Colquitt County multi-modal transportation plan : technical memorandum

Colquitt County Multi-Modal Transportation Plan

Technical Memorandum September 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 1 Study Purpose............................................................................................................... 1 Study Area Description.................................................................................................. 2 Study Process ............................................................................................................... 4 Planning Partners.......................................................................................................... 5

2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................. 6 Background ................................................................................................................... 6 Methodology.................................................................................................................. 6 Consistency with Other Planning Documents ............................................................... 8 Transportation Goals and Objectives .......................................................................... 10

3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6

PLANNING CONTEXT.................................................................................................... 12 Demographic Information ............................................................................................ 12 Historic Population Growth.......................................................................................... 14 Future Population Projections ..................................................................................... 14 Environmental Justice ................................................................................................. 15 Employment Data........................................................................................................ 19 Land Use and Development........................................................................................ 25

4.0 4.1
4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8

COORDINATION WITH PREVIOUS STUDIES AND PROGRAMS ............................... 31 GDOT's State Transportation Improvement Program & Six Year Construction Work Program ...................................................................................................................... 31 SR 133 Project Coordination....................................................................................... 34 GDOT's Southwest Georgia Interstate Study.............................................................. 34 GDOT's Southwest Georgia Multi-County Study ........................................................ 35 GDOT's Statewide Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan ............................................................ 35 Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan ......................................... 36 Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan ......................................................................... 38 State Route 37 Scenic Byway ..................................................................................... 39

EXISTING CONDITIONS DESCRIPTION .................................................................................. 40

5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4

ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS................................................................................... 40 Functional Classification.............................................................................................. 40 Road Lanes ................................................................................................................. 42 Roadway Shoulders .................................................................................................... 42 Roadway Surface Type ............................................................................................... 45

6.0 FREIGHT TRANSPORT ................................................................................................. 47 6.1 Truck Routes ............................................................................................................... 47 6.2 Freight Rail .................................................................................................................. 47

7.0 AIRPORT FACILITIES .................................................................................................... 53

8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ......................................................................................... 57 5311 Rural Transit Program ........................................................................................ 58 The DHR Transportation System ................................................................................ 59 Colquitt County Commuter Patterns............................................................................ 60

9.0 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES .................................................................... 61 9.1 Inventory of Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities ............................................... 62 9.2 State Highway System ................................................................................................ 64

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9.3 Safe Routes to School................................................................................................. 65 9.4 Other Potential Bike/Ped Trip Generators/Destinations .............................................. 68 9.5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Related Policies: .................................................................... 68 9.6 Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes ................................................................................. 69 9.7 Current and Previous Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans ................................................... 71
10.0 SAFETY .......................................................................................................................... 72 10.1 Colquitt County Crash Summary................................................................................. 72 10.2 Bridges ........................................................................................................................ 75
11.0 ROADWAY OPERATING CONDITIONS ........................................................................ 75 11.1 Existing Operating Conditions ..................................................................................... 77 11.2 Future Operating Conditions ....................................................................................... 79
12.0 STUDY ADVISORY GROUP INPUT .............................................................................. 85 12.1 Study Advisory Group Meetings.................................................................................. 85 12.2 Study Advisory Group Input ........................................................................................ 86
13.0 IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS............................................................... 91 13.1 Deficient Roadways..................................................................................................... 92 13.2 Roadway Prioritization................................................................................................. 95 13.3 Intersection Improvement Prioritization and Recommendations ............................... 100 13.4 Bridge Improvement Recommendations ................................................................... 103 13.5 Aviation Recommendations....................................................................................... 104 13.6 Transit Recommendations ........................................................................................ 104 13.7 Intercity and Commuter Rail Recommendations ....................................................... 107 13.8 Freight Rail Recommendations ................................................................................. 108 13.9 Bicycle and Pedestrian.............................................................................................. 119 13.10 Bicycle and Pedestrian Prioritization ......................................................................... 125
14.0 IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... 136 14.1 Estimated Costs ........................................................................................................ 136 14.2 Logical Termini and Environmental Considerations .................................................. 142 14.3 Environmental Justice ............................................................................................... 144
15.0 FUNDING ...................................................................................................................... 146 15.1 Federal Funding Sources for Transportation............................................................. 146 15.2 Federal Funds for Public Transportation ................................................................... 148 15.3 State Funding Sources for Transportation ................................................................ 149 15.4 Local Funding Sources for Transportation ................................................................ 149 15.5 Local Road Assistance Program ............................................................................... 150 15.6 GDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) ...................................... 151 15.7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Sources.................................................................. 152 15.8 Future Transportation Funding Needs ...................................................................... 154 15.9 Effective Use of the Plan ........................................................................................... 154
16.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS ................................... 157
17.0 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................ 157

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LIST OF FIGURES

Technical Memorandum September 2009

Figure 1.2 Study Area............................................................................................................. 3 Figure 1.3 Study Process ....................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3.4.1 Minority Population Locations ............................................................................. 17 Figure 3.4.2 Low-Income Threshold Population Locations...................................................... 18 Figure 3.5.1 Major Agricultural Employment Center Locations ............................................... 23 Figure 3.5.2 Major Manufacturing Employment Center Locations........................................... 24 Figure 3.6.1 Existing Land Use ............................................................................................... 26 Figure 3.6.2 Future Land Use.................................................................................................. 27 Figure 3.6.3 Community Resources ........................................................................................ 30 Figure 4.1 GDOT Planned & Programmed Projects............................................................. 33 Figure 4.5 SWGRDC Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan New Proposed Routes (2005) ........... 37 Figure 5.1 Roadway Functional Classification...................................................................... 41 Figure 5.2 Roadway Lanes................................................................................................... 43 Figure 5.3 Roadway Shoulders ............................................................................................ 44 Figure 5.4 Roadway Surface Type ....................................................................................... 46 Figure 6.0 Freight Transportation Facilities .......................................................................... 48 Figure 7.1 Moultrie Municipal Airport .................................................................................... 54 Figure 7.2 Spence Field ....................................................................................................... 56 Figure 9.0 Moultrie Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes............................................................ 70 Figure 10.1 Active Crash Intersections & Fatality Locations .................................................. 74 Figure 11.1 Existing Daily Deficient Segments....................................................................... 78 Figure 11.2.1 2015 Daily Deficient Segments ........................................................................... 80 Figure 11.2.2 2025 Daily Deficient Segments ........................................................................... 82 Figure 11.2.3 2035 Daily Deficient Segments ........................................................................... 84 Figure 12.2.1 Study Advisory Group Input ................................................................................ 90 Figure 13.1 Transportation Improvement Development Process ........................................... 92 Figure 13.1.1 One-way Pairs Concept ...................................................................................... 94 Figure 14.1.1 Recommended Improvements - Roadway ....................................................... 140 Figure 14.1.2 Recommended Improvements Bike and PedestrianError! Bookmark not defined.

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LIST OF TABLES

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Table 2.2

Applying the SAFETEA-LU Planning Factors....................................................... 7

Table 3.1.1 Year 2000 General Demographic Characteristics .............................................. 12

Table 3.1.2 Area Population .................................................................................................. 13

Table 3.2.1 Historical Population Profile................................................................................ 14

Table 3.3.1 Projected Population .......................................................................................... 15

Table 3.5.1 Existing Industry Jobs ........................................................................................ 19

Table 3.5.2 Existing Work Commute Patterns....................................................................... 20

Table 3.5.3 Work Commute Changes ................................................................................... 21

Table 3.5.4 Commuter Patterns ............................................................................................ 21

Table 3.6.1 Development of Regional Impact Studies .......................................................... 25

Table 3.6.2 Colquitt Schools ................................................................................................. 28

Table 3.6.3 Historic Resources ............................................................................................. 29

Table 3.6.4 Natural Resources.............................................................................................. 29

Table 4.1

Colquitt County 2008-2011 STIP........................................................................ 31

Table 4.6

Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Network .......................... 37

Table 4.7

Summary of 2008-2028 Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan .......................... 38

Table 5.1

Existing Mileage and Vehicle Miles Traveled ..................................................... 42

Table 6.1

Colquitt County Rail Crossing with Highest AADT ............................................. 49

Table 6.2

Colquitt County FRA Railroad Crossing Accident Data, 2000 to 2007 (Crashes

Involving Trains) .................................................................................................................. 49

Table 6.3

Colquitt County Railroad Crossing Crash Data, 1999 to June 2008 .................. 50

Table 6.4

FRA Web Accident Prediction System Top Ranking Predicted Collision Locations

in Colquitt County ................................................................................................................ 52

Table 7.1

Moultrie Municipal Airport Five-Year Capital Improvement Program .............. 55

Table 8.1

Colquitt County Ridership Statistics - FY 2008................................................... 57

Table 8.2

Colquitt County Destination Statistics FY 2008 ............................................... 57

Table 8.1.1 Colquitt County 5311 Rural Transit Program Fare Structure........................... 58

Table 8.1.2 Colquitt County FY 2008 5311 Rural Transit Service Statistics ......................... 58

Table 8.2.1 Colquitt County FY 2008 DHR Transportation Service Statistics ....................... 59

Table 8.3.1 Colquitt County Residents - Workplace Locations ............................................. 60

Table 8.3.2 Colquitt County Workforce - County of Residence ............................................. 61

Table 10.1 Active Crash Intersections Colquitt County ..................................................... 72

Table 11.1 Existing (2007) Deficient Segments ................................................................... 77

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Table 11.2.1 2015 Deficient Segments ................................................................................... 79 Table 11.2.2 2025 Deficient Segments ................................................................................... 81 Table 11.2.3 2035 Deficient Segments ................................................................................... 83 Table 12.1 Study Advisory Group ........................................................................................ 85 Table 12.1.1 Colquitt County Meetings ................................................................................... 86 Table 12.2.1 Study Advisory Group Input Summary ............................................................... 86 Table 13.2.1 Qualitative Criteria and Scoring.......................................................................... 95 Table 13.2.2 Quantitative Criteria and Scoring........................................................................ 97 Table 13.2.3 Prioritized Corridor Recommendations............................................................... 99 Table 13.3.1 Intersection Scoring Criteria ............................................................................. 100 Table 13.3.2 Intersection Prioritization .................................................................................. 101 Table 13.4.1 Bridge Prioritization Table ................................................................................ 103 Table 13.6.2 Colquitt County Elderly Population Projections 2000 to 2030 .......................... 105 Table 13.8.1 County County Railroad Crossing Needs......................................................... 116 Table 13.12.1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Scoring Criteria ........................................................... 126 Table 13.12.2 Bicycle and Pedestrian Prioritization ................................................................ 129 Table 14.1 Recommended Improvements ......................................................................... 138 Table 14.2 Environmental Issues ....................................................................................... 143 Table 15.1 Estimated Five-Year SAFETEA-LU Highway Apportionments and Allocations 147 Table 15.2 Four-Year Apportionments and Allocations for Public Transportation.............. 148 Table 15.4 Own Source Revenues .................................................................................... 150 Table 15.6.1 STIP Fund Allocations (FY 2008 2011) ......................................................... 151 Table 15.6.2 GDOT 2008-2011 CWP.................................................................................... 152

APPENDIX A
Data Collection Technical Memorandum

Project Sheets

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C
Public Involvement Documentation

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1.0 Introduction

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Office of Planning initiated the Colquitt County Transportation Study to develop a Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) to identify transportation needs through the planning horizon year of 2035. Currently, the transportation planning function for federal-aid routes for the County is provided by GDOT. The transportation plan developed as part of this study is built upon existing work efforts to date. It also provides a mechanism for guiding transportation decision-making as development increases throughout the County.

The purpose of this technical memorandum is to identify existing and future operating conditions for the multi-modal transportation system (roadways, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, freight, transit, rail, and airports) within the county, and to utilize that information to identify improvements and prioritize project implementation for Colquitt County. As part of this effort, a travel demand model was developed for Colquitt County to represent the transportation network of the study area and to assist with the analysis of future operating conditions. Additionally, a comprehensive and interactive public involvement program was conducted to establish plan goals and objectives, identify issues and opportunities and to identify potential improvements to the Colquitt County transportation network. This process ensured that alternative transportation improvements were not only coordinated with various governments, but afforded individual citizens and interested groups the opportunity to provide their input.

Ultimately, study efforts produced a documented LRTP that provides for the efficient movement of people and goods within and through the County through the study horizon year (2035). Interim analysis was also conducted for the years 2015 and 2025.

1.1 Study Purpose

The purpose of the Colquitt County LRTP is to identify long-range transportation needs, determine the resources to meet those needs, and to provide a framework of projects that address the transportation needs of the county. While Colquitt County is not within a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) service area, the transportation plan development process methodology followed the guidelines established for MPO's. Including the guidelines from these additional agencies creates a more rigorous process and establishes a strong framework for transportation planning and decision-making. The format of the LRTP, and the process by which it was developed, is prescribed by federal legislation known as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). LRTPs are required to have a planning horizon of 20 or more years. This timeframe provides a basic structure and overall goal for meeting the long-term transportation needs for the community. Since factors such as demographics, forecast revenue, and project costs change over time, long range transportation plans should be updated at least every five years.

The existing conditions established in the first half of this report form the foundation for the technical analyses completed as part of the LRTP development process. Evaluation

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factors were established to assess both the existing and future transportation networks. Deficiencies and operating conditions were documented and ultimately used to develop the recommended improvements for Colquitt County.

1.2 Study Area Description

Colquitt County is located about 20 miles west of the I-75 corridor in southwest Georgia. Moultrie, the County seat, is 65 miles northeast of Tallahassee, Florida; 49 miles northwest of Valdosta, Georgia; 38 miles southeast of Albany, Georgia, and 27 miles southwest of Tifton, Georgia. Colquitt County is bordered by Worth and Tift Counties to the north; Cook County to the east; Thomas and Brooks Counties to the south; and Mitchell County to the west. Other municipalities in Colquitt County are Berlin, Doerun, Ellenton, Funston, Norman Park, and Riverside.

Colquitt County covers a land area of just over 556 square miles. The land use is predominantly agricultural. Moultrie hosts the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, a yearly event showcasing the latest technology in the farming industry, which historically draws about 200,000 visitors. Along with agriculture, important sectors of Colquitt's economy are manufacturing, retail trade, and healthcare and social assistance. Major employers include:
Sanderson Farm Processing Riverside Manufacturing Colquitt County Regional Medical Center/ Hospital Authority National Beef Packing Company Walmart Associates, Inc.

Colquitt County is part of the Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center (SWGRDC). The study area is displayed in Figure 1.2.

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Figure 1.2 Study Area

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1.3 Study Process
Figure 1.3 outlines the process of developing a long-range transportation plan for Colquitt County.
Figure 1.3 Study Process

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Detailed information for all analysis elements is provided in the following sections. It is within this framework that the existing conditions data was identified for collection, analyzed, and established as a baseline condition for the transportation system within the study area.

Data collection sources are documented in Appendix A.

1.4 Planning Partners
The mission of GDOT is to provide a "safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to its citizens and the environment." GDOT has responsibility to plan, construct, maintain and improve the State's roads and bridges. The State of Georgia constitution dictates that proceeds from the State's motor fuel tax be solely used on roads and bridges. Non-road and bridge construction projects are supported by a combination of state general funds, federal funds, and local funds. GDOT provides planning and financial support for other modes of transportation such as mass transit and airports and is partially responsible for waterways and ports as well as rail transit.
The Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center (SWGRDC) is "a regional state planning agency covering Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties in southwest Georgia. The SWGRDC provides a variety of services to localities throughout the region and are governed by the region. Services range from traditional planning services, zoning ordinance planning and economic development, to more specific areas such as human services and transportation." The SWGRDC is an active partner in the Long Range Transportation Plan process, providing geographical information system (GIS) data and recent planning documents and contributing valuable insight into the transportation issues affecting Colquitt County and the region.
Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) "operates a host of state and federal grant programs; serves as the state's lead agency in housing finance and development; promulgates building codes to be adopted by local governments; provides comprehensive planning, technical and research assistance to local governments; and serves as the lead agency for the state's solid waste reduction efforts." One of the functions of the DCA is to review Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs), which "are large-scale developments that are likely to have regional effects beyond the local government jurisdiction in which they are located."
The Colquitt County Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining roads and bridges. The department installs driveways on county right-of-way, repairs potholes, and removes debris from ditches, and provides grading on unpaved roads every two to three weeks, weather permitting. The department is responsible for maintenance of the roadway shoulders, mowing, and road sign installation and maintenance.

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City representatives will provide knowledge related to transportation issues affecting their local jurisdiction. The Moultrie-Colquitt Chamber of Commerce staff will provide information regarding economic development initiatives and needs of the existing business community.

2.0 Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are the foundation of the long range planning process. They guide the development of the LRTP by providing a basis for evaluating transportation plan improvements reflecting the intentions that the Plan is meant to achieve. It is necessary to establish long-range goals and objectives to guide the transportation plan development process for Colquitt County. The goals represent the general themes and overall direction that Colquitt County and its residents envision for the future of the County. The objectives provide additional specificity and focus for each associated goal. Combined, they provide the policy framework for development and implementation of the transportation plan.
2.1 Background
Goals and objectives should be consistent with relevant federal, state, and local plans and legislation. With the passage of SAFETEA-LU, eight factors must now be considered when a MPO develops an LRTP. It is understood that Colquitt County is not within an MPO service area; however, the guidelines for MPO's were followed to provide a strong framework for transportation decisions. Specifically, the LRTP must be designed to:
Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency;
Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users;
Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users;
Increase the accessibility and mobility of people and for freight; Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve
the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns; Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight; Promote efficient system management and operation; and, Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.
2.2 Methodology
The goals and objectives were developed based on a review of relevant planning documents including the Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan (2008-2028) and the GDOT Statewide Transportation Plan. These studies were presented at two study advisory group meetings for comment and approval.

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Table 2.2, excerpted from the "SAFETEA-LU Users Guide," shows how LRTP policies and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) evaluation criteria are related. There can be different ways of evaluating projects for the same SAFETEA-LU planning factors, depending on whether systems or individual projects are being evaluated.

Table 2.2 Applying the SAFETEA-LU Planning Factors

Factor 1. Support the economic
vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency
2. Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users

Long Range Considerations
Intermodal facilities Rail and port access Public/private
partnerships Land use policies Economic
development Energy consumption
Community access Social equity System upgrades

3. Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users

Accessibility Reliability

4. Increase the accessibility and mobility of people and for freight

Multi-modal considerations
Transit accessibility and level of service

Project Selection Criteria
Community integration Long-term, meaningful
employment opportunities
Accessibility Modal connectivity Infrastructure impacts

Sample Projects
Demand management
System preservation
Planned community development
Transit-oriented design

Number of crashes Number of rail grade
crashes Bicycle and pedestrian
crashes
Crashes Potential for security
hazard Access to critical
infrastructure Access to power
sources Access to reservoirs Access to population
centers Prevention of
bottlenecks Segmentation prevented Intermodal connectivity Community-based
economic development

Sidewalks Rail crossing
upgrades Traffic calming Dedicated right-of-
way for different modes System access and security Bridge security
System maintenance
Intermodal facilities Planned
Communities Mixed use zoning Transit-oriented
development

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Factor

Long Range Considerations

Project Selection Criteria

5. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns
6. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight
7. Promote efficient system management and operation
8. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system

Air and water quality
Energy consumption
Livability of communities --social cohesion, physical connection, urban design, and potential for growth

Environmental impact
Emissions reductions
Waterway preservation
Preservation and conservation of resources

Intermodal transfer facilities
Rail access roads Container policies Freight policies/needs

Intermodal connectivity
Accessibility for people and freight
Congestion relief

Life cycle costs

Use of existing system

Development of intermodal congestion strategies
Deferral of capacity increases

Congestion impacts
Community and natural impacts
Maintenance of existing facilities

Maintenance priorities
Demand reduction strategies
Reasonable growth assumptions
Alternative modes

Maintenance vs. new capacity
Reallocates use among modes
Reflects planning strategies

Source: SAFETEA-LU Users Guide

Sample Projects Land use controls Demand
management Scenic and historic
preservation Planned community
development Transit services Transit-oriented
development
Intermodal facilities Modal coordination
with social services
Traffic, incident and congestion management programs
Management System development
Maintenance of roads, bridges, highways, rail
Traffic calming Take-a-lane HOV Enhancement of
alternative modes

2.3 Consistency with Other Planning Documents
In addition to SAFETEA-LU, goals and objectives should also be consistent with other state and local plans, such as local comprehensive plans and regional policy plans. In this way, the goals and objectives of the LRTP support the planning efforts of local governments and agencies. In particular, emphasis was placed on the Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan (2008-2028).

