Georgia Department of Transportation ON TARGET Office of Planning Spring 2004 "Planning Georgia's Future Today" Vol. 10 No. 1 EPA ISSUES FINAL DESIGNATIONS OF NONATTAINMENT AREAS On April 15, 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its list of nonattainment areas for the national 8-hour ozone standard. Per the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to regulate emission of pollutants established in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The six pollutants currently monitored under the NAAQS include: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ozone and sulfur. Through these requirements, the EPA determines whether or not a geographic area is attaining the national air quality standard for each of the six pollutants monitored under NAAQS. Upon this determination, the EPA will then designate each area as attaining or not attaining the standard for each pollutant. The EPA assigns a designation of nonattainment to any area that does not directly meet, or is found to be contributing to a neighboring area's inability to meet, the national air quality standard. What role does the designation play in transportation? The amendments of the Clean Air Act of 1990 included provisions that addressed the linkage between transportation and air quality. In particular, the amendments included language to guarantee that transportation activities would not worsen air quality or cause interference with the EPA's ability to meet national air quality standards. Emission reductions from mobile sources such as automobiles and trucks are often necessary in achieving compliance with air quality standards. Therefore, the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act included language to address consistency between federal funding for transportation activities and air quality goals. As a result, areas that become designated as "nonattainment areas" are required to demonstrate that the emissions expected from their transportation plans and programs will be within the allowable emissions limits (motor vehicle emission budgets) established by the State Implementation Plan (SIP). See EPA, page 3 SIGNAGE FOR ALTAMAHA HISTORIC SCENIC BYWAY UNVEILED The Georgia DOT is pleased to announce that signage for the state's Altamaha Historic Scenic Byway in McIntosh and Glynn counties was unveiled on Wednesday, March 24, 2004. The Georgia DOT Board designated the Historic Altamaha an official state Scenic Byway in May 2002. "This Historic Altamaha Scenic Byway will be used as a tool to preserve our heritage, as well as to become an economic engine to promote eco-tourism in the region," said Karen Moore, Director of the Better Hometown/ Darien Downtown Development Authority. The Georgia DOT began the state Scenic Byway Program in 1998. The program currently includes six other routes: The Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway in northwest Georgia; the Russell- Brasstown Scenic Byway in northeast Georgia; the South Fulton Scenic Byway in Fulton County; the Monticello Crossroads Scenic Byway in Jasper County; the Historic Piedmont in Putnam and Hancock counties; and the Cohutta-Chattahoochee in Whitfield and Murray counties. To find out more about Georgia's Scenic Byway Program, visit the Georgia DOT's Planning Office Web page at: http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/planprog/planning/projects/scenic_byways/ index.shtml. Joy Still (404) 656-5726 joy.still@dot.state.ga.us Former Georgia DOT Board Member Tom Triplett, Joy Still and Board Member Harry Dixon unveiling the state Scenic Byway sign. CONGESTION TO BE MEASURED, FY 04 & 05 TE PROJECTS SELECTED, PEDESTRIAN, STREETSCAPE GUIDE - PG. 2 LONG-RANGE STUDY COMPLETED- PG. 3 Page 2 ON TARGET DEPARTMENT TO MEASURE CONGESTION IN 21-COUNTY ATLANTA REGION In March of this year, the Georgia DOT contracted with the consultant firm Skycomp Incorporated to survey congestion levels along all arterials in the Atlanta 21-county area where volume-tocapacity ratios of one or greater have been recorded. This survey will build upon previous measurements of congestion performed by Skycomp in 1998, 2001, and 2002. These previous measurements, however, were confined to interstates and a select number of highlyutilized corridors. The analysis of arterials to be performed this spring, combined with analysis from former surveys, will enable the coordination of transportation activities with a more comprehensive picture of regional congestion. This study will involve the observation of traffic conditions along approximately 1,500 miles of arterials in metropolitan Atlanta. Skycomp will analyze conditions via aerial surveys, whereby they will acquire average traffic density data and provide a general overview of traffic quality. These flights will be conducted over each roadway over a period of four mornings and four evenings excluding Mondays, Fridays, and holidays. Data compiled from these flights will include information related to level of service, causes of congestion, the severity of congestion, and other relevant material. The completion of this study is presently scheduled for February of 2005. Verdell Hawkins (404) 463-4376 verdell.hawkins@dot.state.ga.us TE PROJECTS SELECTED FOR FY 04 & 05 State Transportation Board members have selected 127 Transportation Enhancement (TE) projects for the fiscal years of 2004 and 2005 funding. A statewide call for applications was held last September; the deadline for applications was November 3, 2003. Georgia DOT received 338 applications statewide requesting over $318 million in TE funds. Only $52 million was available statewide for TE projects allowing for each Board member to receive $4 million in their respective congressional districts. Once applications were received, the Department performed technical reviews to ensure the applications met the criteria and federal guidelines. Upon completion of the technical review, the TE Advisory Panel was sent applications to review, rank, and make recommendations to the Transportation Board members. Board members then had the difficult task of selecting projects based on the technical reviews and TE Advisory Panel recommendations. Projects were selected for each congressional district by the Transportation Board member representing the district. As a result, we have 127 new projects being added to the program statewide. The list of new projects is available online at the Georgia Department of Transportation web sitehttp://www.dot.state.ga.us/ dot/plan-prog/planning/projects/ te/index.shtml under the heading TE Awards for FY04-05. A historic gas station on the downtown square in McDonough was restored and made into a local welcome center. Construction of this TE Project was started in Nov. 2002 and was completed early 2003. Rhonda Britt 404-657-6914 rhonda.britt@dot.state.ga.us GA PEDESTRIAN, STREETSCAPE GUIDE COMPLETED The Georgia Department of Transportation recently completed the "Georgia Pedestrian and Streetscape Guide." The need for a pedestrian and streetscape design guide was identified by the Department's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and is part of the on-going implementation of the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (1998). The Guide sets a new standard for pedestrian accommodation in Georgia DOT projects, and also serves as a "best practices" manual with comprehensive, detailed guidance for local governments and transportation agencies on the subjects of pedestrian planning, operations, and design. Building and improving upon existing state and federal guidelines and standards, the Guide is tailored to Georgia and was developed with extensive public review. These new guidelines will have a significant positive impact on the See GUIDE, page 3 Page 3 ON TARGET 8-HOUR NONATTAINMENT DESIGNATIONS BASED ON 24 COUNTIES EPA, from page 1 What are the impacts to Georgia? In Georgia, one pollutant of major concern is ground-level ozone. Groundlevel ozone is a pollutant produced by the combination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) when interacted with sunlight. Since these reactions are stimulated by sunlight and heat, higher concentrations of ground-level ozone occur in warmer months. Further, high ozone levels occur when solar radiation is high, wind speed is low and there is a minimum of mixing of the air between the lower and higher altitude. Thus, ozone alert season typically extends from May through September in the Atlanta area. Ozone is a major component of smog and has been found to be harmful to the respiratory health of humans. The EPA standards addressing ground-level ozone had previously been monitored and regulated using a NAAQS one-hour standard with a threshold of 0.12 parts per million. Under the one-hour ozone air quality standard, the nonattainment areas in Georgia were limited to 13 counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 1997, the NAAQS were expanded to include a more stringent eight-hour ozone air quality standard with a threshold of 0.08 parts per million. In Georgia, the EPA's recently released eight-hour nonattainment designations include the following counties: Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Carroll, Catoosa, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Monroe (partial area in vicinity of Plant Scherer), Murray (areas higher than 2400 feet elevation), Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton. Upon designation of ozone nonattainment, an area will begin the process of "transportation conformity." "Transportation conformity" is a process established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to ensure that federal transportation funding and approval is consistent with the goals of air quality standards. Through this process, multiple federal, state, and local agencies become involved in interagency consultation for conformity determinations. A conformity determination requires the nonattainment area to demonstrate that emissions from their transportation plan and transportation improvement program (TIP) will not exceed the allowable emission limits established in the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Clean Air Act requires states to submit a SIP that defines how ozone levels will be reduced in nonattainment areas to meet EPA requirements. In Georgia, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is required to develop control programs and emission limits for the State Implementation Plan. Currently, conformity determinations are required at least every three years or when the transportation plan, TIP, or SIP are updated. However, it is important to understand that the final implementation rule and transportation conformity amendments for the eight-hour ozone standard have not been released from the EPA. Therefore, transportation conformity and the formal processes required for conformity demonstrations of the eight-hour ozone standard remain unclear. Upon the release of the EPA's final implementation rule and transportation conformity amendments for the eight-hour ozone standard, the implications of nonattainment designation for this standard and the requirements to be placed upon these areas will become clearer. Tammy Hunsucker 404-651-5330 tammy.hunsucker@dot.state.ga.us LONG-RANGE STUDY FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY COMPLETED In March of 2004, the consulting firm TEI completed a Long-Range Transportation Study for fast-growing Columbia County in metropolitan Augusta. According to Doug Allen of TEI, the study addresses and evaluates all modes of transportation, including highways, bicycles, pedestrian facilities and public transit. The results of the study form the basis for a comprehensive transportation plan to address Columbia County's current and future (year 2025) transportation needs. Three public workshops were held in Columbia County during the study. TEI See STUDY, page 4 NEW PROVISIONS OF GUIDE CALL FOR WIDER SIDEWALKS AMONG OTHER THINGS GUIDE, from page 2 state highway system and other facilities by providing guidelines for improving pedestrian safety and access and expanding the pedestrian facility network. For example, new provisions were created that allow wider sidewalks, planting strips, mid-block crossings, enhanced facilities around schools and transit, as well as decreasing "clear zone" widths under certain conditions. The Guide was distributed to hundreds of local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Development Centers (RDCs), transportation agencies and engineering/planning firms throughout the state. These agencies and local governments will find the Guide very useful in designing and planning for sidewalks, ADA compliance, traffic calming, "Safe Routes to School" programs and creating more livable, walkable communities. The Guide is available online at http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/ plan-prog/planning/projects/ bicycle/index.shtml. Amy Goodwin 404-657-6692 amy.goodwin@dot.state.ga.us Page 4 ON TARGET TRANSPORTATION STUDY ALSO INCLUDES BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS STUDY, from page 3 also considered current and future land use plans and Town Center and Corridor Action Plans. Transportation Demand Modeling was conducted by TEI, in concert with Georgia DOT. Modeling work for the study identified a number of deficiencies needing to be addressed by 2025. Suggested transportation priorities have been prepared, including road widening, pedestrian, bicycle and safety projects. Possible road improvements cited by the study include segments as follows: z Columbia/Old Belair/Belair: widen from two to four lanes z Flowing Wells/I-20/Washington: widen from two to four lanes z Fury's Ferry/Hardy McManus/Evans-to-Lock: widen from two to four lanes z Gibbs-Cox-Owens/Washington: widen from two to four lanes z Hereford Farm/Belair/Gibbs: widen from two to four lanes z Horizon South/I-20/Wrightsboro: z Wrightsboro/Reynolds/County widen from two to four lanes Boundary: widen from two to z I-20 ramps, Belair/Lewiston and Appling-Harlem: widen from four lanes z SR 47 (south)/mile post one to two lanes 2.45/mile post 3.88: widen from z I-20/Appling-Harlem two to three lanes Road/Belair Road: widen from Bicycle and pedestrian enhancement four to six lanes recommendations were also made, and z Lewiston/Columbia/I-20: widen land use, zoning and development codes from two to four lanes were examined. Currently, TEI is working z North Belair/Fury's with the county to identify possible Ferry/Washington: widen from funding sources, including federal, state two to four lanes and local funds. A final presentation z Old Evans/Washington/Old before the Columbia County Board of Petersburg: widen from two to Commissioners to present the results and four lanes recommendations of the study will be z Old Evans/Martinez/Washington: scheduled in the near future. The Study is widen from two to four lanes posted at: http://www.co.columbia. z Washington/William Few/Belair: ga.us/Planning_Development/ widen from two to four lanes planning1.html. z William Few/Hereford Farm: create two-lane connector z William Few/Washington/Hardy McManus: create two-lane extension Keith Melton 404-657-6913 keith.melton@dot.state.ga.us On Target is a quarterly publication of the Georgia Department of Transportation's Office of Planning. Georgia Department of Transportation Office of Planning No. 2 Capitol Square S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334-1002 Please send address corrections to: Joel North Office of Planning No. 2 Capitol Square S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334-1002 Phone: (404) 463-0694 Fax: (404) 657-5228 Email: joel.north@dot.state.ga.us Visit our website at: http://www.dot.state.ga.us