On target, Vol. 8, no. 3 (Spring 2002)

Georgia Department of Transportation

Office of Planning

ON TARGET

Spring 2001

Planning Georgias Future Today
Vol. 8 No. 1

Update of SWTP almost complete

The Office of Planning is finalizing the update of Georgia's Statewide Transportation Plan, which was last updated in 1995. As an important policy statement, the Statewide Transportation Plan will provide a decisionmaking framework for all facets of the state's transportation network for the next 25 years.
Public involvement was a crucial component of the update process. The plan's findings and recommendations were presented at two stakeholder meetings and 12 public meetings held throughout the state during the month of May. In order to provide the public with as much information as possible, as well as to solicit input from those with a stake in the transportation network, GDOT placed a newspaper supplement advertising the meetings in 28 major newspapers throughout the state, including several foreign language newspapers.
The newspaper supplement also announced the opportunity to participate in a survey regarding the important

issues and decisions regarding the state's transportation system. Accessible via a toll-free telephone number, on the Internet and at the 12 public forums, the survey received over 2,000 responses that will be used in the development of the final Statewide Transportation Plan.
The summary of major findings from the Plan include: GDOT is facing a major revenue shortfall, GDOT has invested in pavement quality at a higher rate relative to national practice, and GDOT needs to emphasize multi-modal transportation to maintain mobility-related performance measures. Work on the latest update of Georgia's Statewide Transportation Plan began in 1999 and will be completed in late summer. Additional information on the Statewide Transportation Plan is available on the Departments webpage at: www.dot.state.ga.us/gstp/gdotdefault.htm By: Daryl Cranford, (404) 656-5360 E-mail: daryl.cranford@dot.state.ga.us

Activity continues on SR 316 Corridor Study

The past several months have seen much activity on the Office of Planning's State Route (SR) 316 Corridor Study. Working though the consultant firm PBS&J, GDOT is identifying the corridor's current and future needs as well as investigating funding options for recommended improvements. SR 316 is currently a four-lane divided highway with at-grade signalized intersections for most of its length passing through Barrow, Gwinnett, and Oconee counties.
When the study concludes at the end of this year, it will have evaluated potential improvement scenarios and produced a recommended list of projects as part of an overall Corridor Master Plan. The Plan will include funding strategies and an implementation plan for maximizing public benefits and roadway safety.
Most recently, a series of public "Issues Forums" were held in early June in each of the corridor's three counties. As a vital part of the SR 316 Corridor Study, the Issues Forums played a key role in hearing from those who live near, and regularly
SR 316 is a heavily traveled corridor that stretches Continued on page 3 from Athens to Gwinnett County.

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ON TARGET

GDOT well represented in BRAG event

Need a great way to spend a vacation, get some exercise, and truly see Georgia while meeting interesting people?
Each year almost 2,000 people do just that by biking across Georgia in the BRAG event. In its 22nd year, the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) took participants on a seven day trip covering almost 60 miles each day and bringing $100,000 of economic impact to each overnight town stop. This year's route started in Hartwell on June 16th and ended on St. Simons Island on June 23rd, with overnight stops in Washington, Milledgeville, Dublin, Vidalia, and Jesup.
The Office of Planning once again participated with the BRAG event by:
Providing county roadway maps for each year's new route planning efforts;
Reviewing the final route for potential conflicts with road improvement projects;

Supplying State Transportation Maps for the BRAG "goodie bag"; and
Sending the GDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator on the rideon a GDOT-signed bike! For the first time, the GDOT also: Staffed a GDOT display booth at the BRAG EXPO and
Loaned GDOT's portable bike/pedestrian Event Warning Signs to alert motorists along the BRAG route.
In addition to other benefits, participation in BRAG can also be a great way to showcase a community and raise civic pride while bringing in tourism. GDOT is proud to assist and participate in this annual event. More information on BRAG is available at the website: www.brag.org.
By: Joy Still, (404) 656-5411 E-mail: joy.still@dot.state.ga.us

Atlanta-Suburban County Study underway

The Office of Planning's Atlanta Suburban County Study, formerly known as the Non-ARC Counties Planning Study, is underway.
Day-Wilburn Associates (the consultant contracted to complete the study) held the initial kick-off meetings with the five affected counties. The affected counties are Bartow, Coweta, Forsyth, Newton and Paulding.
The meetings were informal and county representatives with a variety of expertise joined the discussion. The consultant will sort through the material gathered at the meetings and determine what additional data may be needed.
When completed next spring, the study will develop a process for conducting transportation planning and technical assessment in both the existing and future air

quality non-attainment areas in metro Atlanta. Air quality nonattainment areas are those areas that violate federal air pollution standards and consequently subject to federal air quality provisions. These non-attainment areas must then demonstrate that their Regional Transportation Plans meet applicable air quality standards.
The 12-month planning study will develop a transportation planning process, create a travel demand model, and provide an operations plan for the five affected counties. The proposed process will be consistent with the planning process, decision-making framework, and technical tools used by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).
Work on Phase 1, which

includes the development of a transportation planning process (a primary focus of the study) will continue over the next several months. It will include two major tasks: Development of a public involvement program and creation of the planning process.
The process will involve: Identification of the critical plan components required by State and Federal law; Defining the coordination with the ARC; Development of coordination procedures among all stakeholders; and Definition of the decisionmaking process. By: Stan Hames, (404) 6575499 E-mail: stan.hames@ dot.state.ga.us