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Key transportation related goals, objectives and strategies from Colquitt County's most recently adopted Comprehensive Plan emphasize Crossroad Communities, Agricultural Area, Suburban Area Development, and Gateway Corridors. The following vision statements and objectives are derived from the Colquitt County Community Agenda (2028).

2.3.1 Crossroads Communities
The Colquitt Community Agenda (2028) emphasizes the importance of preserving Crossroads Communities (Autreyville, Bay, Barbers, Center Hill, Cool Springs, Crosland, Harsfield, Minnesota, Murphy, New Elm, Pineboro, Schley, Sigsbee and Ticknor) by guiding new, smart pedestrian friendly residential development and commercial centers towards areas with existing infrastructure in place.
Vision: Planned residential communities where new development could be focused that offers the appeal of country living but provides community services and commercial activities within walking distance.
Objectives: Infill Development, Housing Opportunities (range of housing size, cost and density), Traditional Neighborhood development patterns, Growth Preparedness (each community should identify and put in place the prerequisites for the type of growth it seeks to achieve), and Open Space Preservation.
2.3.2 Agricultural Area
The Colquitt Community Agenda (2028) emphasizes the importance of preserving and enhancing agricultural areas in the face of advancing development through such methods as clustering development to preserve open space, preservation of environmentally sensitive areas, and requiring large lot sizes to limit density.
Vision: Pristine agricultural land that has avoided unnecessary intrusion by non-farm related activities and continues to be a source of pride and an economic driver within the community.
Objectives: Appropriate Business (business should be suitable for a community in terms of skills required, linkages to other economic activity in the area, impact on resources, and future prospects for expansion and creation of higher-skill job opportunities), Open Space Preservation and Environmental Protection
2.3.3 Suburban Area Development
The Colquitt Community Agenda (2028) emphasizes the importance of pedestrian/bicycle friendly suburban development that encourages mixed price/mixed style housing and the preservation of open space. Urban growth/service boundaries should also be employed to curtail growth outside a certain area.

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Vision: An area of low density single-family development with links to the city by way of decentralized services that still maintains a suburban feel and fosters a neighborhood atmosphere.

Objectives: Growth Preparedness (each community should identify and put in place the prerequisites for the type of growth it seeks to achieve), Traditional Neighborhood, Open Space Preservation and Housing Opportunities (range of housing size, cost and density).

2.3.4 Gateway Corridors

The Colquitt Community Agenda (2028) emphasizes the importance of planning for the growth of traffic and commercial projects on SR 37, SR 133 and US 319. This includes placing neighborhood commercial centers on infill sites, having landscaped medians in the roadways, and a preference for redevelopment of older strip commercial centers in lieu of new construction further down the strip and restrictions on the number and size of signs and billboards.

Vision: An aesthetically pleasing network of rural highways that aid in efficient travel across the County while serving as welcome ambassadors to visitors that travel along them.

Objectives: Open Space Preservation, Environmental Protection, Redevelopment of existing commercial sites in lieu of new construction on underdeveloped sites.

2.4 Transportation Goals and Objectives

Based on input from County officials and local stakeholders, the following goals and objectives were established for the Colquitt County Multi-Modal Transportation Plan to guide the transportation decision-making process:

Goal 1: Keep and improve the land use and transportation connection

Objective 1.1

The Long Range Transportation Plan shall be reviewed annually in conjunction with the annual project priority listing to evaluate the impact of any changes in the future land use element of the local government Comprehensive Plans, approved during the previous year, on the overall transportation system.

Objective 1.2

Identify roadway linkages between major travel destinations such as downtown areas and residential areas that are operating, or will operate, below acceptable minimum levels of service and develop transportation and land use strategies to overcome these conditions.

Objective 1.3 Coordinate transportation and land use decision-making to encourage viability of alternative modes.

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Objective 1.4 As development is permitted, review the impact to the transportation system to ensure mobility is protected as parcel level development occurs.

Goal 2: Protect natural resources parks, streams/lakes, agricultural land, and historic sites

Objective 2.1 Improve the environmental quality of transportation decision-making by incorporating context sensitive solutions principles in all aspects of planning and the project development process.

Objective 2.2 Consider the overall social, land use compatibility, economic, energy, and environmental effects when making transportation decisions.

Objective 2.3 Identify potential environmental impacts early on in the transportation decision-making process to protect significant natural and cultural resources.

Goal 3: Enhance countywide mobility through improved roadway connectivity

Objective 3.1
. Objective 3.2

Identify potential projects that provide key linkages between existing roadway facilities and/or improve linkages by upgrading existing facilities on a grid-like system.
Existing and future roadway deficiencies, based on level of service standards, shall be addressed through solutions that connect, as well as enhance, existing roadways.

Goal 4: Ensure that our transportation system is safe for all users and Citizens
Objective 4.1 Reduce transportation related accidents, injuries, and deaths through regular analysis of high crash locations and identification of safety related funding streams.
Objective 4.2 Identify projects that address high crash locations and other safety related issues.

Goal 5: Protect Downtown areas by removing trucks and other through traffic
Objective 5.1 Consider transportation investments and land use management strategies that remove or discourage heavy trucks from cutting through downtown areas.

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Goal 6: Improve the range of mobility options for our Citizens
Objective 6.1 Ensure that funding is established for bicycle and pedestrian improvements identified in the Long Range Transportation Plan.
Objective 6.2 Develop and review annually the Transit Development Plan (TDP) and Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP) to provide for public transit and Paratransit.
Objective 6.3 Coordinate transportation and land use decision making to ensure viability of alternative modes.
Objective 6.4 Update the Long Range Transportation Plan a minimum of every five years to evaluate and provide for future needed transportation system links within the County.

3.0 Planning Context
3.1 Demographic Information
The demographic overview of the County documents the historic population growth, future population projections, environmental justice population, and existing employment. According to the 2000 US Census, the most recent data available, Colquitt County ranks 45 out of 159 counties in Georgia in terms of population. Table 3.1.1 presents select demographic data to illustrate the characteristics of the population and households in Colquitt County and other socio-economic factors.
Table 3.1.1 Year 2000 General Demographic Characteristics

Demographic Total Population Median Age Total Population in Occupied Housing Units Average Household Size Total Housing Units Occupied Housing Units Owner-Occupied Housing Units Renter-Occupied Housing Units

Colquitt
42,053
33.7
40,791
2.63
17,554 15,495 (88.3% of total) 10,328 (66.7% of total) 5,167

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Demographic
School Enrollment (Age 3+) Percent High School Graduate or Higher Total Disabled Population (Age 5+) Percent of Population in Same House in 1995
Source: 2000 US Census

Colquitt (33.3% of total)
10,489 (24.9% of total)
64.9%
9,663
54.5%

Approximately 58 percent of Colquitt County residents (24,575) live outside of the cities. The data in Table 3.1.2 is from 2000 US Census, the most recent data available, and shows the rural and urban population breakdown for the year 2000.

Table 3.1.2 Area Population

City

Population

Berlin

595

Doerun

828

Ellenton

336

Funston

426

Norman Park

849

Moultrie

14,387

Riverside

57

Within city limits

17,478

Outside of city limits 24,575

Colquitt Total
Source: 2000 US Census

42,053

The demographic data demonstrates the percent of disabled individuals in Colquitt County is 25.5 percent, which is above the statewide average of 19.0 percent. The US Census Bureau defines disability as:
"A long-lasting physical, mental, or emotional condition. This condition can make it difficult for a person to do activities such as walking, climbing stairs, dressing, bathing, learning, or remembering. This condition can also impede a person from being able to go outside the home alone or to work at a job or business."

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3.2 Historic Population Growth
Over the past 20 years, Colquitt County has experienced a 19 percent increase in total population, which is less than the State of Georgia, which had a 50 percent increase in total population. Table 3.2.1 illustrates the growth trends from 1900 to 2000. Information in Table 3.2.1 shows that the area has had a lower historical growth compared to the growth trend for the State of Georgia between 1980 - 2000. The average annual population growth of Colquitt County from 1980 to 2000 was 0.86 percent.
Table 3.2.1 Historical Population Profile

County

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

Percent Change 1980 - 2000

Colquitt 13,636

29,332

33,012

34,048

35,376

42,053

19%

Georgia 2,216,331 2,895,832 3,123,723 3,943,116 5,462,982 8,186,453
Source: 2000 US Census

50%

The US Census Bureau conducts annual population estimates to supplement data collected for the decennial census. Table 3.2.2 provides the annual population estimates and shows the percentage population change from previous year experienced by Colquitt County since 2000. The average annual population growth of Colquitt County from 2000 to 2007 was 0.80 percent, which closely matches the County's growth from 1980-2000.

Table 3.2.2 Annual Population Estimates - April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007

April 1, 2000

Estimate Base

Census

July 1, 2000

July 1, 2001

July 1, 2002

July 1, 2003

July 1, 2004

July 1, 2005

July 1, 2006

July 1, 2007

42,038 42,053 42,129

Annual Percent

Change from

0.2%

Previous Year

Source: US Census

42,291 0.4%

42,742 1.1%

42,862 0.3%

43,360 1.2%

43,449 0.2%

44,217 1.8%

44,814 1.4%

3.3 Future Population Projections
Through the study horizon of 2035, the population trend for Colquitt County is expected to increase at a rate consistent with past growth. In the Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan (2008-2028), a one percent population growth rate was applied to calculate future

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population. This growth trend is expected to continue as the area maintains a rural, agrarian community.

Table 3.3.1 displays the projected growth as estimated in the Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan 2008 with a planning horizon of 2028. The study projected a one percent increase in population each year.

Table 3.3.1 Projected Population

County

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020

Total population 42,053

43,722

45,392

47,061

48,730

Berlin

595

609

624

638

652

Doerun

828

770

711

653

594

Ellenton

336

351

366

380

395

Funston

426

448

471

493

515

Moultrie

14,387

14,057

13,727

13,396

13,066

Norman Park

849

872

895

918

941

**Moultrie city: Population

14,387

15,260

15,696

16,132

16,568

Sources: Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan 2007-2028 ** Based on information taken from 2006 population estimates from the US Census Bureau

2025 50,399
666 536 410 537 12,736 964 17,004

2030 52,069
681 477 425 560 12,400 987 17,440

3.4 Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice (EJ) Executive Order 12898 defines EJ populations as persons belonging to any of the following groups:
Black; Hispanic; Asian American; American Indian or Alaskan Native; and, Low-Income a person whose household income (or in the case of a
community or group, whose median household income) is at or below the US Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines.
Environmental justice is intended to acknowledge minority and low-income populations that have been historically underrepresented in the transportation planning process and ensure that these groups are not disproportionately impacted as a result of transportation improvement recommendations.

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The intent of EJ analysis is to locate these populations and to involve them early and continuously through the decision-making process, as well as use data to analytically assess if there would be a disproportionate impact on traditionally underrepresented communities. The following sections document the location of minority and low-income populations.

Minority Populations

The minority populations for Colquitt County were identified and analyzed using the 2000 Census data. This census data was reviewed by census block group and shows concentrations of minority populations located in the central portions of Colquitt County, while denser concentrations of minorities are located in and near Moultrie. The average minority population in Colquitt County is 31.3 percent while the statewide average is 34.9 percent.

The minority census block groups as a percentage of the county population are displayed in Figure 3.4.1.

Low-Income Population

The second component of EJ, poverty level, was also analyzed using the 2000 Census data. This census data was reviewed by census block group. Similar to the minority population, there are concentrations of low-income residents located in the City of Moultrie. The average number of residents below the poverty line in Colquitt County is 19 percent while the statewide average is 13 percent. The low-income census blocks are displayed in Figure 3.4.2.

Historically underrepresented populations were identified as part of this analysis and extra efforts were made to include these groups in the planning process. Representation from these groups was actively sought out for inclusion in the study advisory group and advertised public meetings used media to reach these groups. Areas in the City of Moultrie and surrounding areas were included. These areas were evaluated to ensure that transportation improvements would benefit and not disproportionately impact these areas in a negative manner. The following tasks were conducted for the identified low-income and minority census tracks:

Coordinated with the Study Advisory Group (see Table 12.0 page 87 for members) to identify leaders within these communities;
Analyzed recommended projects to ensure that disproportionate impacts did not accrue to these communities; and,
Analyzed recommended improvements to ensure that mobility benefits accrued to these communities including bicycle and pedestrian and public transportation amenities.

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Figure 3.4.1 Minority Population Locations

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Figure 3.4.2 Low-Income Threshold Population Locations

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3.5 Employment Data
In Colquitt County, manufacturing is the largest employment sector accounting for over 24 percent of the total jobs. Other important sectors are agricultural, educational services, health care services, retail and trade. Using the Georgia Department of Labor 2007 annual average employment data, the major employers for Colquitt County are listed below.
Sanderson Farms, Inc. (1,407 employees) Colquitt County Hospital Authority (831 employees) Riverside Mfg Co. (678 employees) National Beef Packing Co. (496 employees) Wal-Mart Associates, Inc. (375 employees)
The number, type, and location of jobs has direct implications on the types of transportation facilities needed by business operators and employees in the area. Table 3.5.1 shows the major categories of jobs and industries located in Colquitt County.

Table 3.5.1 Existing Industry Jobs
Industry Type Accommodation and Food Services Administrative, Support and Waste Management Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting Arts, Entertainment, Recreation Construction Educational Services Finance & Insurance Health Care & Social Assistance Information Management of Companies & Enterprises Manufacturing Other Services Professional, Scientific & Technical Services Public Administration Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

Colquitt County 854 269 1,528 79 546 1,795 402 1,866 181 63 3,920 524 220 830 131

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Industry Type Retail & Trade Transportation & Warehousing Utilities Wholesale Trade TOTAL
Source: Georgia Department of Labor 2007

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Colquitt County 1,919 376 82 429 16,013

According to the 2000 US Census, the most recent data available, Colquitt County's per capita income in 1999 was lower than Georgia's statewide average of $21,154 and the national average of $21,587. The per capita income for Colquitt County in 1999 was $14,457.
Transportation mobility for workers in Colquitt County is an important consideration for the Plan. Most workers (94.2 percent) rely on roadway-based transportation for commute trips, either by driving alone or carpooling. About six percent (5.8 percent) of workers in Colquitt County commuted by transit/taxi, biked or walked, motorcycled or commuted by other means, or worked at home. Table 3.5.2 illustrates the breakdowns in commuting modes for Colquitt County.

Table 3.5.2 Existing Work Commute Patterns

Work Commute

Colquitt County Percentage

Statewide Total Percentage

Total Workers (Age 16+) Drove Alone Carpooled Transit/Taxi Biked or Walked Motorcycle or Other Means Worked at Home Mean Travel Time to Work (min.)
Source: 2000 US Census

17,806 12,778 3,992
149 364 210 313 22.5

100% 71.8% 22.4% 0.8% 2.0% 1.2% 1.8%

3,832,803 2,968,910 557,062
90,030 65,776 42,039 108,986
27.7

100% 78% 15% 2% 2% 1% 3%

The Colquitt County journey to work data differs for some modes of travel from the statewide averages. About 6 percent fewer people drove alone in Colquitt County than

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across the state, and over 7 percent more people in Colquitt County carpooled than did so across the state. The mean travel time to work is over 5 minutes less than the statewide average. Approximately 77 percent of employed residents living in Colquitt County work in Colquitt County.

Table 3.5.3 Work Commute Changes

Work Commute

Colquitt County
1990

Total Workers (Age 16+)

16,127

Drove Alone

11,798

Carpooled

2,622

Transit/Taxi

81

Biked or Walked

747

Motorcycle or Other Means

340

Worked at Home

539

Mean Travel Time to Work (min.)

17.3

Source: 2000 US Census

Colquitt County
2000
17,806
12,778 3,992 149 364
210
313
22.5

2005-2007 American Community Survey
(ACS)

18,802 13,354 4,030
316 429 211 462

+/-3.5 +/-3.2 +/-1.2 +/-1.1 +/-0.5 +/-1.2 +/-3.5

22.8

+/-3.2

Percentage Change 2000 to 2005-
2007 ACS Estimate
-0.80%
-1.00% 0.90% 0.30% -0.10%
0.70%
-0.80%
0.3

The 2005-2007 American Community Survey Estimates reveal relatively no change since the 2000 US Census. Additionally, a comparison analysis of 1990 to 2000 US Census data reveals that biked or walked to work as a means of transportation to work has decreased by over half (51.3%) since 1990, from 747 persons in 1990 to 364 persons in 2000 and is about a 1% decrease as a percentage of the total worker population. Carpooling increased over half (52.3%) over the same ten-year period and represents a 6.2% increase as a percentage of the total worker population.

Table 3.5.4 Commuter Patterns

County Where Employed Number Percentage County of Residence Number Percentage

Colquitt Tift
Dougherty

13,708

77.1

935

5.3

911

5.1

Colquitt Thomas Worth

13,708

86.7

390

2.5

265

1.7

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County Where Employed Number Percentage County of Residence Number Percentage

Thomas Cook
Mitchell Worth Lowndes Other Total Residents

464 323 289 234 222 705 17,791

2.6 1.8 1.6 1.3 1.2 4.0 100.0

Lowndes Mitchell
Tift Brooks Cook Other Total Residents

Source: U.S. Census Bureau - 2000 County-To-County Worker Flow Files.

190 171 159 145 98 692 16,818

1.2 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.6 4.4 100.0

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Figure 3.5.1 Major Agricultural Employment Center Locations

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Figure 3.5.2 Major Manufacturing Employment Center Locations

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Land Use and Development

The existing and future land use patterns for Colquitt County shows a substantial percentage of land devoted to agricultural land uses. Discussions with the planning staff of Colquitt County revealed the anticipated residential development in the vicinity south of Moultrie. These two factors suggest that transportation projects will be required to adequately service future travel demand. As vehicles used in agricultural production and transportation become larger, wider roadways will be needed to provide safe travel in Colquitt County. Colquitt County has six Development of Regional Impact (DRI) studies as shown in Table 3.6.1

Table 3.6.1 Development of Regional Impact Studies

DRI ID #

Project Name

1938

Highland Place Apartments

1529 1478

Iris Court
Residential Planned Unit Development, 31st Avenue S.E., Moultrie,
GA 31768

885

Iris Court

875

Sloan Village

618

Sanderson Farms

Source: DCA

Development Type

County/ City

Housing

Colquitt/Moultrie

Housing

Colquitt/Moultrie

Housing

Colquitt/Moultrie

Housing

Colquitt

Housing

Colquitt/Moultrie

Industrial

Colquitt

Initial Form Submitted 8/21/2008 7/24/2007 6/14/2007
8/1/2005 7/20/2005 7/14/2004

Current Status
Completed, in the best interest of the region and therefore
of the state Initial Form Submitted
Initial Form Submitted
Completed, in the best interest of the region and therefore
of the state Additional Form
Submitted Completed, in the best interest of the region and therefore
of the state

To assess the impact of existing land use on the transportation system the following types of areas were identified for Colquitt County: major residential areas; key activity centers; key employment centers; and primary travel corridors. Major residential areas are in Moultrie as well as Norman Park and Doerun to a lesser extent. Key activity and employment centers areas are in downtown Moultrie and along major roadways such as SR 133, US 319, and the East Moultrie Bypass. Finally, primary travel corridors were identified as US 319, SR 133, SR 33, SR 37, SR 111, and SR 202. The existing land use map for Colquitt County is presented in Figure 3.6.1. The future land use map for Colquitt County is presented in Figure 3.6.2.

