A plan to merge the transportation planning agencies of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties into a single regional body has its first set of draft paperwork.

What the study produced

The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Forward Pinellas have completed an FDOT-funded study that produced draft legal agreements, bylaws, staffing plans, funding options and organizational recommendations, according to Plan Hillsborough. The documents give the three agencies a starting point as merger talks continue.

No board has formally approved the package. Some proposed changes would require updates to state law.

How a regional board could work

A merged MPO would create a single tri-county council of elected officials deciding how to spend federal and state dollars on major roads, rapid transit, greenway trails and other transportation improvements, according to the Plan Hillsborough project page. For unincorporated Pasco communities such as Land O’ Lakes, Odessa and Lutz, the merger would shift those decisions from the Pasco County MPO to a board shared with Hillsborough and Pinellas.

Board discussions in September and October focused on how seats would be divided among counties and cities, voting rules for major transportation plans and funding. A proposed starting point of 55 cents per resident would apply to local governments with populations over 10,000.

What still needs approval

The three agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2023 agreeing to investigate a merger. The Hillsborough TPO hired consulting firm Whitehouse Group on Aug. 13, 2025, to develop recommendations.

Moving forward requires agreement between the governor and local governments representing at least 75% of the urbanized area’s population, including the central city. That threshold, combined with the need for state law changes, means the merger is far from settled.