American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

Which organization is considered a forbearer of contemporary Councils of Governments (COGs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)?

1. Tennessee Valley Authority

2. Plan of Chicago

3. City Beautiful Movement

4. Housing Act of 1934

The correct answer is: Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a significant example of an early organization that laid the groundwork for the modern Councils of Governments (COGs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). Established in 1933, the TVA was created to address a range of issues, including economic development, resource management, and the planning of infrastructure in the Tennessee Valley. The TVA demonstrated a model of regional planning and collaboration among various levels of government, which would later influence the formation of COGs and MPOs. These organizations became essential for coordinating local and regional planning efforts, ensuring collaboration among governments to address transportation, housing, and land-use planning. The TVA's approach to regional development and resource management emphasizes the importance of cooperative planning, aligning precisely with the functions of modern COGs and MPOs that focus on collaborative solutions to regional challenges. While the other choices represent significant movements and policies in urban planning history, they do not encapsulate the specific regional planning and intergovernmental collaboration necessary for the formation of COGs and MPOs as effectively as the TVA does.