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Figure 3.6.1 Existing Land Use

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Figure 3.6.2 Future Land Use

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Social and Community Places

Community facilities, schools, recreational areas, parks, and community identified special places were documented and mapped. Table 3.6.2 lists the schools in Colquitt County. Norman Park Baptist Assembly in Norman Park is located on US 319 and is unique to the area and draws visitors from across the Southeast. The Moultrie/Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department is a county-wide service which is jointly funded by the City of Moultrie and Colquitt County. The department maintains 225 acres of parks and facilities which include three ball field complexes, two public pools, one Olympic Diving well and dry land facility, one interactive play pool, 8.23 miles of paved linear bike/walking trail, two gymnasiums, two youth center, a tennis center with eight lighted courts, one fish pond, one community center, and several neighborhood parks and playgrounds.

Table 3.6.2 Colquitt Schools

Schools Cox Elementary

Address 1275 11th Avenue SE, Moultrie

Doerun Elementary

111 Mathis Avenue, Doerun

Funston Elementary

137 N. Academy Street, Funston

Hamilton Elementary

5110 Georgia Hwy 111, Hartsfield

Norman Park Elementary

249 W. Weeks Street, Norman Park

Odom Elementary

2902 Sardis Church Road, Moultrie

Okapilco Elementary Stringfellow Elementary

3300 Sylvester Highway, Moultrie 200 5th Avenue SW, Moultrie

Sunset Elementary Wright Elementary Willie Williams Middle School Gray Middle School

98 US 319, Moultrie 1812 2nd Street SE, Moultrie 950 4th Street SW, Moultrie 812 11th Avenue NW, Moultrie

Colquitt High School

1800 Park Avenue, Moultrie

New Beginning Christian Academy 26th Avenue close to YMCA

Liberty Christian School

Cook Road

Environmental Resources
Environmentally sensitive areas, historic resources and districts, and natural resources, streams, and rivers were documented and mapped.

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Colquitt County has eight properties on the National Register of Historic Places and one district. Table 3.6.3 lists the resource and provides a location description.
Table 3.6.3 Historic Resources

National Historic Register Resource

Description

Moultrie Commercial Historic District (1859 Roughly bounded by NE. First Ave., SE. Second Ave., W. First

1914)

St. and E. Fourth St., Moultrie

Ashburn, W. W., House (1900 1901)

609 1St Avenue, Moultrie

Colquitt County Courthouse (1902

Courthouse Square

Coleman, James W., House (1903

SR 33, Moultrie

Mother Easter Baptist Church and Parsonage (1906 1941)
Carnegie Library of Moultrie (1908-

400 Second Ave, NW, Moultrie 39 North Main Street, Moultrie

Colquitt County Jail (1915Moultrie High School (1928 1929)

126 1st Ave., SE, Moultrie 7th Avenue, Moultrie

Tucker, Henry Crawford, Log House and Farmstead

Off SR 37, Moultrie

Reed Bingham State Park, located in Colquitt County, consists of 1,620 acres of land used for nature trails, bicycle trails, putt-putt golf, fishing, swimming, and passive recreation. Programs offered include activities such as campfire chats, movies, and scavenger hunts.
The Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog Natural Area is a 650 acre natural area with excellent populations of pitcher plant species, wildflowers and longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystems and is one of Georgia's largest remaining pitcher-plant bogs. The area is protected and managed by the Department of Natural Resources.
Table 3.6.4 Natural Resources

Lake Name County Owner Surface Area (acres) Reed Bingham Lake GA. DNR (398.8)

Murphy Lake

Colquitt County (25)

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Figure 3.6.3 Community Resources

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Coordination with Previous Studies and Programs

An effective transportation plan accounts for previous planning efforts to ensure continuity between planning documents and to ensure that goals and related improvements for the transportation system are consistent with the established community vision. Several studies and planning documents contribute to the community vision for the County. These following planning studies and programs were reviewed and key results summarized:

GDOT's State Transportation Improvement Program and Six Year Construction Work Program;
Ongoing GDOT Projects Coordination; GDOT's Southwest Georgia Interstate Study GDOT's Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan; Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan for the Southwest Georgia RDC Colquitt County's Comprehensive Plan Scenic Byways Designation GDOT Southwest Georgia Multi-County Study

3.6 GDOT's State Transportation Improvement Program & Six Year Construction Work Program
In addition to current studies, there are existing planned and programmed multi-modal improvements in Colquitt County. The projects identified are those listed in the FY 20082011 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and FY 2008-2013 Six Year Construction Work Program (CWP). Planned and programmed improvements for Colquitt County include bridge rehabilitation / replacement, roadway widening, and intersection realignment/ improvements. The STIP and CWP were reviewed for projects within and impacting Colquitt County and these projects are displayed in Tables 4.1. Additionally, these projects were given a study ID number and are mapped in Figure 4.1. GDOT defines committed projects as those in the construction phase. It is anticipated that the bridge replacement projects listed will have an identified funding source.

Table 4.1 Colquitt County 2008-2011 STIP

Project Prime Work

Id

Type

Description

0000520 0000545 0000546 00008836

Widening Widening Widening Widening

SR 133 Fm S of SR 35/US 319 to N of Colquitt Co. Line
SR 133 Fm CR 1/Old Quitman Adel Rd/Brooks to CR 256/Colquitt
SR 133 Fm CR 256/Southerland Ave to CR 388/North Pine Drive
SR 133 Fm CR 388 (Spence Field) to SR 35 (E. Moultrie Bypass)

Program EDS EDS EDS EDS

Construction Date
Long Range Long Range Long Range Long Range

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Project Prime Work

Id

Type

Description

0004918 0005329 0007477

Widening Widening Realignment

SR 37 from SR 111 to Okapilco Creek in Moultrie
SR 33/US 319BU One-way pair fm N of Tallokas to SE 2nd Ave
SR 133 @ CR 238/Industrial Dr & SE 5th Ave & Old Adel Rd

0001358

Bridge

SR 37 at Okapilco Creek East Moultrie

431100

Bridge

SR 256 at Warrior Creek 2mi N of Norman Park

471455

Bridge

CR 186/Hagin Still Rd at Ochlockonee River SE of Doerun

Source: GDOT Office of Planning

Program
Q20 Q05 LS30 L1CO L1CO LOC

Construction Date
Long Range Long Range Long Range
2010 2011 Local

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Figure 4.1 GDOT Planned & Programmed Projects

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SR 133 Project Coordination

Coordination with the stakeholders of the currently planned SR 133 project has occurred. The SR 133 project through Colquitt County plans to widen SR 133 from two-lanes to fourlanes and add a bypass on new location north of the City of Doerun. As of 2009, the project is in the right-of-way stage. Currently, construction is programmed in long-range.
3.7 GDOT's Southwest Georgia Interstate Study

GDOT's Office of Planning identified the need for such a study in its Fiscal Year 2007 Work Program to determine "if a freeway connecting Albany to the Interstate system was warranted." The study will identify transportation needs, examine potential alignments/corridors, and develop cost estimates for study-recommended improvements.

The study area includes 32 counties in southwest Georgia located west of I-75, from the City of Columbus south to the Florida state line and west to the Alabama state line. Counties included in the study area are: Baker, Brooks, Calhoun, Chattahoochee, Clay, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, Miller, Mitchell, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Webster, and Worth. The study will investigate all of southwest Georgia and identify the various capacity and operational needs to improve the region's access to the existing interstate system (I-75, I-185, and I-10).

The study initiated its data collection phase in the late fall of 2007. The study will conclude in the summer of 2009. The study is investigating all of Southwest Georgia and identifying all roadway capacity and operational needs to improve the region's access to I-185, I-75 and I-10. Existing and historic traffic data and transportation studies have been gathered and reviewed. Comprehensive Plans, land use, economic development and socioeconomic data were included. Existing conditions evaluation has been completed for current capacity and safety needs, as well as environmental constraints, economic development trends, local develop plans, and community benefits. Future year conditions include the development of a regional travel model to predict future year travel conditions and needs is currently underway.

The study will develop and evaluate hypothetical new Interstate Scenarios to identify potential corridors, estimate potential costs, and calculate benefit-to-cost ("B/C") ratios for up to four potential Interstate alignments. Later in the study, it will identify recommended improvements which, in addition to a new Interstate facility, could include capacity and operations improvements to existing routes including an upgrade to Interstate or nonInterstate standards, intersection improvements, and new grade-separations of existing intersections. Extensive public involvement is occurring. A Stakeholder group that functions in an advisory role has been established that includes locally-elected officials, appropriate local, state and Federal agencies, business and civic organizations, special interest and traditionally underserved groups.

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3.8 GDOT's Southwest Georgia Multi-County Study The project is being conducted in coordination with Crisp, Dooly, Macon, Peach, Sumter, and Worth Counties, multiple cities, and planning agencies with the study area. The purpose of the study is to identify and recommend transportation improvements necessary to provide safe and efficient movement of people and goods through the year 2035. This study will be completed in winter 2009.

3.9 GDOT's Statewide Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan

GDOT's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (GABPP) was approved in August 1997 and focuses on developing a statewide primary route network. The network contains 14 routes totaling 2,943 miles. A statewide advisory Group consisting of staff from GDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Regional Development Centers, the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, the Georgia Municipal Associations, local planning departments, bicycle clubs, and other state agencies evaluated each proposed corridor and defined route. The goals developed as part of that study include:

Promote non-motorized transportation as a means of congestion mitigation; Promote non-motorized transportation as an environmentally friendly means of
mobility; Promote connectivity of non-motorized facilities with other modes of
transportation; Promote bicycling and walking as mobility options in urban and rural areas of
the state; Develop a transportation network of primary bicycle routes throughout the state
to provide connectivity for intrastate and interstate bicycle travel; and, Promote establishment of US numbered bicycle routes in Georgia as part of a
national network of bicycle routes.

Several factors were used in evaluating routes, including: accident history; total traffic volumes and truck volumes; speeds; shoulder and travel lane width; pavement condition; network connectivity; access to cities and to major points of interest; aesthetics; and the presence of potentially hazardous spot conditions. Bicyclists were considered the primary users of this route network; however, pedestrian friendly designs are used in urban areas and paved shoulders are constructed on rural sections.

GDOT's Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was reviewed to identify proposed facilities in Colquitt County and revealed that State Bicycle Route 15/Central Route falls within the bounds of the study area. Section 9.0, Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, provides further detail about the location and conditions of this State Bicycle Route and other bike and pedestrian facilities within the county.

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3.10 Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
Tom White Park in Moultrie contains trails on old railroad beds. The trail is 5 miles long, about 8 feet wide, and is open to bikes and pedestrians.

The downtown area of Moultrie is filled with shops connected via bike and pedestrian facilities.

In Southwest Georgia, many of the county school systems are located along state highways. As a result, these schools have limited or no bike and pedestrian connections. There are schools in Albany, Pelham, Baconton, Thomasville, Cairo, and Bainbridge connected with the cities by pedestrian networks. Schools in Moultrie are within close proximity or are connected to bike and pedestrian facilities within the city.

Potential New Bike Routes recommended by SWGRDC in Colquitt County

New bike routes were recommended along SR 33 to Moultrie and downtown to Main Street as well as from Tom White Park to airport and then to SR 33 to Pavo, Georgia.

Bicycle Improvements

SR 33 from Sylvester to Moultrie US 319 from Moultrie to Thomasville

Southwest Georgia Regional Bike & Pedestrian Plan Implementation Strategy

The implementation strategy is the strategy on how to implement recommendations including identifying funding sources, proposed timeline, responsible agency or jurisdiction, short-term and long-term strategies.
Marketing/Outreach Programs

The SWGRDC provided recommendations to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety:

Establish and implement pedestrian and bicycle safety, education and training programs for children, teens, adults, seniors and motorists through a partnership with the schools, local law enforcement agencies in Terrell, Lee, Worth, Dougherty, Calhoun, Early, Miller, Seminole, Decatur, Grady, Thomas, Mitchell, Baker, and Colquitt Counties.
Establish a Bike-To-Work Day in the cities of Albany, Thomasville, Bainbridge, and Moultrie.

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Table 4.6 Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Network

Location

Program Years

Project Involvement Cost

Construct 6-foot paved shoulders for bicycle accessibility along SR 33 from 2008, 2009
Sylvester to Moultrie

Cities of Sylvester and

Moultrie, Worth and Colquitt 1.3

County

million

Construct a 6-foot paved shoulder along US 319 from Moultrie to Thomasville

Cities of Thomasville and

2008, 2009

Moultrie, Thomas and Colquitt 1.3

Counties

million

Source: Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, March 2005

Possible Funding Sources
State/Federal Grants, Local
State/Federal Grants, Local

Figure 4.6 SWGRDC Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan New Proposed Routes (2005)

Route 1: SR 45 from Terrell County line to Dawson, then to SR 520 to SR 55 south to Leary, SR 37 from Leary to SR 216 west to CR 69, then to CR 126 to SR 200 to Damascus, Georgia. From Damascus on SR 45 south to Colquitt to SR 91 to Donalsonville and from Donalsonville on SR 39 to Lake Seminole.
Route 2: From Leesburg on CR 4 (Lovers Lane Road) to Albany along Riverwalk and Broad Street to Radium Springs Road, south to Old Georgia 3 and on through Camilla, Pelham, Meigs and Thomasville.
Route 3: From Warwick on SR 313 to Sylvester to SR 33 to Moultrie and downtown to Main Street and Tom White Park to airport and then to SR 33 to Pavo and SR 122 back to Thomasville from Downtown Thomasville to Metcalfe Road to the Florida line.

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3.11 Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan

The Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan was completed in 2008. It is important to review the Comprehensive Plan because of the critical linkage between land use and transportation. Table 4.6 presents key findings in the Comprehensive Plan.

Table 4.7 Summary of 2008-2028 Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan

Key Data/Trends

Description

US Census

Population

1980: 35,376 1990: 36,645 2000: 42,053 2005: 43,722 2010: 45,392

2015: 47,061 2020: 48,730 2025: 50,399 2030: 52,069

Commute Patterns
Largest Employment Sectors in 2006

Approximately 4,100 residents of Colquitt County work outside the county and approximately 1,500 people commute into the county. The number one employment destination for those leaving Colquitt County is Tifton.
Manufacturing, Retail & Trade, Health Care & Social Services, Educational Services and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Mining are the largest employment sectors.

Land Uses

Land use in Colquitt County is predominately agricultural. Residential use is located near existing city limits and the area south of Moultrie is experiencing suburban subdivision development patterns. Commercial land use is located within existing city limits and along US 319 and SR 133. Industrial land use is located near the City of Moultrie.

Residential Uses There have been several new developments planned/built on Tallokas Road

Growth Areas in the County

Commercial Uses US 319 is seeing significant commercial growth. SR 133 is planned to be widened
and commercial growth is expected along this corridor
Industrial Uses Industrial parks are located near US 319, the east Bypass, and SR 133.

Parks/Recreation/Conservation Reed Bingham State Park, Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog Natural Area, Ochlocknee and
Okapilco Rivers

Planning Issues in Cities

Lack of pedestrian/bike facilities, need route based transit Emphasize traditional neighborhoods and infill development There is much substandard housing in certain areas (for instance, NW Moultrie
infill potential)

Land Use Issues

New, suburban housing is outpacing infrastructure improvements and expansion of services
Three is a lack of existing infrastructure in place in the county Emphasize preservation of Crossroads Communities

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Key Data/Trends

Description

TransportationRelated Goals, Objectives, and
Strategies

There is a need for more sidewalk/pedestrian and bike connectivity Enhance connectivity of rail to trail path with Moultrie and surrounding communities Affordable route-based transit system needed for those without cars, the elderly and
disabled population

3.12 State Route 37 Scenic Byway
State Route 37 has passed through the first two phases needed to become designed as a Scenic Byway by the GDOT. A Corridor Management Plan is needed to receive full, official designation. A Corridor Management Plan identifies resources to promote, protect, and enhance in order to preserve the qualities that make the byway worthy of designation.

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Existing Conditions Description
This section describes the existing condition and characteristics of the transportation network in Colquitt County by mode:
Roadway characteristics; Freight Transport Airport access; Transit; and Bicycle and Pedestrian
4.0 Roadway Characteristics
This section presents the characteristics of the roadways in Colquitt County. The data is provided from GDOT's Roadway Characteristics (RC) Database. The following data was reviewed as part of the study process:
Functional Classification; Road Lanes; Roadway Shoulders; and, Roadway Surface Type.
4.1 Functional Classification
Roadways are grouped into functional classes according to the character of traffic they are intended to serve. There are three highway functional classifications in Colquitt County: arterial, collector, and local roads, and these can be defined as:
Arterial - Provides the next highest level of service at moderate to high speeds, with some degree of access control. Arterials are typically classified as principal arterial and minor arterial.
Collector - Provides a lower level of service at a lower speed for shorter distances by collecting traffic from local roads and connecting them with arterials. Collectors are typically classified as major collector and minor collector.
Local - Consists of all roads not defined as arterials or collectors; primarily provides access to land with little or no through movement.
Colquitt County has approximately 389 lane miles of arterial and collector facilities in the study area. Figure 5.1 displays the functional class of roadways in Colquitt County.

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Figure 5.1 Roadway Functional Classification

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Table 5.1 displays the mileage and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for the different roadway classifications in Colquitt County. The County is served by multiple state roads, (approximately 16 percent of the lane miles) that handle 63 percent the traffic, which is consistent with the statewide averages of 16 percent of lane miles, handling 63 percent of the total traffic.

Table 5.1 Existing Mileage and Vehicle Miles Traveled

State Roads

County

Miles

VMT

County Roads

Miles

VMT

Local Roads

Miles

VMT

Total

Miles

VMT

Colquitt 142

711,881

878

471,427

125

137,989

1,146

1,321,297

State 18,066 192,333,604 84,118 89,159,091 14,502 23,319,169 116,685
Source: GDOT Office of Transportation Data-Mileage by Route Type and Road System Date: 12/31/06

304,811,865

4.2 Road Lanes

Another important attribute reviewed from GDOT's RC Database is the number of lanes provided on each road. The roads in the Colquitt County predominately serve bi-directional traffic in both directions. Additionally, the majority of the roads in the study area are 2-lane facilities. The dependency on a largely 2-lane roadway network may become strained in the future as traffic levels increase. Figure 5.2 displays the number of lanes on the roads in Colquitt County.

4.3 Roadway Shoulders

Another important attribute reviewed from GDOT's RC Database is roadway shoulders. For this analysis, both the shoulder type and shoulder width were reviewed to determine segments of roadways in need of potential shoulder upgrades. A wide variety of shoulder widths and types are present throughout Colquitt County. Insufficient shoulder width can contribute to travel speed reductions, potentially impact safety and influence bicycle and pedestrian usage. The following guidelines are used to determine potential shoulder deficiencies:

No shoulder or an unidentifiable shoulder; Grass shoulder less than 4 feet; and, Paved shoulder less than 2 feet.

Figure 5.3 displays the roadway shoulder type and widths according to GDOT's RC Database for Colquitt County. Roadway segments with potential deficient shoulders will become candidates for recommended upgrades.

