[§279E-7]  Functions of the
Metropolitan Planning Organization.  The functions of each Metropolitan
Planning Organization shall include:



(1)  Serve in an advisory capacity to the legislature,
the legislative body of the county, and the appropriate state and county
agencies in carrying out continuous, comprehensive and cooperative
transportation planning and programming for the county as required by federal
laws and rules.



(2)  Obtain information and plans from the appropriate
county and state agencies to formulate a short-range six-year transportation
plan for the county and an annual update of that plan, and a master multi-modal
long-range transportation plan for the county in order to advise the
legislature, the legislative body of the county, and other appropriate agencies
regarding those plans.



(3)  Review the capital improvement programs of both
the county and State for urbanized and rural areas of the county as they
concern transportation.



(4)  Integrate transportation planning for the county
with a statewide transportation planning program authorized by Act 218, Session
Laws of Hawaii 1974.



(5)  Develop recommendations to the state legislature
and the legislative body of the county regarding transportation policy matters.



(6)  Act as liaison with the intermodal planning group
of the Secretary of Transportation.



(7)  Coordinate the mathematical modeling essential to
the transportation planning process of the county.



(8)  Ensure a continuing, comprehensive transportation
planning process carried on cooperatively by the State and the county.



(9)  Develop a formula for the distribution of
metropolitan planning funds which shall consider but not necessarily be limited
to population, status of planning, and metropolitan area transportation needs,
and submit this formula for approval by the Secretary of Transportation.



(10)  Receive and distribute, as necessary, federal
funds under Section 112 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973, the Urban Mass
Transportation Act of 1964, as amended, Section 13 of the Airport and Airway
Development Act of 1970, as amended, and Section 5 of the Urban Mass
Transportation Act of 1964, as amended.



(11)  Receive and distribute, as necessary, such other
funds as may become available to support metropolitan transportation.



(12)  Advise on plans, projects and programs requiring
action by the state legislature or the legislative body of the county which
have been submitted for review to the MPO.



(13)  Undertake such other functions as may become
appropriate in an advisory capacity to ensure a joint planning process between
the county and the State, and advise appropriate legislative bodies and
agencies, as necessary.



(14)  If the MPO finds that it is necessary to have a
citizens' advisory group to present technical or other expert opinions or facts
to the MPO then such a group may be formed. [L 1975, c 180, §7]