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ON TARGET

EJ and Planning

Environmental Justice (EJ) is a public policy goal to identify and address the disproportionate distribution of burdens and benefits on minority and low income populations in the implementation of governmental decisions, policies, projects, and programs. Environmental Justice is not a new concept. It was addressed in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, reemphasized by President Clinton in the 1994 Executive Order 12898 and the United States Department of Transportation's 1998 Order on Environmental Justice provided more specific guidance as EJ relates to transportation. Title VI, EO 12898 and USDOT Order on EJ impact all agencies receiving federal funds. As a result, all transportation projects receiving federal funds must address EJ concerns.
As an initial step to ensure uniform analysis of Environmental Justice concerns during the planning process, the Department is contracting with Georgia Tech to enhance the Multi-modal Transportation Planning Tool (MTPT) software to add an Environmental Justice module. The current MTPT software analyzes

the improvement and investment needs for multi-modal facilities in rural and small urban areas. The software has the capability to perform needs analysis for highway, bike, transit, aviation, intercity bus, and passenger rail. The Environmental Justice module will serve as a "first-level" basis for evaluating the impact that a prospective transportation improvement will have on minority, lowincome, elderly and disabled populations.
The proposed EJ module will analyze the following burdens and benefits: traffic congestion, safety, air quality, community cohesion, land value, land use, noise, displacements and isolation. The software will also use census data to identify EJ populations. The Office of Planning will use the analysis results along with field reviews to determine the impact of future projects on EJ communities. Additional information on Environmental Justice is available on the internet at: www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ej2.htm By: Daryl Cranford, (404) 656-5360 E-mail: daryl.cranford@ dot.state.ga.us

Update of STIP has begun

The Office of Planning's annual update of the GDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is underway. The STIP is a three-year document containing federally-funded transportation projects throughout the state and lists those projects that will be in some stage of development during Fiscal Years 2002, 2003, and 2004.
As part of the update of the STIP, fourteen public meetings were held across the state during the month of June. Meetings were held in Blairsville, Carnesville, Calhoun, Cumming, Cusseta, Ellaville, Ellijay, Griffin, Jesup, Macon, Monroe, Moreland, Tennille and Tifton. At the meetings, the public had an opportunity to review the draft rural STIP, ask questions of GDOT staff, and provide their comments. In addition to the 5,000 invitations mailed out by the Office of Planning, GDOT District offices and the Regional
Continued on page 4

SR 316...continued
use, the roadway. Over 110 citizens attending these meetings reviewed the study data collected and analyzed. Findings from the analysis include:
the accident rate in the limited access portion of SR 316 (just east of I-85) was below the statewide average for comparable facilities;
the accident rate in the rural portion of SR 316 (through eastern Gwinnett, all of Barrow, and eastern Oconee Counties) was above the statewide average for comparable roadways;
the results of the Study's origin-destination survey, which concluded in March 2001, revealed that a significant percentage of drivers using SR 316 are driving the entire length of the route between I-85 and the Athens area; and
the cost to upgrade all of SR 316 to a limited-access highway is currently $1B. If only conventional funding methods were pursued, this upgrade would take almost 30 years.
In addition to discussing issues relating to the roadway operation and alternative travel modes in the corridor, citizens discussed ways to finance future improvements through conventional roadway funding, as well as through other innovative methods such as public/private partnerships, impact fees, congestion pricing, and tolls. All comments gathered at the Issues Forums will be summarized and available on the study's website: www.dot.state.ga.us/homeoffs/planning. www/sr316/index.htm .
All public comments will be taken into consideration as the study proceeds to the next step-developing a prioritized list of short- and long-term improvements for State Route 316. Once complete, the study's draft recommendations will be presented for discussion at a second round of public meetings scheduled in Barrow, Gwinnett, and Oconee counties in early fall of this year.
By: Tom McQueen (404) 657-6697 E-mail: thomas.mcqueen@dot.state.ga.us

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ON TARGET

STIP...continued
Development Centers (RDCs) sent out meeting notices to complement the public outreach on the STIP meetings.
Also in June, GDOT staff met with local government officials to get input on the projects listed in the STIP. In July, copies of the draft STIP were sent for public review and comment at the Regional Development Centers, the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and the GDOT District Offices. This additional opportunity for the public to review and comment on the Draft STIP will be advertised in local newspapers.
The draft STIP is also available on the internet at: www.dot.state.ga.us/homeoffs/planning.www/drftstip/district.htm
All questions and comments on the STIP may be directed to:
Georgia Department of Transportation Office of Planning No. 2 Capitol Square Atlanta, Georgia 30334-1002 Attention: Cindy VanDyke
By: Cindy VanDyke (404) 657-6696 E-mail: cindy.vandyke@dot.state.ga.us

On Target is a quarterly publication of the Georgia
Department of Transportations Office of
Planning.
Please send address corrections to:
Mr. Tom McQueen Office of Planning No. 2 Capitol Square S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334-1002 Phone: (404) 656-5411 Fax: (404) 657-5228
Email:
thomas.mcqueen@dot.state.ga.us
Visit our recently updated website at: www.dot.state.ga.us/homeoffs/
planning.www/planning/planhome.htm

Georgia Department of Transportation Office of Planning No. 2 Capitol Square S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334-1002