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Figure 5.2 Roadway Lanes

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Figure 5.3 Roadway Shoulders

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Roadway Surface Type

The final attribute reviewed from GDOT's RC Database is roadway surface type. Roadway surface dramatically affects the capacity, useful life, and safety of a particular facility. The list below details the surface types used in the study area.

Paved Roads High Rigid - Portland cement concrete pavements with or without bituminous
surface if less than one inch. High Flexible - Mixed bituminous penetration road on a rigid or flexible base
with a combined (surface and base) thickness of seven inches or more. Includes any bituminous concrete, sheet asphalt, or rock asphalt. Mixed Bituminous Penetration - Low type (less than seven inches combined thickness surface and base). Surface is one inch or more. Mixed Bituminous Pavement - A road, the surface course of which is one inch or more in compacted thickness composed of gravel, stone, sand, or similar material, mixed with bituminous material under partial control as to grading and proportions. Bituminous Surfaced Treated - An earth road, a soil-surfaced road, or a gravel or stone road to which has been added by any process a bituminous surface course with or without a seal coat, the total compacted thickness which is less than one inch. Seal coats include those known as chip seals, drag seals, plant mix seals, and rock asphalt seals.

Unpaved Roads Gravel or Stone Road - A road, the surface of which consists of gravel or
stone. Surfaces may be stabilized. Graded and Drained - A road of natural earth aligned and graded to permit
reasonable convenient use by motor vehicles and drained by longitudinal and transverse drainage systems (natural and artificial) sufficient to prevent serious impairment of the road by normal surface water, with or without dust palliative treatment or a continuous course of special borrow material to protect the new roadbed temporarily and to facilitate immediate traffic service.

There are several roads in the Colquitt County that are dirt or gravel. It may be appropriate to upgrade and pave some of these facilities to provide better connectivity throughout the study area. Colquitt County has approximately 392 miles of unpaved roads and 770 miles of paved roads. Figure 5.4 displays the roadway surface type according to GDOT's RC Database for Colquitt County.

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Figure 5.4 Roadway Surface Type

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5.0 Freight Transport
5.1 Truck Routes
The identification of freight corridors and preservation of freight mobility is one of the key components of the Colquitt County Transportation Study. There are currently two roadways in Colquitt County that are designated as truck routes, as well as four active freight rail lines. The following sections summarize the existing freight activity and facilities in Colquitt County. The information presented in this section comes from the GDOT Office of Intermodal Programs, particularly the 2000 Georgia Rail Freight Plan. Specific routes for oversized trucks are designated by the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), a federal highway program administered by GDOT. Figure 6.0 maps the freight transport facilities in Colquitt County.
5.2 Freight Rail
The Georgia and Florida Railway operates two trains through Colquitt County on a 55-mile mainline which runs between Albany (Dougherty County) and Sparks, Georgia (Cook County). In Colquitt County, the Georgia and Florida Railway follows a southeasterly route along SR 133 out of Doerun. North of Moultrie, the route splits at Schley Junction with the mainline continuing easterly along tracks north of Moultrie and branch lines connecting into downtown Moultrie and out to Industrial Parkway. The mainline and branch lines reconnect east of Moultrie at Norman Junction and proceed to the line's termination in Sparks, Georgia.
The Georgia and Florida Railway is a shortline railroad which, by definition, means that it operates over a relatively short distance and exists to link industries together that require freight rail. The Albany to Moultrie to Sparks line through Colquitt County transports a variety of products including beer (50%), wood chips (30%), lumber (5%), fertilizer (5%), and other miscellaneous products (10%). Approximately 9,000 carloads of products are transported per year. Beadles Lumber Company is Georgia Florida Railway's major customer in Colquitt County. Other major customers include Colquitt Agriculture Service, Griffin Terminal Services, and Conagra Oil.
Moultrie has approximately 10 miles of inactive rail line originating in downtown Moultrie and continuing south to Heard Road at the Colquitt/Thomas County line. Approximately eight miles of inactive rail line has been converted into a multiuse trail extending from downtown Moultrie south along US 319 to Moultrie Municipal Airport.

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Figure 6.0 Freight Transportation Facilities

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Rail Crossings According to the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), Colquitt County has 119 railroad crossings, although it should be noted that Colquitt County rail inventories maintained by FRA appear to reflect a number of crossings that are inactive. Of the 119 crossings, all are at-grade with the exception of one underpass located at US 319 in Moultrie. Seventy-six of the at-grade crossings are public while 42 cross private roads.

Several crossings along the Georgia Florida Railway line experience heavy vehicle traffic volumes. Table 6.1 presents Colquitt County rail crossings with the highest average annual daily traffic (AADT) count.

Table 6.1 Colquitt County Rail Crossing with Highest AADT

Rail Crossing and Location

AADT

Crossing #723433D SE 1st Avenue/SR37 in Moultrie 17,700

Crossing #723440N Main Street/SR133 in Moultrie 5,835

Crossing #723264T Tifton Highway/SR35 in Moultrie 5,700

Crossing #723210M Moultrie Highway in Doerun

4,300

Crossing #723272K Moultrie Highway in Moultrie
Source: Federal Railroad Administration, 2009

4,200

Crash Data The FRA Office of Safety Analysis reports accidents which involved trains at rail crossings in Colquitt County. Between 2000 and 2007, five crashes have occurred at the following crossing locations:

Table 6.2 Colquitt County FRA Railroad Crossing Accident Data, 2000 to 2007 (Crashes Involving Trains)

Railroad Crossing
ID

Location

723287A

Sam Sells Road

City or

Date of

Community Incident

Highway User
Involved

Position of highway User

Doerun

12/01/05

Truck-trailer

Moving over crossing; Rail equipment struck highway user

Injuries
One Railroad Employee Injured. No fatalities.

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Railroad Crossing
ID

Location

City or

Date of

Community Incident

Highway User
Involved

Position of highway User

Injuries

723300L

FunstonDoerun Road

Doerun

12/26/04

Auto

Moving over crossing; Rail equipment stuck highway user

No injuries. No fatalities.

723440N

Main Street SR133

Moultrie

07/03/02

Auto

Moving over crossing; Rail equipment struck by highway user

No injuries. No fatalities.

723410W

Clarence Norman
Road

Moultrie

09/10/01

Auto

Stopped on crossing; Rail equipment struck highway user

No Injuries. No fatalities.

723278B

Old Albany Road

Moultrie

01/06/00

Auto

Moving over crossing; Rail Equipment struck by highway user

No injuries. No fatalities.

Source: Federal Railroad Administration Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Accident/Incident Report, 2009

The GDOT Office of Safety and Design maintains crash data as reported by local law enforcement. For the period 1999 to mid 2008, 17 vehicular crashes have been reported at rail crossings in Colquitt County, several with injuries but none involving fatalities. These are shown in the Table below.

Table 6.3 Colquitt County Railroad Crossing Crash Data, 1999 to June 2008

Railroad Crossing
ID
723210M
723258P

Location
Moultrie Highway/SR133
Doerun
Cool Springs Road Moultrie

Date of Incident
05/15/01 10/28/04 11/03/00 04/17/03

Manner of Collision
Motor vehicle in motion; Sideswipe
Motor vehicle in motion; Rear-end Not a collision with a motor vehicle other
fixed object Motor vehicle in motion; Rear-end

Injuries
Two injuries No injuries
No injuries
No injuries

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Railroad Crossing
ID

Location

Date of Incident

Manner of Collision

01/25/00 Head-on collision with other fixed object

723264T

Tifton Highway/SR35 Moultrie

723396D 723410W 723287A

D.H. Alderman Road Ellenton
Clarence Norman Road
Moultrie Sam Sells Road
Doerun

05/30/02 05/29/07 08/10/05 09/10/01 12/01/05

Ditch; Not a collision with a motor vehicle Not a collision with a motor vehicle other
fixed object Angle collision; Railway train
Angle collision; Railway train
Angle collision; Railway train

01/24/01

Sideswipe - parked motor vehicle

723388L

Baker Street Ellenton

05/20/08 05/20/08

Head-on collision; Motor vehicle in motion Head-on collision; Railway train

723420C (Note:

04/23/00 Rear-end collision; Motor vehicle in motion

This crossing

SR35

10/10/00 Rear-end collision; Motor vehicle in motion

is now closed)

12/02/03 Rear-end collision; Motor vehicle in motion

723440N

Main Street Moultrie

11/02/00

Not a collision with a motor vehicle other fixed object

Georgia DOT Office of Traffic Safety and Design, January, 2009

Injuries
No injuries No injuries No injuries No injuries
Four injuries No injuries No injuries One injury One injury Six injuries One injury No injuries No injuries

Accident Prediction The Federal Railroad Administration Web Accident Prediction System (WBAPS) is a computer model which predicts rail crossing collision rates, based on basic data about a crossing's physical and operating characteristics and on its five-year accident history. The System computes a predicted collision value for each crossing which is the probability that a collision between a train and a highway vehicle will occur at that particular crossing in a year. Crossings are then ranked according to their predicted collision value, with a ranking of "1" corresponding to the crossing with highest probability of a collision. While none of the 76 public rail crossings in Colquitt County present a significant predicted collision rate, those with the highest rates are shown in Table 6.4.

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Table 6.4 FRA Web Accident Prediction System Top Ranking Predicted Collision Locations in Colquitt County

Railroad Crossing
ID
723300L

Location Funston-Doerun Road

City or community
Doerun

Rank 1

Predicted Collision Value
.053791

723287A

Sam Sells Road

Doerun

2

.053770

723440N

Main St. / SR 133

Moultrie

3

.019641

723434K

E. Central Avenue

Moultrie

4

.017271

723264T

Tifton Highway

Moultrie

5

.016415

Source: Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Analysis Web Accident Prediction System, 2009

AADT
431 430 5,835 3,657 5,700

Planned Transportation Improvements There are no planned railroad crossing improvements in the GDOT Construction Work Program.
Local Concerns The members of Study Advisory Group have expressed that rail crossings in the county are in poor condition and in need of maintenance. Georgia and Florida Railway confirmed this concern, stating that most of the public crossings are in need of resurfacing. The condition of the crossings has kept train speeds low; however, as maintenance is completed, these speeds will increase. Additionally, while the County only receives one or two rail inquiries/prospects per year, there is only one remaining available rail site in the county, which is located at the former Swift and Company warehouse on 1st St. NE, one block east of Main Street.
According to Georgia Florida Railway, there are 15 bridges that are in need of repair in Colquitt County. Some of the bridges date back to the 1940's. Bridges play a vital role to the railroad, and thus bridge repair is deemed high priority by Georgia Florida Railway.
Passenger Rail The Georgia Rail Passenger Program (GRPP), a GDOT, Georgia Passenger Rail Authority (GRPA), and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) joint initiative, proposes long-range intercity rail between Atlanta, Macon, and Albany which would, if implemented, offer Colquitt County residents with a high-speed train service alternative within 40 miles of Moultrie. The Passenger Rail Program currently calls for three daily express intercity trains to operate each way on an initial route between Atlanta and Macon, with a stop in Griffin, by the year 2015. The Macon to Albany route is projected to open two years after the Atlanta to Macon route becomes operational. This 106-mile extension will utilize existing Norfolk Southern freight line and will have stops in Dougherty and Sumter counties. The Program projects that system-wide 271,000 passengers will utilize this route's service by the year 2030.

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6.0 Airport Facilities
Colquitt County has two airports, Moultrie Municipal Airport, located six miles south of Moultrie, and Spence Field, located east of Moultrie. Commercial airport needs in Colquitt County are met by Valdosta Regional Airport for air shuttle service to Atlanta and corporate/business jet use and by Tallahassee Regional Airport for flights in and around the southeastern U.S. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is located approximately 200 miles from Moultrie and provides large commercial air and international service. Jacksonville International Airport, located approximately 170 miles from Moultrie, offers a viable alternative for commercial and international travel needs. Several private airfields are located in the County, including landing strips off of SR 111 at the Colquitt/Mitchell County line, and off of SR 133 and Gibbs Road southeast of Moultrie.
Moultrie Municipal Airport Moultrie Municipal Airport is owned and operated by the City of Moultrie Airport Authority and is located off of US 319/SR 35. Moultrie Municipal Airport is classified as a Level II Business Airport of Local Impact by the State of Georgia Aviation System Plan which classifies airports on the basis of runway length and width, lighting systems, visual aids, approach systems, and general aviation facilities and services. Level II airports are capable of accommodating all business and personnel use single and twin-engine general aviation aircraft and a broad range of corporate/business jet fleet. The minimum runway length for Level II airports is 5,000 feet, a runway width of 100 feet, and a non-precision approach. Level II airports should accommodate a service area that is within 30-miutes of the airport facility.
There are approximately 14,000 takeoffs and landings at Moultrie Municipal Airport each year, amounting to an average of 38 operations per day. Roughly forty percent of the general aviation activities are business in nature with the remaining 60% recreational. Air charters account for 20% of these operations. Operations typically increase between the months of October and March each year, correlating to the bird hunting season and seasonal agricultural activities. Occasional military take-offs and landings occur when flights from Moody Air Force Base are diverted to Moultrie, due to weather. The majority of aircraft utilizing the airport are single-engine pistons. The number of take-off and landing operations at the airport is expected to remain fairly constant during the current economic downturn.
Moultrie Municipal has two runways. Runway 04/22 is 5,127 feet long and 100 feet wide with medium intensity runway lighting, precision approach path indicator lights, and a partial parallel taxiway with medium intensity taxiway lighting. The secondary runway, Runway 16/34 is 3,878 feet long by 75 feet wide. The Airport has a rotating beacon, a segmented circle, and a wind cone.
Landside facilities include a full service Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) offering maintenance services, a 3,100 square foot terminal/administrative building, and full service AvGas and Jet fuel. There are 38 hangar spaces, ten of which were added in 2008 and all of which are

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occupied. The facility has 10 apron parking spaces and 45 auto parking spaces. The airport occupies approximately 398 acres, with 30 additional acres to be acquired in early 2009. The property is bordered on three sides by forest and farm land and on one side by a residential community. Figure 7.1 shows a schematic layout of Moultrie Municipal Airport.

Figure 7.1 Moultrie Municipal Airport

Source: Georgia Department of Transportation - Aviation, 2009
The Moultrie Municipal Airport Authority completed an updated Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan in late 2008. The Program identifies improvements planned for years 2010 to 2014. Priority projects include extending Runway 22 by 500 feet. Activities to accomplish this include the completion of the 30-acre land acquisition and the Environmental Assessment Study in 2009 and 2010, with the actual construction of the runway expansion slated for 2012. The Airport is also working towards expanding its hangar space with the design and construction of an additional 10-bay T-hangars planned for 2011 and 2010. The Program also calls for an Airport Layout Plan (ALP) to be completed in 2012. The ALP provides a "blueprint" for the airport for the next ten year period. Table 7.1 presents the Moultrie Municipal Airport Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan for 2010 to 2014.

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Table 7.1 Moultrie Municipal Airport Five-Year Capital Improvement Program

Fiscal Year 2010
2011 2012

Description
Design and construct taxiway to maintenance hangar
Install ground communication outlet
Environmental Assessment Study to extend Runway 22 and taxiway Design 10-bay hangar taxiway to include access road realignment
Design 10-bay hangar
Extend Runway 22 and taxiway, 500 feet and partial security fence Construct 10-bay T-Hangar taxiway and realign access road
Construct 10-Bay T-Hangars
Construct 500-foot x 100-foot runway, parallel taxiway and partial security fence
Airport Layout Plan Update

2013 2014

Airfield drainage rehabilitation
Construct grass landing strip 1,500-foot x 75-foot Resurface Runway 04/22 and parallel taxiway
Airfield signage

Grand Total:
Source: Moultrie Municipal Airport Authority - January, 2009

Total Cost

Federal Cost

State Cost

Local Cost

$55,000 $15,000

$52,250 $0

$1,375 $11,250

$1,375 $3,750

$50,000

$47,500

$1,250

$1,250

$38,000 $30,000

$36,100 $0

$950 $0

$950 $30,000

$65,000

$61,750

$1,625

$1,625

$345,000 $515,000

$327,750 $0

$8,625 $0

$8,625 $515,000

$1,295,000 $1,230,250

$65,000 $600,000

$61,750 $570,000

$32,375 $1,625 $15,000

$32,375 $1,625 $15,000

$1,500,000 $1,425,000 $37,500 $37,500

$995,000 $945,250 $24,875 $24,875

$350,000 $332,500

$8,750

$8,750

$5,918,000 $5,090,100 $145,200 $682,700

Future airport operations are expected to remain fairly constant during the current economic downturn. The Airport Authority has a hangar that can accommodate a corporate jet and is interested in growing corporate jet activity in future years. The Airport is also interested in increasing its number of T-hangar storage for small aircraft as new hangar space will generate additional aviation fuel sales and revenues. Moultrie Municipal added 10 small aircraft hangar spaces in 2008 and all are occupied.

Spence Field Spence Field is owned by the City of Moultrie and is located within the Moultrie city limits on SR 133. Spence Field is classified as a Level I Minimum Standard General Aviation Airport and has one active runway, Runway 14/32, which is 4,500 feet long (with an additional 5,500 feet of displaced paved runway) and 75 feet wide. The airport has a partial

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parallel taxiway system, a rotating beacon, and a wind cone, but does not have fuel service or landing and marking equipment. Figure 7.2 shows a schematic layout of Spence Field.

Figure 7.2 Spence Field

Source: Georgia Department of Transportation-Aviation, 2009
Spence Field is not used for general aviation but its close proximity to Moultrie Municipal Airport does sometimes cause confusion for both area residents and pilots. Local residents sometimes direct persons looking for the airport to Spence Field. Pilots intending to land at Moultrie Municipal sometimes land at Spence Field. Currently there is limited airport symbol signage directing vehicles to Moultrie Municipal. The Airport Authority has expressed an interest in additional signage, particularly on US 319, which would better distinguish the location of Moultrie Municipal Airport, but is concerned that there might be right-of-way issues with placing signage on a U.S. highway.
Spence Field is not currently used for general aviation purposes but is primarily used for special events and by private industry. Moody Air Force Base utilized Spence Field, on occasion, as an auxiliary landing field; these operations ended in May 2007.
The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, one of the country's largest farm/agribusiness shows, is held at Spence Field in October each year. Many attendees and state dignitaries fly into

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Spence Field for the event. Moultrie Municipal Airport provides assistance for handling these aviation operations by setting up temporary air traffic and fuel services, handling approximately 1,200 takeoffs and landings over the three-day event.

Several auto and art shows are also held at Spence Field each year. Approximately 15 to 20 airplanes take-off and land at Spence Field during these shows. Spence Field is also used by Maule Air Inc., a manufacturer of single-engine aircraft, for airplane testing, and by Maule Flight Inc., a flight school, for aviation instruction. Both are located adjacent to Spence Field.

7.0 Public Transportation
Colquitt County is part of a 14-county regional coordinated transportation system that includes the 5311 Rural Transit Program, the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Transportation Program, and Medicaid transportation. The Southwest Georgia RDC (SWGRDC) is the administrator for the regional system which serves Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth Counties.
Destiny Transportation Group, Inc. is the sub-contracted third party provider of trips in Colquitt County for these programs (each described below), operating 10 vehicles, nine of which are equipped to accommodate wheelchairs. In Fiscal Year 2008 (July 2007 to June 2008) over 70,000 trips were provided to Colquitt County residents. Table 8.1 characterizes the passengers who comprised these trips.
Table 8.1 Colquitt County Ridership Statistics - FY 2008

Elderly Non-Elderly White African American Hispanic Disabled

9%

91%

18%

75%

7%

Source: Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center, January 2009

36%

The regional system provides transportation to a variety of locations which include medical, employment, education, and shopping destinations. The percentage of trips provided in FY 2008 to each destination type is shown in Table 8.2.

