The Des Moines Area MPO researches best practices in regional planning. The best-practice reports are meant to inform community leaders and MPO member governments on the range of tools available for meeting the performance measures established in Mobilizing Tomorrow.

E-Scooter Study
The MPO helped facilitate a study group to explore the issues surrounding electric scooters in the region.

Central Iowa Climate Toolbox
The Central Iowa Climate Toolbox was created with the intent of connecting decision-makers, professional staff, and the general public directly to diverse sources of information they may need as communities and organizations take action on climate issues.

Mobile Food Vending
City leaders recognize there is no “one size fits all” prescription for how to effectively incorporate food trucks into their community. The following are initial steps to develop a regional approach for best practices and policies relating to food vending across the metro.

Protected Bike Lanes
Protected bike lanes are those that are within the public right of way and protected by some vertical element such as parked cars with a buffer zone.

Complete Streets
The Des Moines Area MPO developed a complete streets policy template in 2015 that can be adopted by local governments throughout Greater Des Moines. Since that time, five new complete streets policies have been adopted bringing the total to nine policies in the region.