KYOVA is an association of local governments in southwestern West Virginia and southern Ohio that serves as a forum for assessing and acting upon regional transportation problems. The Commission’s goal is to promote cooperation among members, the governments closest to the people, and to maximize their capabilities for solving problems that cannot be solved by any one jurisdiction.

"KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission is a transportation planning agency established by federal law. Its mission is to plan for an orderly, cost-effective, multi-modal transportation system for all citizens of the service area. With the support of your local officials, we plan for sound transportation improvements, which will facilitate the movement of goods and people in a safe and efficient manner."

KYOVA was formally organized on October 11, 1968. Its creation, via interstate compact, was the culmination of years of thought initiated in 1965 with the beginning of the Huntington-Ashland-Ironton Area Transportation Study (HAIATS). KYOVA was formed from HAIATS to coordinate and administer transportation planning. To provide a recognized geographical area of activity, in 1966, the Bureau of the Census designated the urbanized area of Huntington-Ashland-Ironton as the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). This area included: Cabell and Wayne Counties, West Virginia; Lawrence County, Ohio; Boyd County, and Green Up Kentucky and the cities of Huntington, West Virginia; Ashland, Kentucky and Ironton, Ohio. In 1973 and 1981 respectively, the Bureau of the Census expanded the MSA to include the County of Carter, Kentucky.

Under federal law, KYOVA is the “Metropolitan Planning Organization” (MPO) responsible for ensuring wise and coordinated use of federal/state transportation funds.
Commission efforts focus on several key areas:

• maintaining the transportation model
• providing a forum for regional governance
• networking for local government officials
• providing information and data
• partnership and issues facilitation
• planning for transportation needs
• conducting air quality conformity analysis

KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission is a regional organization uniting Cabell and Wayne Counties in southwestern West Virginia and Lawrence County in southeastern Ohio. KYOVA provides a forum for transportation decision-making. As the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) KYOVA communities present a common front to state governments in Charleston and Columbus and to the federal government in Washington. Together, area counties and cities form a common alliance to promote a unified transportation system for the area for effective movement of people, goods, and services.

Members participate through committees, task forces, workshops, and seminars. Some groups convene state or federal agencies, local governments, private sector representatives, and citizens to work on specific projects, while others meet to investigate evolving regional issues that may affect the future of the transportation system.

Elected and appointed officials network to develop priorities, build consensus and direction in planning for their communities' and the region’s future.

We Provide:

• Proposed Changes In The Transportation Network
• Census Information
• Data Maps
• Aerial Photographs
• Special Studies and Publications
• Group Facilitation
• Long Range Planning

KYOVA is responsible for the annual dissemination of millions of dollars in federal transportation funds during any given year to implement specific transportation projects

.