Table 8.2 Colquitt County Destination Statistics FY 2008

Medical Employment Nutrition Social & Recreation Education Shopping & Personal

3%

37%

9%

0%

2%

Source: Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center, January 2009

49%

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7.1 5311 Rural Transit Program
In Colquitt County, the 5311 Rural Transit Program operates as a fare-based, demandresponse public transportation service providing trips for anyone who needs them to health care, shopping, education, employment, and public services. Residents must make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance of when they need to make a trip and they pay a fare for each one-way trip. Destiny Transportation vans pick residents up directly from their place of origin and deliver them to where they want to go. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Fares are structured as shown in Table 8.1.1:
Table 8.1.1 Colquitt County 5311 Rural Transit Program Fare Structure

One Way Trip

Fare

0-10 Miles (in county) Over 10 Miles (in county)

$3.00 $5.00

Outside County

$5.00 + $.50 per mile over 10 miles

Discounts

Seniors 50% off Frequent Riders 50% off

Source: Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center, January 2009

Because Destiny Transportation vans are also utilized by the DHR transportation programs, residents are encouraged to schedule rides during the off-peak hours of 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to increase their chances of seat availability. Residents can request trips across county lines within the regional coordinated system.

Service statistics for the 5311 Rural Transit Program in Colquitt County for FY 2008 are presented in Table 8.1.2 below.

Table 8.1.2 Colquitt County FY 2008 5311 Rural Transit Service Statistics

5311 Rural Transit Program Service Statistics FY 2008

Total One-Way Trips FY 2008

27,161

Number of Vehicles

10

Average Number of One-Way Passenger Trips per Month 2,263
Source: Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center, January 2009

The SWGRDC reports that transit service is functioning well in Colquitt County, but that the following areas of concern should be noted:

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Public 5311 trips during peak hours sometimes have to be denied or rescheduled to non-peak service hours as vans are sometimes scheduled in advance and to capacity for DHR trips. This may leave some individuals without transit services when they need them.
There may be unidentified groups who continue to need transportation services. The SWGRDC is working to establish a Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) in each county in its region to identify such groups.

7.2 The DHR Transportation System
The DHR Transportation System provides transit to eligible recipients or "clients" of DHR services. As previously mentioned, the SWRDC is the administrator for these services and Destiny Transportation Group, Inc. serves as the third party provider. In Colquitt County, the system provides clients of the Division of Aging, Mental Health Development Disabilities and Addictive Diseases (MHDDAD), and the Division of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) with trips to specific destinations for specific trip purposes (i.e. trips to the senior center, job training, etc.). The total number of trips provided to Colquitt County residents by the DHR Transportation System in FY 2008 is shown in Table 8.2.1 below:
Table 8.2.1 Colquitt County FY 2008 DHR Transportation Service Statistics

DHR Agency

Number of Trips

Division of Aging Moultrie Senior Center

6,899

MHDDAD Green Oaks Service Center

34,165

DFCS

1,598

Total Trips

42,662

Source: Georgia Depart of Human Resources - Region 10 Transportation Office, January 2009

The DHR Region 10 Transportation Coordinator reports a number of concerns and issues regarding the provision of services in Colquitt County:
For the last several years, DHR has had to cut trips because of lack of funding. There are definitely more trips needed in Colquitt County for Aging Services and MHDDAD clients.
The number of DFCS clients has actually decreased in the past year as a number of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) clients have been placed in low paying service industry jobs and manufacturing jobs. The problem these individuals face, however, is that DFCS transportation services to jobs is limited to six months once jobs placement is made, and there is no assistance with transportation needs beyond that timeframe. These individuals would benefit from Section 5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) funds to provide a continuum of transportation support to newly acquired jobs until these

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individuals are able to increase their income to a point where they no longer require assistance with transportation. Region 10 applied for 5316 JARC funds as well as 5317 New Freedom (a program designed to address the transportation needs of persons with disabilities) in early 2008, but was not awarded funding.

In addition to the 5311 Rural Transit public trips and the DHR client trips, the SWGRDC regional transportation system also provided approximately 1,445 Medicaid trips in Colquitt County in FY 2008.
7.3 Colquitt County Commuter Patterns

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, seventy-seven percent (77%) of Colquitt County residents who worked did so in Colquitt County, exceeding the statewide average of 58% and the U.S. average of 73%. Table 8.3.1 below shows workplace flows for Colquitt County residents in the year 2000.

Table 8.3.1 Colquitt County Residents - Workplace Locations

Workplace Location
Colquitt County Tift County Dougherty County Thomas County Cook County Mitchell County 50 remaining locations, incl. Al, FL, IN, KY, MS, NC, PA, TN, TX, and Germany Total
Source: 2000 U.S. Census

Number of Workers
13,708 935 911 464 323 289 1,176
17,806

Percent
76.9% 5.3% 5.1% 2.6% 1.8% 1.6% 6.7% 100%

The entire Colquitt County workforce is comprised of the 13,708 residents from Colquitt County as well as 2,110 workers from other counties to total 15,818 workers in all. Table 8.3.2 shows the county of residence for this group of 2,110 people who commute into Colquitt County to work each day.

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Table 8.3.2 Colquitt County Workforce - County of Residence

County of Residence

Number of Workers Percent

Thomas County

390

18.4%

Worth County

265

12.5%

Lowndes County

190

9.0%

Mitchell County

171

8.1%

Tift County

159

7.5%

Brooks County

145

6.8%

42 remaining counties

790

37.7%

Total Colquitt County workers from other counties
Source: 2000 U.S. Census

2,110

100%

There are currently no vanpool programs or commuter park and ride facilities in Colquitt County. There also does not appear to be one employer in particular that workers commute to beyond the county line. The SWGRDC acknowledges that vanpools would be beneficial in the region to decrease the amount of early morning/late afternoon traffic in several of its cities, but no programs are planned at this point in time.

8.0 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities are an important component of the roadway network, providing healthy, non-polluting means of transportation to many residents, especially for those too young or too old to drive, or those without financial means to own a car. Moultrie in particular is a compact city with short blocks and a street grid ideal for biking and walking, if facilities were provided. Walkable communities not only provide additional transportation alternatives, but they also promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles, provide recreational opportunities, and can enhance economic development. Likewise, an intercity on-street bicycle route system or trail network can spur tourism, provide recreation and fitness opportunities for residents, while also creating the backbone of an alternative transportation network.
This section provides a description of the existing bicycle and pedestrian conditions in the county, with a focus on the primary bike and pedestrian trip generators: town and activity centers, schools, and parks. It also provides a summary of policies, plans, and crash data that relate to bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

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8.1 Inventory of Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities
Colquitt County is a rural county in South Georgia with one medium sized city (Moultrie, with a population of approximately 15,000 residents), and five other small cities, each with under 1,000 residents. The state highway system provides the primary, and sometimes the only, connection between these communities. While most of these highways have very low traffic volumes, which is ideal for bicycling, they lack adequate shoulder width to provide a separate area for cycling. The cities are characterized by lightly trafficked neighborhood streets ideal for biking and walking; however, the sidewalk networks are incomplete, and Moultrie also has a few multi-lane suburban-style arterials that can be a challenge for biking and walking.
While the courthouse square area in Moultrie has a generally completed sidewalk network, there are few sidewalks found on collectors and arterials outside this downtown core. There are many indications (including crash data, worn paths along roadways, and comments from the public and city officials) that there is strong demand for bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Moultrie.
City/Town Centers:
City of Moultrie: One-way pair streets through downtown create faster vehicle speeds and a less walkable environment. The courthouse square and vicinity generally has a complete sidewalk network, with the exception of some accessibility issues. Other areas examined for bicycle or pedestrian activity are outlined below.
West Central Avenue/SR37: There is high pedestrian activity along West Central Avenue from N. Main Street to Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK, Jr.) Drive. There are two travel lanes, complete roadway width is approximately 40 feet, and traffic is light to moderate. Few marked crossings exist across West Central Avenue, and there are many pedestrians crossing at different locations throughout the corridor. There are no sidewalks between 5th Street NW and MLK, Jr. Drive. Bicycles were also observed on the street, and crash data evaluation indicates a cluster of bicycle and pedestrian crashes in the northwest quadrant of Moultrie (inclusive of W. Central Avenue). The land use along the corridor includes a mix of apartments and small single-family homes, a grocery store, and a few other small businesses. The Moultrie Bike Path on the abandoned CSX line crosses over West Central Avenue near 1st Street NW, which creates more demand and opportunities for connectivity.
5th Ave SE: There are no sidewalks along 5th Avenue SE from 10th Street SE to the East Bypass. The well-worn paths along 5th Avenue present clear evidence of existing pedestrian traffic along the corridor. The 5th Avenue SE corridor connects Colquitt County High School to downtown Moultrie where an existing sidewalk network is present on 5th Avenue SE west of 10th Street.

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26th Avenue SE: Community members identified this road as a possible connection to
the Moultrie Bike Path. There is a YMCA, New Horizon School, and a mix of apartments and low density housing along 26th Avenue. There are no sidewalks currently on 26th Avenue, but there is potentially enough right-of-way (ROW) for a path along the road. The 26th Avenue corridor also crosses another inactive railroad, just west of the intersection of 6th Street SE.

Moultrie Bike Path: This path is located on the former CSX rail bed and extends just less than 8 miles from downtown Moultrie to the Moultrie Municipal Airport. It begins at a small park with pavilion at 1st Avenue NW and 1st Street NW, runs south, generally parallel to Main Street, then along US 319/SR 33 and ends at Airport Drive near intersection of US 319. An abandoned rail line continues from where the path leaves off at the airport, headed south to Coolidge. The line continues from Coolidge to Thomasville, but this section is not yet abandoned. There is no signage pointing to trailhead or access points to the trail through Moultrie. There are a few trail crossing signs. The path crosses one major intersection (SR 133 and US 319) south of the city. This is a very wide intersection with no raised medians, but it does have crosswalks and pedestrian signal heads.
Medical Centers: There are two medical centers on 31st Avenue on each side of the East Bypass (US 319/SR 35). Neither medical center connects to neighborhoods, and their location on the East Bypass on the edge of Moultrie makes them unlikely candidates for biking and walking.

Spence Field: Spence field is located on SR 133 south of Moultrie city limits. The property contains an airstrip used for private industry. Spence field hosts about a half dozen annual events including car shows, agriculture/farm expo, and art shows. The possibility of providing bicycle access to this facility will be examined.

City of Norman Park:

Norman Park is in the northeast part of Colquitt County. US 319/SR 35 runs through the middle of the city. There are existing sidewalks for most of the corridor, roughly from Chaflin Road, near the north city limits, to Weeks Street in the center of town. There are also sidewalks along W. Weeks Street from US 319 to Norman Park Elementary School. There is angled parking on US 319 in the center of town. The sidewalks on US 319 are functional but in poor condition. There is no marked pedestrian crossing along US 319 allowing for safe walkability from the west side to the east side of town.

City of Doerun: Located in the northwest corner of Colquitt County at the intersection of SR 133 and SR 270, Doerun has a partial sidewalk network, a school, park, community center, churches, library, restaurant, hardware store, city hall, gas station and pedestrian attractors. There are sidewalks along Broad Avenue/SR 133, but the facilities are in poor condition. There is also angled parking, a few faded crosswalks, and a flashing beacon and pedestrian crossing sign at the intersection of Broad Avenue and Broad Street.

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North Peachtree from E. Broad Avenue (SR 133) to Cemetery Street (this is the route to school) has no shoulders or sidewalks. North Peachtree Street and the section of town north of Broad Avenue has a mix of industrial development with some sparsely developed residential areas, whereas south of Broad Avenue has a more residential neighborhood character. Therefore, many of the residents that live on the south side need to get across Broad Avenue (SR 133) to reach the school, community center, park and other attractions.
The streets surrounding the park at E. College Street and N. Freeman Street are quiet, rural streets that are lightly trafficked. The roads with the greatest pedestrian demand include Broad Avenue, Broad Street, W. Bay Street, N. Peachtree, and Green Street. There is a large church at the corner of Broad Street and Broad Avenue. Green Street is densely developed residential from West Culpepper to the railroad tracks on north side. South Mill Street, south of W. Bay Street is more rural and sparsely developed than Green Street. South Peachtree and South Church Streets are also quiet, rural streets. Robinson Street and N. Church Street are industrial with some sparsely developed residential. There are existing sidewalks on N. Church Street.
City of Funston: Funston is along SR 37 about 5 miles west of Moultrie. There are narrow paved shoulders along Mulberry Street/SR 37 through Funston town center. There is an elementary school is at the corner of N. Academy Street and N. Manning Street, which does not have sidewalks or shoulders. There are no marked crossings across SR 37. There is angled parking, a post office, churches and city hall along Mulberry Street/SR 37.
Town of Berlin: Berlin is in the southeastern part of the county along SR 133. There is no existing sidewalk network in Berlin. There are few residences and businesses, no school or library, but there is a town hall, playground and a church. The streets in Berlin are quiet residential streets with the exception of Langford Street, which is the main route through town.
Town of Ellenton: There are no sidewalks or schools in Ellenton; there are some residential areas, an athletic field, a gas station and a post office. Most of the streets are quiet, rural streets with limited through traffic. Baker Street (which turns into Ellenton-Omega Road) is State Bicycle Route 15/Central Route, which runs into SR 37 south of town where the bicycle route continues east on SR 37. There are no shoulders, signage, or bicycle facilities on either road.
8.2 State Highway System
State Bicycle Route 15/Central Route: The State Bicycle Route (SBR) enters Colquitt County from Omega (Tift County) on Ellenton-Omega Road, heads south to Ellenton, then continues east along SR 37 to Cook County. These sections of SBR are not signed and have low traffic volumes. The county road section (Ellenton-Omega Road) has no paved shoulders, and the state route section

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(SR 37) generally has 2-foot to 4-foot paved shoulders. The shoulders are filled with rumble strips rendering them unbikable. Traffic on these roads, while light, tends to move at speeds above 50 mph. Under the current condition, SBR 15 would not be considered bikable by most bicyclists. The SBR connects to Reed Bingham State Park, and the park itself is bikable.

Other state highways (270, 256, 111, 33, 35, 133, 202) are in the same condition as the SR 37: two-lane roads, 0-foot to 4-foot shoulders with rumble strips, low traffic, high speeds. The state highways and East Bypass in the Moultrie area generally have more traffic lanes, intersections, potential conflict points, higher traffic volumes, but potentially lower speeds (approximately 35 mph to 50 mph).

8.3 Safe Routes to School

According to the Colquitt County School Department, the County will provide bus transport to any student that wants to be bussed, and in general the School Department encourages bussing as the safest way to get to and from school. While there is no policy prohibiting biking and walking to school, it is not currently encouraged by the School Department.

Currently, elementary schools serve grades K- 6, middle schools grades 7 and 8, and the high school grades 9 through 12. However, beginning in Fall 2009, there will be a shift with elementary schools housing grades K through 5, Williams Middle School will have grades 6 and 7, Gray Middle School will have grades 8 and 9, and the high school will house grades 10 through 12. Below is a brief survey of the biking/walking conditions surrounding each Colquitt County school:
Cox Elementary (1275 11th Avenue SE, Moultrie): The school is situated in a residential neighborhood. There are no sidewalks along most of 11th Avenue, and surrounding streets also lack sidewalks (e.g. 10th Street, 12th Street).

Doerun Elementary (111 Mathis Avenue, Doerun): Doerun elementary is on an industrial street (N. Peachtree Street), but Doerun has great potential nonetheless for biking/walking to school. There is existing pedestrian activity in Doerun already. There are no sidewalks or shoulders along most of N. Peachtree Street (there are sidewalks on N. Peachtree Street from the school to Cemetery Street on one side for two blocks). There are also no sidewalks on any of the potential alternative north-south routes of Freeman Street, Broad Street or Green Street. There are sidewalks along Broad Avenue and N. Church Street, as well as some crossing facilities on Broad Street and Broad Avenue to assist students south of Broad Avenue to get to school. There is a flashing beacon and pedestrian crossing sign at the intersection Broad Street and Broad Avenue. The school has a new playground on site, therefore there is not likely to be a lot of demand for children to walk from school to the older park on College Street and Freeman Street (although children may walk there from home).

Funston Elementary (137 N. Academy Street, Funston): There are no sidewalks or shoulders along N. Manning Street (the main frontage along the school property), or

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surrounding streets. Funston is a small town and sparsely populated, however, there are some neighborhoods that are within a short walk to the school.

Hamilton Elementary (5110 SR 111, Hartsfield): Located at the intersection of SR 111 and SR 202. This school is in an extremely remote location at crossroads of two state highways. There is currently no possibility of biking or walking to or from school.

Norman Park Elementary (249 W. Weeks Street, Norman Park): There are sidewalks along W. Weeks Street connecting to quiet neighborhood streets and connecting US 319 to the school. US 319 also has sidewalks, but there is no safe crossing to get children on the east side of US 319 to the school on the west side. There are also no marked crosswalks or crossing enhancements on the north side of W. Weeks Street across from the school. West Weeks Street is a two-lane road with a sharp curve just west of the school property where the development pattern becomes more rural. There are many residences with strong walking potential to the south and east of the school if safe crossings were provided.

Odom Elementary (2902 Sardis Church Road, Moultrie): This school is located in a very remote, rural location with few residents living within biking/walking distance.

Okapilco Elementary (3300 Sylvester Highway, Moultrie): Located north of Moultrie at the intersection of SR 133/SR 33 and Sylvester Highway. The speed limit is 55 mph on Sylvester and SR 133/SR 33. There are no existing sidewalks and few residences are within walking or biking distance.
Stringfellow Elementary (200 5th Avenue SW, Moultrie): Located on 5th Avenue SW, between 2nd and 3rd street, where many students currently walk to this school. There are sidewalks in front of the school; the other sides of school do not have sidewalks. Fourth Street SW in particular seems to have the greatest demand for pedestrian facilities as evidenced by higher traffic speeds, evidence of walkers (worn paths), and densely developed residential areas.

Sunset Elementary (98 US 319, Moultrie): Sunset Elementary is located at the intersection of US 319 and Shady Murphy Road, south of Moultrie. It is a remote, rural location on a high-speed state highway with little potential for walkability, although there is some potential from Shady Murphy. There are no existing sidewalks along US 319 or Shady Murphy. This school has increased traffic during the morning and afternoon pick-up/dropoff times which causes vehicles to back up the state highway.
Wright Elementary (1812 2nd Street SE, Moultrie): Currently, there are a number of children who walk to this school. There are no sidewalks along 2nd Street SE or Oak Street. The area has a suburban single-family residential development pattern, which gets more dense and urban heading north along 2nd Street. Second Street SE is very wide two-lane road (approximately 40-foot), which would allow room for bicycle, pedestrian and/or traffic calming improvements. There is a short segment (approx. 0.3 mile) of existing sidewalk on 2nd Street SE near 5th Street SE.

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Willie Williams Middle School (and adjacent Colquitt Alternative School) (950 4th Street SW, Moultrie): There are no sidewalks in the vicinity of the schools. The schools are situated in a neighborhood and could be walkable/bikable if facilities were provided. There are no crossings across S. Main Street to get students from the east side of Main Street to the school.

Gray Middle School (812 11th Avenue NW, Moultrie): There are currently a number of children who walk to this school. There are sidewalks surrounding the school property, but not on nearby streets (including 11th Avenue and MLK, Jr. Drive). The area in the vicinity of MLK, Jr. Drive and the school includes apartments, public housing, a large park, the RD Smith Youth Center, a community gym and pool, tennis courts, athletic fields, playground, and the Ryce Community Center. There is traffic calming in place around these community facilities (speed humps and raised medians), but there is a need to connect these facilities to schools and neighborhoods. There is evidence of pedestrian activity in this northwest quadrant of Moultrie.
Parking may become an issue at the school because many 9th graders are currently driving to the high school (according to school department). These students may expect to continue to drive to school when the ninth grade moves to Gray Middle school; this increase of teenage drivers many impact safety on the school community.

Colquitt High School (1800 Park Avenue, Moultrie): Since the high school draws students from all over the county, and given its location on the edge of town along the East Bypass, there is not a lot of potential for walkability from residential areas to this school. However, there is a worn path along 5th Avenue SE indicating that there are some walkers. The school could be conveniently and safely accessed on foot or by bike from 5th Avenue SE, if facilities were provided. There are many students that cross the East Bypass between the high school on the west and the Walmart/Zaxby's parking lot to the east of the Bypass. There is heavy pedestrian crossing activity at dismissal time at the intersection of Park Avenue and the East Bypass, which is an unsignalized intersection with no crosswalks and a narrow median. According to the School Department, many ninth graders park their cars in the Wal-Mart parking lot and cross the East Bypass to get to the school property because they are not allowed to have parking permits on campus. This problem may be resolved when the ninth grade moves to Gray Middle School in Fall 2009. However, there will still be many students that cross the East Bypass to go to Zaxby's and other businesses after school. Mid-block crossings also occur between Park Avenue and Magnolia Lane. Along the school frontage on the East Bypass, there are curb ramps, detectable warnings, sidewalks, and a raised median between intersections.

Private Schools: New Beginning Christian Academy: Located on 26th Avenue close to YMCA and the
Moultrie Bike Trail. There are no sidewalks along 26th Avenue.

Liberty Christian School: Located in southeastern Colquitt County on Cook Road, off of SR 133 in a rural area. The school is very small and there are residences within biking and walking distance.

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8.4 Other Potential Bike/Ped Trip Generators/Destinations
Eufala National Wildlife Refuge (NWR): There are four NWRs in county. All are located in the rural parts of the county and provide poor access to the properties, usually a dirt road. There are no trails or attractions within the refuges that would be considered a bicycle or pedestrian destination.
Reed Bingham State Park: The main entrance to the park is on SR 37 east of Ellenton, there is also an entrance from Ellenton on a dirt road. Park amenities include a lake, camping, picnic areas, swimming, boating, fishing, playground, 7 miles of hiking trails, bike and canoe rentals, and quiet paved park roads ideal for biking. The park is used by tourists and county residents alike. SR 37 leading to the park is a State Bicycle Route.
8.5 Bicycle and Pedestrian Related Policies:
Colquitt County Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations: There is no requirement to build sidewalks or bicycle and pedestrian facilities in new subdivision or commercial developments. The City of Moultrie's Zoning Ordinance was last updated in 1972, and subdivision regulations were recently adopted in August 2008. The subdivision code does require that sidewalks be constructed as part of any new subdivision; however, there is no requirement that bike or pedestrian facilities are included in commercial developments.
Georgia Department of Transportation Policy (for state highways): GDOT includes a 6.5foot paved shoulder in rural areas as part of widening and reconstruction projects and in resurfacing projects when possible. Sidewalks are included where curb and gutter is provided (generally urban areas). If a road is identified for bicycle facilities in a local, regional or state transportation plan, GDOT will include a bike facility as part of widening and reconstruction projects. Typically, that translates to a paved shoulder in rural areas, bike lanes in urban areas, and appropriate signage. See Chapter 6 of the GDOT Design Policy Guide. The website address is: http://wwwb.dot.ga.gov/dpm/desmanual/toc.html
School Transportation Policy: There is no policy prohibiting children from biking or walking to school.
School Wellness Policy: School Wellness Policy (adopted March 27, 2006): As required by federal law, the Colquitt County School Department adopted a wellness policy that includes a commitment for improving nutrition and increasing physical activity. The following are a few excerpts from the policy:
The Board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects student wellness, proper nutrition, nutrition education, and regular physical activity as part of the total learning experience.
All students in grades PK through 12th shall have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.

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The superintendent or designee shall develop procedures that support and encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity in school-based activities and in the home.

Providing safe walking and biking routes to school can help Colquitt County achieve their wellness goals.

8.6 Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes

From 2004 to 2006, there were 15 bicycle crashes (no fatalities) and 34 pedestrian crashes (including 8 fatalities) in Colquitt County (See Figure 9.0). All of the bicycle crashes occurred within Moultrie city limits, with three of them occurring within three blocks on 4th Avenue SW near the Moultrie Bike Path (between 6th Street SW and 3rd Street SW). The remaining crashes occurred at varying locations, but were mostly in downtown Moultrie. The following provides a snapshot of the bicycle crash data:
The majority of crashes occurred while the bicyclist and motorist were traveling straight
Six crashes involved turning movements or lane changes
Three crashes involved a bicyclist traveling in the wrong direction
Four crashes occurred at night
Two drivers and one cyclist were reported as under the influence of drugs or alcohol
None of the cyclists were wearing helmets.

This information points to a need for "share the road" awareness, education (including promotion of helmet usage), and safe facilities for bicyclists.
The pedestrian crash data reveals that there is a cluster of crashes along 1st Avenue SE and the East Bypass, and in the southeast and northwest quadrants of Moultrie. Of the 34 crashes, two-thirds occurred in dark conditions (i.e. at night), almost half were 18-years old and younger, and drinking was not a factor.

Three of the four crashes on the East Bypass involved pedestrians standing in the roadway (likely waiting for a gap to finish the crossing) and one was walking along the side of the road. The typical countermeasures for these crash types are raised medians and sidewalks, respectively. The 1st Avenue SE crashes involved a mix of crossing at crosswalks, crossing at mid-block locations, and walking along the road. Approximately half of all the pedestrian crashes occurred while the pedestrian was attempting to cross the roadway, about a quarter were walking along the road, and the remainder involved various other maneuvers (e.g. occurring off the roadway, working on vehicle, etc). The crashes were split nearly in half between occurring at intersection versus non-intersection locations (with slightly higher occurring at non-intersections).

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Figure 9.0 Moultrie Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes

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8.7 Current and Previous Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans
Moultrie-Colquitt County Multimodal Transportation Study, 2001: Developed by URS Corporation for the Georgia Department of Transportation, this plan included a brief section on bicycle and pedestrian transportation. The plan recommended the following policies to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and access in the county:
Incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities into all roadway projects,
Connect bicycle and pedestrian facilities to community facilities (including schools),
Accommodate design needs of handicapped citizens, and
Insist on a pedestrian-centered community.
As a status update, the first two policies have not been implemented (i.e. bicycle facilities have not been incorporated into roadway projects, pedestrian facilities have sometimes been incorporated, and most schools and other community facilities still have poor bicycle and pedestrian access). The third policy regarding handicapped access is generally implemented during road projects, and the insistence of a pedestrian-centered community is not easily measurable.
The plan also made a number of specific sidewalk recommendations within the Moultrie city limits, all of which are still in need of sidewalks. These streets are: West Central Avenue, 1st Street NW, 2nd Avenue SW, 4th Avenue SW, 7th Avenue SE, 11th Avenue SW and 10th Street SE.
Moultrie-Colquitt County Quality Growth Team Report, July 2006: The Georgia Department of Community Affairs, involving a team of experts from various state agencies and universities, developed this report for the County and the City of Moultrie. This plan called for regulations requiring new developments and subdivisions to construct sidewalks, bicycle and pedestrian access along the East Bypass, sidewalks in downtown Doerun, and trail connections to medical centers and Moultrie YMCA. Perhaps most importantly, the team took a survey of residents that revealed that 57 percent of them ranked building bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the county as a priority (the highest percentage of the 18 choices on the survey).
Southwest Georgia Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan, 2007: This plan was prepared by the Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center to identify bicycle and pedestrian needs and recommend improvements to the bicycle and pedestrian network. The Advisory Committee and plan development process had little to no involvement from Colquitt County or City of Moultrie staff or officials and therefore should be considered as guidance only. The plan did not make any specific recommendations for pedestrian improvements, but recommended that sidewalks be built as part of Development of Regional Impact (DRI). The plan does recommend the development of a bicycle route through the center of Colquitt County (from Thomas County line to Worth County line) along SR 33.

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9.0 Safety
This section examines the safety of the existing transportation system including:
Intersections; and
Bridges.
The latest five years of available vehicular crash data from GDOT (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) were collected and analyzed for Colquitt County. The crash data was used to determine roadway locations with potential safety deficiencies throughout the study area. Colquitt County experienced a total of 5,023 crashes with 2,920 injuries and 62 fatalities during the five-year period. Over the same period, Georgia statewide crash data shows a total of 1,702,654 crashes with 440,949 injures and 7,590 fatalities.

9.1 Colquitt County Crash Summary
Using five years of crash data (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) collected and analyzed for Colquitt County, it was determined that a threshold of 25 crashes over the five-year period would serve to identify "active crash" locations. Table 10.1 displays the 22 active crashes intersections, which have resulted in 966 crashes, 4 fatalities, and 474 persons injured.
Table 10.1 Active Crash Intersections Colquitt County

Intersection
1st Street SE and 4th Avenue SE South Main Street and 4th Avenue SW US 319 and State Route 33 1st Avenue SE and 1st Street SE Old Quitman Road SE and Moultrie Bypass East New Quitman Highway and Farmer's Market Road 1st Avenue and 5th Street SE Magnolia Lane SE and Moultrie Bypass East
5th Avenue SE and 10 Street SE Old Quitman Road SE and New Quitman Highway SR 37 and Cool Springs Road SR 111 and Camilla Highway Park Ave SE and Moultrie Bypass E SR 133 and SR 33

Crashes
94 85 79 75 60 59 45 43 40 39 37 36 30 28

Fatalities
0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Persons Injured
35 32 55 22 40 28 18 12
12 16 21 18 17 14

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Intersection
New Quitman Road and Industrial Drive 1st Avenue SE and 10th Street SE 1st Avenue NE and 1st Street NE West Boulevard and S Main Street E Central Avenue and 1st Street SE 1st Avenue SE and 7th Street SE W Central Avenue and 11th Street SW New Quitman Highway and 23rd Street SE Total

Crashes
28 28 28 28 26 26 26 26 996

Fatalities
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

Persons Injured
14 7 13 16 2 13 19 23 474

In addition to the active crash locations, an area of focus and concern was the location of fatal crashes. The locations listed below experienced at least one (1) fatality crash during the five-year analysis period.
South Main Street and 4th Avenue SW
US 319 and SR 33
SR 133 and SR 33
Figure 10.1 shows intersections with more than 25 crashes over the five-year analysis period as well as fatality and pedestrian related crash locations.

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Figure 10.1 Active Crash Intersections & Fatality Locations

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9.2 Bridges
One of the critical concerns in Colquitt County is bridge conditions. Bridges were evaluated to determine the need for potential improvement. Deficient bridges pose a major obstacle to a fully functional road network due to load limits or other restrictions. The study area was reviewed to identify all bridges and assess the need for potential improvements.
To facilitate the completion of this effort GDOT provided bridge condition reports for each bridge within the County. A general measure of the condition of each bridge is the sufficiency rating. The sufficiency rating is used to determine the need for maintenance, rehabilitation or reconstruction of a bridge structure. Consultation with structural/bridge engineers shows that generally a bridge with a sufficiency rating above 75 should maintain an acceptable rating for at least 20 years with adequate maintenance. Structures with a sufficiency rating of 75 or lower have a useful life of less than twenty years and will require major rehabilitation or reconstruction work during the study horizon. All bridges with a sufficiency rating of fifty (50) or lower were identified as potentially deficient and qualifying for federal bridge replacement funds.
All bridges within Colquitt County were identified and documented with a sufficiency rating for each of the 198 bridges within the County. There are 30 bridges with a sufficiency rating under 50, and 42 bridges with a sufficiency rating under 75. Appendix A - Data Collection displays the collected information.
10.0 Roadway Operating Conditions
A travel demand model was developed to assist in the evaluation of existing and future travel conditions in Colquitt County. More detailed information regarding the model and model development process is presented in the Colquitt County Model Documentation Technical Memorandum, May 2009. The key output from the travel demand model is the daily volume to capacity ratio for each roadway segment. Each volume to capacity ratio corresponds to a level of service based on accepted methodologies from the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual. Existing (2007), interim years (2015 and 2025) and horizon year (2035) operating conditions for the study are summarized in the following sections.
Prior to documenting operating conditions it is useful to summarize level of service. Level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measure of traffic flow describing operating conditions. Six levels of service are defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the Highway Capacity Manual for use in evaluating roadway operating conditions. They are given letter designations from A to F, with LOS A representing the best operating conditions and F the worst. A facility may operate at a range of levels of service depending upon time of day, day of week or period of the year. A qualitative description and depiction of the different levels of service is provided below.

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Level of Service Description
LOS A Drivers perceive little or no delay and easily progress along a corridor.

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Level of Service Depiction

LOS B Drivers experience some delay but generally driving conditions are favorable.
LOS C Travel speeds are slightly lower than the posted speed with noticeable delay in intersection areas.
LOS D Travel speeds are well below the posted speed with few opportunities to pass and considerable intersection delay.
LOS E The facility is operating at capacity and there are virtually no useable gaps in the traffic.

LOS F More traffic desires to use a particular facility than it is designed to handle resulting in extreme delays.

The recommended approach used to identify deficient segments in Colquitt County was to analyze the volume of traffic on the roadway segments compared to the capacity of those segments, also known as the volume to capacity (V/C) ratio. For daily operating conditions, any segment identified as LOS D or worse was considered deficient.

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The following thresholds were used to assign a level of service to the V/C ratios for rural facilities based on GDOT standards:
V/C < 0.70 = LOS C or better; 0.70 V/C < 0.85 = LOS D; 0.85 V/C < 1.00 = LOS E; and, V/C 1.00 = LOS F.

10.1 Existing Operating Conditions
The existing conditions results derived from Colquitt County travel demand model were used to determine deficient roadway segments in Colquitt County. Deficient segments were determined by analyzing the volume of traffic on the roadway segments compared to the capacity of those segments. The corresponding V/C ratios were related to LOS. The minimum acceptable LOS for daily roadway operating conditions is LOS C based on GDOT standards.
The existing analysis shows that three segments currently operate daily at or below LOS D. Table 11.1 displays the deficient roadway segments with the LOS for daily operating conditions. Figure 11.1 displays the existing LOS for Colquitt County.

Table 11.1 Existing (2007) Deficient Segments

Roadway SR 133

From Old Doerun Rd

To Funston-Sigsbee Rd

Volume(1)

V/C

LOS

Distance (Mi)

9,097 0.71 D 1.345

SR 37 (Camilla Hwy)

SR 111

West Blvd

12,791 0.87 E 0.309

US 319
(1) Bi-directional volume

SR 256

Doerun Norman Park Rd 11,063 0.75 D 0.762

The majority of roadways in Colquitt County currently operate at an acceptable LOS during daily conditions. It can be expected that as traffic volumes continue to increase, some of these roadways will degrade to an unacceptable LOS.

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Figure 11.1 Existing Daily Deficient Segments

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10.2 Future Operating Conditions

Future operating conditions were evaluated for the years 2015, 2025, and 2035. The existing roadway network was used to determine how well the roadway network will serve the future population and employment in Colquitt County with no additional improvements. The projects identified in GDOT's Construction Work Program were considered long-range and thus were not added to the model network.

This long range transportation plan uses the population estimates from the comprehensive planning process complete in 2008 to ensure the plans are working in concert. It is useful to point out that the long-term projections for population and employment are the least reliable. This is not due to specific inaccuracies or projection techniques but simply because it requires the judgment of stakeholders to assign population and employment throughout the study area. This in turn impacts estimates of travel demand. These long term results should be considered preliminary and when the transportation plan is updated every 3 to 5 years, the projects should be reexamined and amended as necessary.

The 2015 analysis shows that five segments can be expected to operate at or below LOS D under daily conditions. Table 11.2.1 displays the 2015 roadway segments operating at an unacceptable LOS.

Table 11.2.1 2015 Deficient Segments

Roadway SR 133
Camilla Hwy College St (in City of Norman Park) Cool Springs Rd
W Central Ave
(1) Bi-directional volume

From Old Doerun Rd SR111 SR 256 Old Norman Park Rd West Blvd

To Funston-Sigsbee Rd West Blvd W Weeks St SR 37 5th St

Volume(1) 10,229 14,266 11,793 6,704 9,122

V/C LOS

0.79

D

0.96

E

0.75

D

0.72

D

0.76

D

Figure 11.2.1 presents the 2015 daily deficient segments along the existing roadway network.

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Figure 11.2.1

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2015 Daily Deficient Segments

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The 2025 analysis shows that nine segments can be expected to operate at or below LOS D under daily conditions. Table 11.2.2 displays the 2025 roadway segments operating at an unacceptable LOS.

Table 11.2.2 2025 Deficient Segments

Roadway SR 37 SR 37 SR 133 Camilla Hwy College St (In City of Norman Park) Cool Springs Rd S Main St
W Central Ave
W Central Ave
(1) Bi-directional volume

From Rossman Dairy Rd Cool Springs Rd Old Doerun Rd SR 111 SR 256 Old Norman Rd E Central Ave West Blvd 5th St

To SR 111 E Bypass Funston Doerun Rd West Blvd W Weeks St SR 37 1st Ave SW 5th St
S Main St

Volume(1) 8,734 9,655 10,420 16,439 12,225 7,007 11,443 10,324
11,022

V/C LOS

0.71

D

0.76

D

0.75

D

1.12

F

0.73

D

0.75

D

0.86

E

0.87

E

0.80

D

Figure 11.2.2 presents the 2025 daily deficient segments along the existing roadway network.

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Figure 11.2.2

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2025 Daily Deficient Segments

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The 2035 analysis shows that 13 segments can be expected to operate at or below LOS D under daily conditions. Table 11.2.3 displays the 2035 roadway segments operating at an unacceptable LOS.

Table 11.2.3 2035 Deficient Segments

Roadway SR 37 SR 133 SR 133 Camilla Hwy SR 37 1st St SE College St (in City of Norman Park) Cool Springs Rd S Main St S Main St W Broad Ave W Central Ave W Central Ave
(1) Bi-directional volume

From Rossman Dairy Rd Southest County Line North County Line SR 111 Cool Springs Rd E Central Ave
SR 256
Old Norman Rd W Central Ave 1st Ave W Bay St West Blvd 5th St

To SR 111 Edmondson Rd SR 33 West Blvd East Moultrie Bypass 1st Ave SE
W Weeks St
SR 37 1st Ave 12th Ave N Robert St 5th St S Main St

Volume(1) 9,351 12,291 10,737 17,182 10451 11,006 14,939 7,687 10,003 12,001 12,244 9,448 9,820

V/C 0.76 0.81 0.73 1.17 0.82 0.91 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.72 0.80 0.86 0.71

LOS D D D F D E D D D D D E D

Figure 11.2.3 presents the 2035 daily deficient segments along the existing roadway network.

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Figure 11.2.3

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2035 Daily Deficient Segments

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11.0 Study Advisory Group Input

Qualitative analysis goes beyond the science of travel demand modeling and incorporates the perceptions of the citizens that use the transportation system. Safety concerns, desires for future improvements, and citizen's transportation priorities gathered from study advisory group activities are presented in the following section. It is important to understand deficiencies as perceived by citizens and key stakeholders in addition to those identified through technical analysis. In combination, technical analysis, and Study Advisory Group input should clearly define transportation issues and opportunities in Colquitt County. The Study Team met with Colquitt County staff representatives and created an advisory group of community leaders in Colquitt County. Participants in the Study Advisory Group are listed in Table 12.1.

Name
Christine Page
Nikie Brady
Seth Brady Don Senkbeil Tony Brock
Russell Moody Mike Scott Emily Watson Scott N. Brown Charles Weathers Roger Ruis Stacy Griffin

Table 12.1 Study Advisory Group

Representing

Name

Representing

Colquitt County Board of Education Colquitt County Volunteer Fire Department Colquitt County Volunteer Fire Department
Doerun City Council

Alfred Porter Darrell Moore Greg Monfort John C. Peters

Airport Authority Manager

Myrtis Ndawula

Colquitt Code officer
City of Moultrie UGA Archway UGA Extension Colquitt County City of Moultrie Colquitt County

Randy Weldon
Laura Sapp Jay White Jane Wiggins Marion Hay Shane Pridgen Brent Thomas

Colquitt County
Colquitt County Chamber and Development Authority
City of Moultrie
Colquitt County SWGA Community Action Council SWGA Community Action Council Sapp Trucking, Inc. Sapp Trucking, Inc Moultrie Tech Colquitt County GDOT District 4 GDOT District 4

11.1 Study Advisory Group Meetings
Three meetings were held with Colquitt County representatives to gather input on transportation issues and to share study findings and recommendations. Table 12.1.1 includes meeting dates and locations.

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Table 12.1.1 Colquitt County Meetings

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Meeting Type
County Kickoff Meeting/Study Advisory Group meeting #1 Study Advisory Group meeting #2 Study Advisory Group meeting #3

Date
11/6/08 4/1/09 8/11/09

Location
Colquitt County Courthouse Annex Colquitt County Courthouse Annex Colquitt County Courthouse Annex

Public involvement documentation is included in Appendix C.

11.2 Study Advisory Group Input

Table 12.2.1 summarizes the general themes expressed by the study advisory group relative to transportation issues, opportunities, and needs.
The Colquitt County Comprehensive Plan passed in 2008 places an emphasis on nodal development that occurs at cross-road communities and in existing downtown areas. This transportation plan will support the desires of the citizens of Colquitt County as documented in the comprehensive planning process.

Economic development initiatives are partly dependent upon four-lane access and proximity to interstates. The recruitment of new businesses will be aided by the widening of SR 133 through Colquitt County, which will provide regional transportation and economic benefits as well. In support of existing businesses, the operations and maintenance of existing roadways needs to consider the increase in the size and weight of farm equipment and freight hauling equipment and the toll that these are taking on the roads. The interaction between the large equipment travel movements from the County's agrarian based economy needs to be taken into account when planning for traffic on the main transportation corridors.
The proximity of some schools to the location of housing limits the mode by which school children can travel to school. The group mentioned 80 percent of school children travel by bus to school. In addition, queuing to drop-off and pick-up school children creates backups on the roads leading to the schools, which are often major corridors. This creates an unsafe roadway condition.

Table 12.2.1 Study Advisory Group Input Summary

Activity Centers and Circulation
One-way pair design in downtown areas is confusing. Analyze the possibility of reverting to 2-way traffic and determine this modifications impact on downtown circulation overall.

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Roadway and Operational Improvements
Widening SR 133 was considered the number one priority for economic growth and regional benefit
US 319 and SR 133 Connector Northeast bypass from US 319 to Industrial Drive (connects to new school)

Intersection Improvements
US 319 Bypass and Sylvester Drive, locally called Spaghetti Junction, is considered a dangerous intersection
4th Avenue NE at Rowland Drive is considered a dangerous five point intersection and is a potential candidate for a roundabout.
Address congestion at SR 37 and SR 111 intersection and the schools west of Moultrie (narrow bridge)
5th Avenue, SR 133, Old Adel Road, Industrial Drive is considered a bad intersection and more industry, subdivision, and traffic have been introduced to the area since 2001

Bicycle and Pedestrian
SR 37/SR 11 has traffic backs up from the Junior High School making the travel slow and unsafe in the morning peak period.
Analyze "in-town" schools for possible sidewalks Very few students live within a mile and a half of school Turn lanes have helped some at Sunset Elementary School, but more is
needed to fix problems with safety. Pedestrian traffic crossing street from high school to Wal-Mart. Analyze
pedestrian crossing solutions. Existing bike path
o Loop to other RR corridor thru downtown YMCA o Lighting needs

Public Transportation 5311 Program is managed by the SWGRDC.

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Freight & Rail
SR 133 is a primary economic development generator. This four-lane project would serve regional economic development purposes.
"Co-existing" with agriculture & transportation. As farm equipment gets larger, its weight and size are creating unsafe conditions on roadways. Improvements to sub-base and shoulders, and widening to four-lanes were suggested possible solutions offered by the group.
There are 360 miles of dirt roads There are 900 miles of county roads which were designed primarily for farm
to market. The current design is not holding up due to heavy loads. Most industrial areas are served by rail. The existing rail activity is limited.
There is very little land left with rail access. A new site in the northwest part of country has been purchased. New industries shopping for space in Colquitt do not have much interest in new rail access, and they are more interested in four-lane access and proximity to interstate. SR 37 west of Moultrie has been proposed to be protected as agricultural land. Balance between preservation and minimum environmental requirements as improvements are proposed for SR 37. Truck traffic coming from SR 37 or SR 111 has difficulty moving from West through Moultrie Need easier access to interstates & other major roads. Need better access for military bases, agriculture products & residents. Connect SR 133 S to US 319 near hospital (either new road or upgrade existing) There is a Long Range project This would help w/traffic from Valdosta & school traffic.

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Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives discussion revealed the following from the Study Advisory Group:
Maintain agricultural base in County Positive, meaningful growth Crossroad development around current community hubs Redevelopment versus new development following comprehensive plans
lead, promote use of existing infrastructure before expanding to new areas.
The Study Advisory Group stated that having a user-friendly, workable plan was the outcome they sought from this process. There were positive remarks about the existing plan. The following were the Study Advisory Group's desires for the outcome of the plan:
Workable User-friendly Follow the lead of the existing plan from 2001 Identify funding
Funding was seen as a primary reason for delay in the implementation of transportation projects to address known transportation issues. Comments received from the Study Advisory Group include:
The process to obtain federal and state funds should be streamlined Funding issues Railroad crossings are bad and too expensive to fix per current
specifications The lack of funding on the state level has placed the burden of responsibility
on the local county staff

Figure 12.2.1 graphically displays the citizen and stakeholder comments.

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Figure 12.2.1

Study Advisory Group Input

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12.0 Improvement Development Process
After the existing and future conditions were evaluated, strategies were developed to address identified deficiencies. Improvements were developed for each mode of the transportation system:
Deficient Roadways, Safety Improvements including Intersections and Bridges; Freight; Aviation; Public Transportation; and Bicycle and Pedestrian;
Recommended improvements were based on study advisory group input as well as technical analysis. Improvements were also shared with local officials and GDOT District 4 for comment before being incorporated into the plan. The following sections document the potential improvements in detail, ultimately producing recommended improvements for Colquitt County's transportation system. Figure 13.1 below illustrates the improvement development process.

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Figure 13.1 Transportation Improvement Development Process

12.1 Deficient Roadways
Using the travel demand model developed as part of this study, future traffic volumes were forecasted and analyzed. This analysis revealed that the existing roadway network generally serves Colquitt County well through the year 2015. However, by year 2015, the roadway sections on existing two-lane roadway sections on SR 133 between Moultrie and Doerun, on SR 37 from SR 111 to downtown Moultrie, and on Cool Springs Road from SR 37 to Old Norman Park Road begin to experience travel speeds that are below the posted speed and considerable intersection delay. In addition by 2025, the roadway sections on SR 133 south of Moultrie to the County line begin to show travel conditions well below the posted speed with few opportunities to pass and considerable intersection delay.
As documented in Section 11.2.3, the 2035 operational analysis reveals several roadways begin to perform below the acceptable level of service. Based on the results of the operational analysis, the following roadway segments are recommended for widening:
SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway north of Moultrie to north of the Colquitt County line

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SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway section at Spence Field to SR 333 in Brooks County
SR 37 from Rossman Dairy Road to 11th Street/MLK, Jr. Drive
SR 37 from East Moultrie Bypass to Cool Springs Road
Cool Springs Road to Old Norman Park Road

Additionally, review of the existing roadway typical sections revealed several of the facilities in the County do not meet the ideal typical section of 12-foot lanes with 2-foot paved shoulders. Key corridors were selected for operational improvements based on input from the Study Advisory Group. These corridors include:

Old Berlin Road and Chapman Road from Wesley Chapel Road to Tallokas Road
JD Herndon from Gene McQueen Road to Tallokas Road Hall Road from Peachtree Road to Tillman Road S. Railroad Street from RL Sears Road to Weeks Street Sam Rentz Road from Cool Springs Road to US 319

Due to right-of-way constraints in the downtown Moultrie area, the following roadways should be considered for an extension of the one-way pair system:
S. Main Street and 13th Ave SE Expand 1-way on N. Main St from south of 1st Ave NW to 13th Ave SW Expand 1-way on 1st St SE from 13th Ave SE to 1st Ave NE Provide a new roadway transition for 1-way pair near 13th Ave SE Convert 1st St SE to 1-way Convert S. Main St to 1-way
W. Central Ave SE and 1st Ave SW Expand 1-way on 1st Ave SW from 11th St SW to 10th St SE Expand 1-way on E. Central Ave from 10th St SE to MLK, Jr. Dr Provide new roadway transition for 1-way on 1st Ave SW near 11th St SW Provide new roadway transition for 1-way Pair near 10th St Convert 1st Ave SW to 1-way Convert 1st Ave SE to 1-way Convert E. Central Ave SE to 1-way Convert W. Central Ave SE to 1-way

The conversion of existing two-way streets to one way should be vetted with residents, businesses, and the City of Moultrie officials. Three concepts were presented to the Study Advisory Group: No-build, Two-way conversion, and two sets of One-way Pairs. The two sets of One-way Pairs concept was received as the most favorable option by the Study Advisory Group. In addition, a policy guide was developed to outline the benefits and drawbacks of one-way pair roads, particularly in downtown areas (see Policy Guide).

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Figure 13.1.1

One-way Pairs Concept

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In order to aid GDOT and County staff, potential improvements were ranked by mode based on several evaluation factors. The following sections document the prioritization of improvements for Colquitt County.

12.2 Roadway Prioritization

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation factors were established so that the potential improvements for Colquitt County could be evaluated objectively by County staff. These factors were developed by the study team with the assistance of the Study Advisory Group. This evaluation serves as a ranking for potential projects, resulting in a prioritization of improvement options to meet the County's transportation needs.

Qualitative Criteria Qualitative criteria were established to evaluate the deficient corridors based on various conditions or standards established through the study process. The following list documents the qualitative criteria established for the roadway network improvement evaluation. These correspond to the vision established in the Goals and Objectives documented in Section 2.0.

Continuation of Existing Road Widening Project Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) / National Highway System Supports Comprehensive Plan Right of Way Protection Corridor Connectivity Construction Designs in Progress Parallel Relief Protection of Downtown Ideal Typical Section Development Conditions

By comparing potential projects to these established criteria, it was possible to determine which projects scored highest against these critical measures. This information was used as an input for prioritizing projects. Table 13.2.1 displays the qualitative criteria and the associated scoring. The total points established by the qualitative criteria range from 0 to 36 points. These points were added to the points received from the quantitative criteria, which are documented on the following pages.

Table 13.2.1 Qualitative Criteria and Scoring

Corridor Prioritization Criteria
Continuation of Existing Road Widening Project Is the proposed project a continuation of any previously completed or current project providing added lanes to the specific transportation corridor?

Possible Points
No = 0 Yes = 4

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Governor's Road Improvement Program/National Highway System Is the project identified as a GRIP Corridor or part of the National Highway System? Supports Comprehensive Plan Does the proposed project support the Comprehensive Plan? Right of Way Protection Corridor Is the proposed project located in a developing area where right of way protection or early acquisition is needed? Connectivity Does the proposed project improve access between activity centers or link existing or proposed projects or provide regional connectivity? Construction Designs in Progress Are the design plans for the proposed project already complete or in the process of being completed? Parallel Relief Does the proposed project provide relief to parallel congested/ deficient corridors? Protection of Downtown Does the proposed project enhance the quality of life in downtown areas? Ideal Typical Section Does the proposed project address upgrading sub standard roadway segments?
Development Conditions A - Is the proposed project located within a development area, or, is the specific project part of an approved plan for the redevelopment or revitalization of a developed area, or does the specific project provide access infrastructure to a mixed-use project area?
B - Does the proposed project maintain the distinct rural or suburban areas of the County?
C - Has the proposed project coordinated with, or support, land use decisions in the area?
Sub-Total Possible Points

No = 0 Yes = 2 No = 0 Yes = 3
No = 0 Yes = 3
No = 0 Yes = 4
No = 0 Yes = 2
No = 0 Yes = 4 No = 0 Yes = 4 No = 0 Yes = 4
No = 0 Yes = 2
No = 0 Yes = 2
No = 0 Yes = 2
36

Quantitative Criteria Quantitative criteria were set up to evaluate the deficient corridors based on various measurable conditions. The following list documents the quantitative criteria established for the roadway network improvement evaluation.
Volume to Capacity Ratio
Ratio of Corridor Crash Rate (Number of Crashes per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled) to Statewide Crash Rate Average
Number of Fatalities
Benefit-Cost ratio
Table 13.2.2 displays the quantitative criteria and the associated scoring. The total points established by the quantitative criteria range from 0 to 30 points.

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Table 13.2.2 Quantitative Criteria and Scoring

Corridor Prioritization Criteria

Possible Points

Volume to Capacity Ratio 0.00 - 0.349 0.350 - 0.399 0.400 - 0.449 0.450 - 0.499 0.500 - 0.549 0.550 - 0.599 0.600 - 0.649 0.650 - 0.699 0.700 - 0.749 0.750 - 0.799 0.800 - 0.849 0.850 - 0.899 0.900 - 0.949 0.950 - 1.049 1.050 - 1.149 1.150 - 1.249 1.250 - 1.349 1.350 - 1.449 1.450 - 1.549 1.550 - 1.649 1.650 -
Ratio of Corridor Crash Rate to Statewide Crash Rate 0.01-0.49 0.50-0.99 1.00 -1.99 2.00-2.49 2.50-2.99 3.00-3.99 4.00-5.99 6.00 Number of Fatalities 1 2 or more Benefit-Cost Ratio
Sub-Total Possible Points

0.00 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00
0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00
1 3 1-5 25/30

Benefit Cost Ratio Calculations
GDOT recently adopted an approach to benefit cost ratio calculations as part of the Project Prioritization Process. As part of the Colquitt County LRTP development process, the benefit cost ratio methodology established in the GDOT Office of Planning's "Transportation Study Guidelines for PrPP Input" was applied to all roadway capacity adding projects. In the case of Colquitt County, five capacity projects were recommended and benefit cost ratios were developed for each of these projects. The projects then received a ranking of 1-5 based on the relative benefit cost score that was ultimately incorporated into the quantitative criteria scoring described in the previous section. Benefit

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/ cost rankings are included in Table 13.2.3. Details of the benefit cost ratio calculations are included in Appendix B.
Operational improvements were prioritized based on the quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria described in the previous section. Benefit cost ratios were not calculated for operational improvements, as system benefits for operational projects are difficult to quantify at this level of analysis due to the need for further improvement definition and for the application of microsimulation tools beyond the scope of an LRTP study.
The total points that a facility can receive for both the qualitative and quantitative criteria is 66 points. Based upon the identified improvements and the evaluations made during the quantitative and qualitative evaluation, a set of recommended near, mid, and long-term transportation projects was established. The scoring for the deficient corridors is displayed in Table 13.2.3.

The prioritization resulted in the following ranking of top roadway improvements:
SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway section north of Moultrie to north of the Colquitt County line
SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway section at Spence Field to SR 333 in Brooks County
SR 37 from Rossman Dairy Road to 11th Street/MLK, Jr. Drive
SR 37 from East Moultrie Bypass to Cool Springs Road
Cool Springs Road to Old Norman Park Road

Corridors with higher points are considered to address more of the goals and objectives established for the LRTP. The points are not meant to be the final decision on whether a project should be implemented or not. Instead these rankings should be employed in conjunction with input from key technical staff from the County and GDOT; input from political decision makers; and, public comment. However, the total points from the qualitative and quantitative scoring could be used to establish a priority ranking.

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Table 13.2.3 Prioritized Corridor Recommendations

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12.3 Intersection Improvement Prioritization and Recommendations
As previous described in Section 10, intersections with active crashes require further investigation to determine the reasons for the higher occurrences of crashes. Additionally, the Study Advisory Group identified intersections with sight distance and perceived safety issues.
Criteria were established to evaluate the potential intersection improvements based on various conditions or standards established through the study process. The following list documents the criteria established for the intersection evaluation. These correspond to the established Goals and Objectives and project evaluation factors.
What is the Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) on the facility? How many crashes occurred at the intersection between 2003 and 2007? Did a fatality occur at the intersection? Was the intersection currently identified by the County/City? Can operational issues be addressed without installing a traffic signal?
By comparing potential projects to these established criteria, it was possible to determine which improvements scored highest against these critical measures. This information was used as a means of prioritizing improvements. Table 13.3.1 documents the scoring used for the intersection prioritization and Table 13.3.2 displays the scoring applied to the proposed intersection improvements.
Table 13.3.1 Intersection Scoring Criteria

Intersection Prioritization Criteria
AADT What is the Average AADT at the intersection?
Crashes How many crashes occurred at the intersection between 2003 and 2007?
Fatality Did a fatality occur at the intersection? Previously Identified Improvement Was the intersection currently identified by the County/City? Improvement Opportunities Can operational issues be addressed without installing a traffic signal?

Possible Points
> 15,000 = 5 15,000 - 10,000 = 4
10,000 - 5,000 = 2 < 5,000 = 0 > 50 = 10 50 - 30 = 5 30 - 10 = 2 <10 = 0 No = 0 Yes = 10 No = 0 Yes = 5 No = 0 Yes = 5

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12.4 Bridge Improvement Recommendations
Bridges with a sufficiency rating of 75 or lower were recommended for improvements. The sufficiency rating was also used to prioritize the bridges in need of rehabilitation or maintenance. The prioritization scoring resulted in the following ranking of bridge improvements; the lower the sufficiency rating, the higher the improvement priority, as shown in Table 13.4.1. Three bridges are in GDOT's CWP are italicized in bold, two of which are on the state system:
Hagin Still Road at Ochlockonee River SR 256 at Warrior Creek SR 37 at Okapilco Creek
Table 13.4.1 Bridge Prioritization Table

ID

Facility

Crossing

170 Hagin Still Road 169 Wilburn Murphy Road 168 SW 13th Avenue 167 Tom Jones Road 166 Wilburn Murphy Road 165 Willingham Road 164 Old Albany Road

162 Jim Clark Road

163 Ladson Road

160 JR Suber Road

161 James Gray Road

159 O'neal Road

157 SR 256

158 Bob Sims Road

156

Chine Grove Church Road

153 Hurst Road

155 Smithwick Bridge Road

154 Smithwick Bridge Road

152 Culbert Road

Ochlockonee River Little Creek Ochlockonee River Trib Little Ochlockonee River Trib Little Creek Overflow Little Ochlockonee River Ochlockonee Creek
Sapp Creek
Okapilco Creek
Warriior Creek Trib
Rock Creek Brushy Branch Warrior Creek Okapilco Creek
Big Branch
Big Branch Ochlockonee River Ochlockonee River Overflow Brushy Branch

Location
APP 2.7 MI SE of Doerun 6.2 MI SW of Moultrie Moultrie SW
APP 8 MI SW of Moultrie 5.9 MI SW of Moultrie
APP 14.75 MI SW Moultrie APP 2.7 MI E of Doerun APP 2.3 MI NE of Crosland APP 7.4 MI SE of Doerun APP 5.2 MI SE Norman Park APP 2 MI NW of Crosland APP 3.7 MI SW of Doerun 2 MI N of Norman Park APP 5.4 MI NE of Doerun APP 13 MI SE of Moultrie
APP 4.4 MI NW of Funston 8.6 MI SW of Moultrie
APP 8.6 MI SW of Moultrie APP 2 MI SW of Doerun

Sufficiency Rating
14.32 17.07 20.08 20.32 20.53 22.65 24.11 24.72 24.97 26.57 26.90 27.84 28.87 29.09 34.09 35.16 35.16 35.16 37.27

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ID

Facility

151 Bob Sims Road 150 Bass Road 149 Jack Pyle Road 148 Holland Road 147 Larry Dunn Road 146 Willingham Road 145 SR 37 142 Ellenton-Omega Road 143 Carroll Willis Road 144 Funston-Sale City 141 Doerun-Norman Park

Crossing
Okapilco Creek Trib Slocumb Branch Ochlockonee River Trib Lost Creek Sapp Creek Little Ochlockonee Trib Okapilco Creek Ty Ty Creek Gum Creek Little Creek Okapilco Creek

Location
APP 4.6 MI NE of Doerun APP 7.4 MI SW of Doerun APP 7.3 MI SE of Doerun APP 12 MI SW of Moultrie APP 2.3 MI E of Crosland APP 14.75 MI SW Moultrie
East Moultrie APP 6 MI N of Ellenton 9 MI E OF Norman Park APP 1 MI NW of Funston APP 7 MI E of Doerun

Sufficiency Rating
38.20 38.21 40.19 42.00 43.08 43.82 47.01 47.54 47.66 48.40 48.90

The 30 bridges listed in Table 13.4.1 should be considered a near-term priority for rehabilitation or replacement based upon the analysis of a structural engineer. The remaining bridges have a higher sufficiency rating and, at this time, should be considered a lower priority.

