07/14/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KERN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS WINS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
BAKERSFIELD, CA — July 9, 2026 — The Kern Council of Governments (Kern COG) has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Outstanding Overall Achievement – Medium MPO Award by the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO). This national honor recognizes Kern COG’s leadership, innovation, and holistic approach to regional transportation planning, sustainable community development, and infrastructure development across Kern County. Specifically, the award mentions the development of the “Greenpass Corridors” concept, essentially a truck bypass that spares rural communities from increasing truck traffic. This approach allows for more community-centric infrastructure to create more vibrant downtowns in communities like Shafter, Arvin, Lamont, and Delano.
The national award will be officially presented on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during the 2026 AMPO Annual Conference held in Sacramento, California. The Conference brings together thousands of transportation professionals, elected officials, and federal policymakers from across the country to discuss the future of transit, safety, and infrastructure funding.
Each year, AMPO celebrates the country’s top Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) that go above and beyond federal requirements to advance regional mobility. The "Medium MPO" category recognizes mid-sized organizations serving populations between 200,000 and 1,000,000 that demonstrate excellence in community collaboration, long-range vision, and efficient use of public resources. Kern COG was selected by a committee of national peers for its outstanding implementation of regional projects and commitment to improving the quality of life for its 11 incorporated cities and rural communities.
“The award is recognition of all the hard work put in by Kern COG staff, and the common-sense public input from our communities.” said Rob Ball, Deputy Director of Planning of Kern COG.
For more information on Kern COG’s award, please visit https://www.kerncog.org/kern-cog-news-events/
About Kern Council of Governments (Kern COG)
The Kern Council of Governments is the designated regional planning agency, state-designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA), and federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Kern County, California. Kern COG coordinates transportation investments, air quality strategies, and long-range infrastructure plans among its 11 member cities and the County of Kern to ensure continuous, cooperative, and comprehensive regional development.
About the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO)
The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) is the national nonprofit membership organization for MPOs. Founded in 1994, it provides transportation professionals with federal policy analysis, technical assistance, research tools, and peer networking to advance regional mobility.
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