 12 through October 26, 2023.

The goal of the Public Participation Plan (PPP) is to improve the MPO’s communication with residents, create meaningful engagement, and enhance transparency in the transportation decision-making process. The PPP is intended to provide an inclusive framework to guide public participation and shares best practices for increasing interactions and communication between LLTS MPO and the public. It provides a wide range of tools and resources to engage all community members in the timely development of transportation plans, programs, and projects.

“Public participation is an integral part of every transportation planning project. We want the community and our stakeholders to actively engage in the planning process,” said Matthew Jones, Luzerne County Planning Director. “Our current plan was last updated in 2016. Public outreach and the way we all prefer to communicate has changed a lot since that time. Our draft plan looks to incorporate more recent technological innovations and community preferences and give residents new ways to participate in the transportation planning process.”

The Title VI and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plans are closely related to the PPP. Title VI establishes and implements procedures to ensure the MPO complies with federal and state statutes and regulations regarding discrimination. The document addresses race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, family, or income discrimination.

The LEP is a comprehensive document that complies with federal regulations to ensure meaningful access to information for individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English.

“Approximately four percent of our region’s population has limited proficiency in English,” said Mary Liz Donato, Lackawanna Planning Department Manager. “We recognize the needs of the LEP members of our community and want to communicate effectively with them to ensure they have the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process.”

Hard copies of the draft PPP, LEP, and Title VI plans are available for review at the Lackawanna County Government Center at the Globe, Luzerne County Planning & Zoning at Penn Place, PennDOT District 4-0 Office, County of Lackawanna Transit System, Luzerne County Transportation Authority and Hazleton Public Transit.

Comments on the draft PPP, LEP, and Title VI plans can be submitted via the Public Comment Period Feedback Form. Comments may also be submitted by mail to the Lackawanna County Government Center at the Globe, 123 Wyoming Avenue, 5th Floor Scranton, PA 18503, or Luzerne County Planning & Zoning at Penn Place, 20 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite #208 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 or by email to [email protected] or [email protected].

Attached below are the links to all of the documents related to the public comment period for the LLTS MPO PPP, LEP, and Title VI plans.  They are available for public inspection until October 26, 2023.

Documents on Display
The following documents are available for public display and comment:

1. The LLTS MPO 2023 Public Participation Plan (PPP)

2. The LLTS MPO 2023 Title VI Plan

3. The LLTS MPO 2023 Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan