On target, Vol. 4, no. 2 (Spring 1997)

GA

Vol. 4 No.2 T700. Pt,

Georgia Department of Transportation

Spring 1997 Pi

Office of Planning

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:. Planning Georgia's Future Today:

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The saying goes, "the only thing constant in life is change." Well, that statement has certainly proved itself to be true here in the Office of Planning. This issue highlights the change, as well as the movement and growth, of this office and its products.
We have had some major personnel changes recently: two career employees have retired. Herb Sutherland of our Statewide Planning Branch, and Darrell Elwell, head of the Office of Information Services, have given the Department many years of service, and we wish them well in their retirement. Marta Rosen, who I am sure anyone who reads this newsletter is familiar with, has left our office to lead the new Office of Information Services into the 21st Century. We will sincerely miss her, but I suspect you all will be hearing from her as a guest author quite often. We wish her well in her new position.
T. Dunagan

NEXTEA:BUILDING MORE THAN JUST

A BRIDGE TO THE 21st CENTURY

..

..

The Clinton Administration recently unveiled the sixyear, $175 billion National Economic Crossroads Transportation Efficiency Act (NEXTEA). Continuing the work started by the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), NEXTEA increases flexibility to allow funding for additional projects such as Amtrak and the Appalachian Developmental Highway System. NEXTEA also increases funding by $17 billion, or 11 percent over ISTEA levels. Some of the additional funds cover a 25 percent increase in safety programs and a 30 percent increase in "clean air" programs.

NEXTEA focuses on nine core elements:



putting safety first,



rebuilding America,



increasing investment through innovative

financing tools,



ensuring global competitiveness,



improving access to jobs and training,



protecting the environment,



improving transportation through technology,



strengthening urban communities, and



serving rural America.

Equity is a major issue for southeastern states that have been donors through the seven years of rSTEA. As a donor state, Georgia has paid in $1.3 billion more than it has received out of rSTEA. NEXTEA proposes changes in the funding distribution formula that will return more funds to Georgia than we received under rSTEA. However, NEXTEA would not completely relieve the historical inequity. Also, NEXTEA adds additional funding while simultaneously opening the door to funding many additional categories of projects. The Department applauds the flexibility, but is concerned over the needs of the state still being woefully underfunded even without the new eligible categories.

M. Rosen and S. Spence

OFFICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES
TAKES SHAPE

Information needs continue to grow as technology increases and available funding decreases. Decisionmakers and practitioners require increased information to make sound transportation recommendations and decisions. To meet this increasing challenge, the Department has structured a new Office of Information Services (OrS).

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The Office was created from the Planning Data Services Bureau and will have three major focus areas as it begins to take shape. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) will be the primary function of the DIS. They will maintain the Department's investment in GIS and will provide the base maps for the state's GIS Clearinghouse. Secondly, the DIS will be responsible for data collection efforts and will be an essential element in the development of the Department's information system. Data collection will include traffic coverage counts, transit ridership, and other special surveys. Information systems will be the third focus area of the DIS. They will produce reports to meet federal reporting requirements, and will provide information to many internal and external customers.

The. concept for the Office of Information Services

was developed under Darrell Elwell's leadership. Mr.

Elwell initiated the Department's efforts in both GIS

and electronic mapping. He has coordinated several

major projects ranging from managing the

development of the .Department's Strategic

Information Systems Plan to guiding automation

efforts in field data collection. Mr. Elwell retired

from the Department in April, and we will miss his

leadership.

----

K. Golden

Estimating travel demand is very important in the transportation planning process. The Office of Planning uses computerized models to estimate travel demand in urbanized areas. Determining the number of trips generated by various levels of urban development is the first step in modeling travel and is appropriately named "trip generation."
The Office of Planning is initiating a project to evaluate its trip generation methods. The project will produce a revised method for calculating trip generation for a single urbanized area in the state. This revised methodology will be compared to existing methods. If sufficiently valuable, the revised methodology may be applied to other areas in the state.

Current trip generation methods calculate vehicle trips. Although these methods remain valid and useful for highway planning, they do not provide the necessary information to analyze other transportation problems. The revised trip generation method will calculate person trips, putting a key ingredient in place for potentially using more comprehensive modeling capabilities, including High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and transit modeling. Additional elements are necessary to model such problems fully, but person trip information may enhance current planning efforts.
Updating the trip generation methods will involve considerable data collection, including various travel surveys. Before requesting consultant proposals, the project team selected the Augusta area as the site to conduct the project, primarily because it is the largest urbanized area in Georgia outside Atlanta. The Office of Planning received eight proposals from consortiums of firms. The project is scheduled to begin this summer and will take approximately one year to complete.
C. Simons
GEORGIA STATEWIDE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Development of the Georgia Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan continues to move forward with the final draft version of the Plan being presented to the Bicycle Advisory Committee at a statewide video teleconference held February 12. The Bicycle Advisory committee was organized by the Department to provide public involvement and the bicyclists' perspective in defining route alignments for the network of 14 routes. The Committee's membership includes Georgia DOT staff, the Federal Highway Administration, metropolitan planning organizations, regional development centers, bicycle advocacy groups, bicycle clubs and other state agencies.
The teleconference was well attended throughout the state with sites located in Atlanta, Gainesville, Augusta, Macon, Albany and Savannah. Comments received at the teleconference along with subsequent comments from the Advisory Committee are currently being incorporated into the Plan. The final plan will be submitted to the State Transportation Board for approval in August.
S. Hames

Planning for Georgia's future transportation system in

today's economic environment continues to be a big

challenge for the Department. It's an exciting

challenge and one we are pursuing with enthusiasm.

Accomplishing the

Georgia DOT's mission

Mission Statement

and supporting the state's strategic plan for a

We, the members of prosperous future for

the Transportation

Georgia requires us to

Board, the

think and plan

Commissioner, and

strategically.

the employees of the

Georgia Department of To that end we are

Transportation, are

preparing to kick off our

committed to a safe, third cycle of Strategic

efficient and

Planning. In the process,

sustainable

the Department's

transportation system management will identify

for all users. Through the most critical

dedicated teamwork directions to focus on in

and responsible

the coming year. The

transportation

mission statement and the

leadership, we will

vision that grew out of

support economic

cycles one and two will

development,

be reexamined, and will

environmental sensitivity and an

be affIrmed or amended. Then a course will be set

improved quality of life for all.

for directions requiring emphasis during the

coming 12 to 18 months.

This year the Department's leadership is committed to moving the process of strategic planning down into the organization. Another aspect of cycle three will accomplish this by providing the framework and by implementing strategic planning at the Division Level. Each of the fIve Divisions will initiate their own team and set aside time to examine their role in achieving the Department's mission. Then they will establish specifIc goals and identify ways to measure success in meeting those goals.

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By participating in strategic planning, at both the departmental and divisional levels, the Georgia DOT intends to look carefully at the trends and conditions impacting our programs. Armed with as much information as possible and united behind a clear vision, the Department will use available resources to move effIciently and effectively towards the transportation system needed for Georgia's prosperous future.
J. Bottin
The Southern Legislative Conference recently published a survey of southeastern states' transportation programs. The report, Comparative Data Report on State Transportation Programs, provides insights into the transportation program of 16 states in the Southern Legislative Conference.
Some higWights include:
Georgia has the lowest motor fuel tax rates in the southeast.
Georgia spent the lowest amount of state funds for state roads per capita ($43.43 versus $70.75 for the national average and $87.46 for the southern average).
Georgia had the lowest percent of Interstate miles with poor/mediocre pavement. Georgia's total was 0.4 percent compared to the national average of 34.9 percent and the southern average of 36.5 percent.
Georgia has 898 licensed drivers per 1,000 driving age population (the national average is 880 and the southern average is 890). Florida was the highest of all southeastern states with 999 drivers per 1,000 driving age population.
Georgia had the second lowest vehicle miles traveled per licensed driver. The Georgia average was 12,816 while the national average was 13,455 miles and the southern average was 14,732 miles.

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Georgia had the lowest number of vehicles I driving population, 0.98 (national average is 1,] southern average is 1.12).
M.Rosen
OnTarget is a quarterly publication of the Georgia Department of Transportation, Office
ofPlanning, No.2 Capitol Square, Sw,
Atlanta, Georgia 30334 (404) 656-5411 Visit our website at:
www.dot.state.ga.uslhomeoffslplanning.wwwl planninglplanhome.htm
OnTarget is now available on the Web at the above URL.

II. II. STIP UPDATE
The update of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for Fiscal Years 1998,1999, and 2000 is underway. A video teleconference will be held on May 8, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Seven interactive video teleconference sites located throughout the state will be participating. You are invited to attend at any of the sites listed below. If you have any questions or need additional information, please phone Stacey Saba at (404) 657-6911 (e-mail stacey.saba@dot.state.ga.us).
Lanier Technical Institute, Oakwood Regional Technical Institute, Sandersville
Upson-Lee Middle School, Thomaston Rural Development Center, Tifton Altamaha Technical Institute, Jesup North Metro Tech, Acworth Twin Towers Building, Atlanta

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Georgia Department of Transportation
Office of Planning No.2 Capitol Square, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334