12.5 Aviation Recommendations
Colquitt County and the Moultrie Municipal Airport Authority, working with GDOT and the Federal Highway Administration, should review airport signage and its placement to determine if additional signage is warranted. Consider locating destination signage and possibly additional airport symbol signage on US 319 north and south of the Airport.
Colquitt County, the Moultrie Municipal Airport Authority and the Moultrie Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce should work to better publicize the location and amenities of Moultrie Municipal Airport and to distinguish it from Spence Field.

12.6 Transit Recommendations
Colquitt County is currently served by a 14-county regional coordinated transportation system that provides both DHR human services transportation and 5311 rural transportation services. The system is currently functioning well to accommodate most of the needs of the elderly, the disabled, and persons requiring transportation to work, school, or other destinations, although additional trips are needed for all of these groups, particularly during peak operating hours. The SWGRDC is working to establish a Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) in each county of its region which will focus to pinpoint specific existing deficiencies as well as to identify additional persons with unmet transportation needs. Demographic data and projections for Colquitt County provide insight

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into the county's future population that will require transit services. The elderly, the disabled, the poor, and those without automobiles comprise the majority of this transit dependent population.
Population Colquitt County experienced a modest four percent growth rate over the five year period from 2000 to 2005 and has seen population declines in both the cities of Doerun and Moultrie. The County's population is projected to continue this modest growth rate, averaging less than one percent per year in the future. Despite the projected modest increases in population, the Colquitt County Community Assessment (2008-2028) reports that Colquitt County currently has one of the highest Latino populations in the State. Additionally, the Latino population is projected to boom, with every city and community expected to see an increase exceeding 62% in coming years. The county is also expected to see increases in other minority populations, many of which, along with the Latino households, live below the poverty level. This is a significant trend which will affect the future need and demand for public transportation services.
Elderly Population The elderly are major users of both the 5311 Program and the DHR-provided transportation services in Colquitt County. Planning for additional future services needs to consider population projections for the elderly in coming years. Colquitt County's percentage of elderly population (age 65 and over) was 12.8% of the total population in 2000, exceeding the Georgia statewide average of 9.6%. Colquitt County's population of elderly will grow in coming years, increasing from 5,405 persons in 2000 to a projected 6,959 persons in 2030, a 29% increase. This aging population will mean that a greater percentage of elderly will comprise the total population in future years than currently and that there will likely be a greater need and demand for transportation services to accommodate their needs. Table 13.6.2 presents projections for Colquitt County's elderly population from the year 2000 to 2030.
Table 13.6.2 Colquitt County Elderly Population Projections 2000 to 2030

Year

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Population

42,053 43,772 45,392 47,061 48,730 50,399 52,069

Population Age 65+

5,405

5,664

5,923

6,182

6,441 6,700 6,959

Percent of Total Population 12.8% 12.9% 13.0% 13.1% 13.2% 13.3% 13.4%
Source: Colquitt County and the Cities of Berlin, Doerun, Ellenton, Funston, Moultrie and Norman Park Community Assessment, 2008

Disabled Populations There were 9,663 persons age five years and up with disabilities in Colquitt County in 2000, representing 23% of the county's total population. This included 6,529 persons who were of working age (16 to 64) of whom 3,417 (52%) were employed. While the 2010 U.S. Census will provide evidence of any change in this percentage, the DHR Region 10

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Transportation Office projects that recent funding cuts have and will result in an increase in unmet transportation need by the disabled now and in the future.
Populations Below the Poverty Level and Households without Automobiles According to the 2000 U.S. Census, approximately 20% of Colquitt County's 15,500 households had income below the poverty level. Additionally, 11% of Colquitt County households were without automobiles, a large majority of which were minorities:
Seven percent of renter occupied households were without automobiles compared to four percent of owner-occupied households;
Twenty-four percent of African American households were without automobiles; and
Thirteen percent of Hispanic/Latino households were without automobiles.
As mentioned previously, Colquitt County's Latino and African American populations are expected to increase significantly, with a large percentage of these households falling into low-income brackets. This will likely translate into an even more profound percentage of minority households without automobiles and persons who require public transportation services to reach jobs, schools and day care, shopping, public services, and other destinations in the future.
Recommendations Colquitt County should work with the SWGRDC and participate in its Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (when formed) to: Determine if there are ways the regional coordinated system can better accommodate peak-service transportation needs of the public. The current transportation system is sometimes unable to provide 5311 rides to the public during peak operating hours. The main reason for this is that vans are scheduled in advance and therefore committed to DHR human services trips. Identify residents who are in need of transit services not currently met by the coordinated system. In particular: o Individuals who have received job placement services in the DFCS Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) whose assistance has ended and who do not have automobiles to get to work; o Seniors who need and want transportation to destinations other than the senior center; o The general public (both disabled and able-bodied) who are not clients of DHR but need transportation to jobs, education, school and day care, recreation, shopping and public services destinations. The DHR Region 10 Transportation Office applied for Section 5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) funds (which would provide transportation to jobs) as well as Section 5317 New Freedom Program (which addresses needs of persons with disabilities) in 2008, but was not awarded funding. The Office plans to apply for these funds during the next funding cycle. Evaluate whether there is any need for a fixed-route component of the 5311 system which could complement the demand-response system in place now and possibly address needs identified above.

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Address future population increases in the elderly and minority populations which will translate into the need for additional transit services in coming years.
The 2000 Census reports that 77% of Colquitt County's working population commute to jobs within the County. The remaining 23% commute primarily to Tift, Dougherty, and Thomas Counties. The Census data also shows that workers experience favorable commute times, with seventy-four percent of workers spending thirty-minutes or less to get to work.

While the majority of the County's working population is able to find jobs locally, a large percentage of these jobs require a low skill level. Thus, the County's skilled labor force is largely dependent on employment outside the County, with many finding employment at area food processors, distribution centers, and manufacturers. The Colquitt County and the Cities of Berlin, Doerun, Ellenton, Funston, Moultrie and Norman Park Community Assessment (2008-2028) has identified the need for the County and its cities to increase efforts to attract high-tech companies and major retailers to the county to provide employment opportunities for the skilled labor force residing both in and outside of the county. If the county is not successful in these efforts, it may see an increase in the number of workers who must commute out of the county each day for work as well as a decrease in the number of workers traveling into the county for local jobs.

The county does not currently have any park and ride facilities or organized van pools to accommodate workers who commute within or out of the county. The SWGRDC reports that while the need is low at present, some cities within the region would benefit from van pool services to alleviate early morning and late afternoon traffic. A van pool program which provides transportation for skilled workers could also act as an incentive for employers considering locating in Colquitt County.
Recommendations Colquitt County should monitor for indications that residents are parking and carpooling or establishing van pools. The County should work with the SWGRDC and GDOT to establish park and ride and/or vanpooling facilities, if warranted. Working with the SWGRDC, Colquitt County should explore the concept of incorporating a van pool program into economic development marketing initiatives. A van pool program which is structured to bring additional skilled workers into Colquitt County could help attract potential employers to the county.
12.7 Intercity and Commuter Rail Recommendations
Future Conditions The Georgia Rail Passenger Program (GRPP) proposes long-range intercity rail between Atlanta, Macon, and Albany. Phase one will implement a route between Atlanta and Macon; phase two will extend the line from Macon to Albany. If implemented, this service would allow Colquitt County residents to travel approximately 40 miles to Albany to board an express train to Macon or Atlanta. The intercity rail service would potentially create

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demand in Colquitt County for public transportation or shuttle services to the designated rail station facility in Albany.
Recommendations Working with the SWGRDC, incorporate the intercity rail program between Atlanta to Macon to Albany into county and city transit planning initiatives. Provide methods to facilitate transportation (likely via the Coordinated Regional Transportation System) between points of origin in Colquitt County with the designated rail station in Albany, when/if the program is implemented.

12.8 Freight Rail Recommendations
Georgia and Florida Railway currently transports 9,000 carloads of cargo per year through Colquitt County on a 55-mile mainline which runs between Albany and Sparks, Georgia. Two trains carry cargo through Colquitt County; one runs six days per week, Monday through Saturday, and the other operates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Georgia and Florida Railway projects that the number of trains as well as the mix of cargo transported (beer, wood chips, lumber, and fertilizer) will remain constant in 2009 and in the foreseeable future. A rail site on the north side of the county was purchased in 2008 which could potentially become a future rail distribution operation. The county reports that there is only one rail site with land that is available at this time, indicating limited opportunity for growth in rail in the near future.
Rail Crossing Safety GDOT's Office of Traffic Safety and Design maintains an inventory of the State's railroad crossings and a priority list for those requiring improvements. Local governments are encouraged to report crossings within their jurisdictions which appear to be unsafe, deficient in their currently traffic control devices, candidates for closure, or in need of an upgrade. GDOT will schedule a field review to conduct a Highway Rail Engineering Analysis of the crossing in question, evaluating a number of criteria, including:
The maximum number of passenger trains per day; Maximum number of freight trains per day; Distance to alternate crossings; Accident history of the crossing for the immediately preceding five year period; Type of warning device present at the crossing; The horizontal and vertical alignment of the roadway; The average daily traffic volume in proportion to the population of the
jurisdiction; The posted speed limit over the crossing; The effect of closing/altering the crossing for persons utilizing it (hospitals and
medical facilities; federal state and local government services such as court, postal, library, sanitation, and park facilities; commercial, industrial and other areas of public commerce);

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Any use of the crossing by trucks carrying hazardous material, vehicles carrying passengers for hire, school buses, emergency vehicles, public or private utility vehicles;
Other relevant factors such as clearing sight distance, traversing the crossing, high profile or "hump" crossings, land locked property, at-grade crossing signalized with bells, lights, and proximity to other crossings.
Upon review, if traffic control devices are found to be deficient, GDOT will assign a priority and program an improvement project to correct the deficiency.
Crossing Traffic Control Devices Colquitt County has 119 railroad crossings. All are "at grade" with the exception of one. "At-grade" highway-rail crossings pose risks because the train always has the right of way. These crossings require traffic control devices (passive and active) to permit reasonably safe and efficient operation of both the rail and traffic. Passive devices are signs and pavement markings that are not activated by trains. Types of passive devices include:
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Crossbuck Signs - the white crisscrossed sign with RAILROAD CROSSING in black lettering. These are required in each highway approach to every highway-rail grade crossing, either alone or in combination with other traffic control devices.

Stop and Yield Signs - formerly recommend with crossbucks only where two or more trains operate daily, but now recommended along with crossbucks for all crossings. A YIELD sign should be the default choice, with a STOP sign required when an engineering study deems conditions necessary for a vehicle to make full stop. Factors to be considered include:
o The line of sight from an approaching highway vehicle to an approaching train;
o Characteristics of the highway, such as the functional classification, geometric conditions, and traffic volumes and speed;
o Characteristics of the railroad including frequency, type and speed of trains, and number of tracks;
o Crossing crash history, and o Need for active control devices.
Railroad Advance Warning Signs - intended for approach roadways that parallel the railroad to warn turning drivers that they will encounter a highway/rail crossing soon after making the turn.
Active traffic control devices are controlled by the train operator and give warning of the approach or presence of a train. Types of active traffic control devices include:

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Flashing-Light Signals - two red lights in a horizontal line flashing alternately at approaching highway traffic.
Cantilever Flashing Light Signals - additional one or two sets of lights mounted over the roadway on a cantilever arm and directed at approaching highway traffic. Supplemental to the standard flashing light, used frequently on multi-lane approaches, high speed, two lane highways, roads with a high percentage of trucks or where obstacles obstruct visibility of standard flashing lights.
Automatic Gates - consisting of a drive unit and gate arm. Supplemental to flashing and cantilever lights.
Additional Flashing Light Signals - used for additional approaches to active highway rail grade crossings. These lights can be mounted on existing flashing light masts, extension arms, additional traffic signal masts, cantilever supports, and in medians or other locations on the left side of the road.
Active Advance Warning Signs with Flashers - a train activated advance warning sign, considered at locations where sight distance is restricted on the approach to a crossing and the flashing light signals can not be seen until an approaching driver has passed the decision point. Two amber lights can be placed on the sign to warn drivers in advance of a crossing where the control devices are activated. The continuously flashing amber caution lights can influence driver speed and provide warning for stopped vehicles ahead.

Active Turn Restriction Signs - display `No Right Turn' or `No Left Turn' on a parallel street within 50 feet of the tracks, at a signalized highway intersection.
Barrier devices - median separation devices to prohibit crossing gate violations.
Seventy-six of Colquitt County's 118 at-grade railroad crossings are public crossings and 42 cross private roads. The Federal Railroad Administration - Office of Safety Analysis reports that, of the 76 public crossings:
All have some type of highway warning;

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Twenty-one are equipped with crossbucks;. Thirty-five are equipped with stop signs; Three are equipped with flashing lights; and Seventeen are equipped with gates
As mentioned previously, GDOT now recommends stop signs be placed at all crossings that have crossbucks.
Specific Rail Recommendations Colquitt County rail crossings identified during the Existing Conditions Analysis phase of the Long-Range Transportation Plan were further evaluated to determine deficiencies in safety control devices, described above. This analysis was combined with input provided by the Stakeholder Advisory Group and Georgia and Florida Railway to produce specific rail recommendations for crossings in need of improvements. These recommendations are provided below.
Doerun 1) Sam Sells Road (Crossing 723287A) This crossing experienced an accident involving
a train in 2005 (with an injury) and is also ranked as having the second highest collision prediction value on the FRA Web Accident Prediction System. The crossing is currently equipped with advance warning signs, crossbucks, and stop signs

Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate additional thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches.

Rail crossing 723287A - Sam Sells Rd

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2) Funston-Doerun Road (Crossing 723300L) This crossing experienced an accident involving a train in 2004 (no injuries) and has the highest predicted collision rate on the FRA Web Accident Prediction System. The crossing is equipped with advance warning signs, crossbucks, and stop signs on both approaches.

Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches. Re-pave crossing to smooth roadway surface.

Rail crossing 723300L - Funston Doerun Rd
Moultrie 1) Old Albany Road (Crossing 723278B) This crossing experienced an accident
involving a train in 2000 (no injuries). The crossing is equipped with stop signs and crossbucks on both approaches and advance warning signage on the northbound approach only.
Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches. Add advance warning signage on the southbound approach.

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Rail crossing 723278B - Old Albany Rd
2) Old Albany Road, south of Blasingame (Crossing 723449A) This crossing is equipped with stop signs and crossbucks, but lacks pavement markings.
Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches.

Rail Crossing 723449A - Old Albany Road, south of Blasingame Road
3) Blasingame Road, West of Old Albany Road (Crossing 723450U) - This crossing is equipped with stop signs and crossbucks, but lacks pavement markings.

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Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches.

Rail Crossing 723450U - Blasingame Road, West of Old Albany Road
4) D.H. Alderman Road (Crossing 723396D) This crossing experienced a crash with a train in 2005 (no injuries). The crossing is equipped with crossbucks and stop signs.
Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to incorporate thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches.

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Rail crossing 723396D - DH Alderman Rd
6) Cool Springs Road (Crossing 723258P) This crossing experienced crashes in 2000 and in 2003, none with injuries. The crossing is equipped with advance warning signs, crossbucks and gates, but pavement markings need repainting.
Recommendation: Review crossing with the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager to repaint thermoplastic stop bars and pavement markings on both approaches.

Rail Crossing 723258P - Cool Springs Road

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Local Concern Rail Recommendations Georgia and Florida Railway has stated that many crossings in the County are in need of repaving and that there are approximately 15 bridges in need of repair. The Railroad is currently in the process of reviewing and identifying such crossings and bridges in Colquitt and other counties where it has rail operations.

Recommendation: Upon completion of Georgia and Florida Railway's inventory of crossing repaving and bridge repair priorities, review deficiencies with GDOT to determine improvements that are warranted.

Colquitt County rail inventories maintained by the Federal Railroad Administration and thus, GDOT, appear to reflect a number of crossings that are inactive. The following railroad crossings need to be closed:

23rd Street N. E./CR 672 (Site 1) - Crossing ID: 636908E 23rd Street N. E./CR 672 (Site 2) - Crossing ID: 72345 F

Field work also revealed that a number of crossings lack correct identification or any identification at all. In addition to the previously identified railroad crossing safety needs, the county road superintendent provided the following table that identifies the countymaintained road crossings that need improvement to increase safety and operation.
Table 13.8.1 Colquitt County Railroad Crossing Needs

Crossing
Thaggard Road/CR# 186 (1st track) Thaggard Road/CR# 186 (2nd Track) Dona Turner/CR# 188 Mike Horne Road/CR 187 Mike Horne Road/CR 187 Funston-Sigsbee Road/CR 26 Sam Sells Road/CR 297 Old Doerun Road/CR 526 Blasingame Road/CR 358 (Site 1) Blasingame Road/CR 358 (Site 2) Old Albany Road/CR 78 (Site 1) Old Albany Road/CR 78 (Site 2) Woodmen Road/CR 241 Dick Traylor Road/CR 400 Sumner Road/CR 496 Cool Spring Road/CR 477 County Farm Road/CR 372 Industrial Parkway/CR 439

Edge of

ID# RR Sign Cross tie pavement Asphalt Leveling

extension

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

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Crossing

ID#

Mt. Olive Church Road/CR 377

Clarence Norman Road/CR 105

9

Baldy Road/CR 311

D. H. Alderman Road/CR 130

Ellis May Road/CR 171

Ellenton-Omega Road/CR 479 (1st Track) 9

Ellenton-Omega Road/CR 479 (2nd Track) 9

Ellenton-Reed Road/CR 281

9

Buck Creek Church Road/CR 278

Edge of

RR Sign Cross tie pavement Asphalt Leveling

extension

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

Recommendation: Working with Georgia and Florida Railway, the GDOT Railroad Crossing Manager, and Federal Railroad Administration, correct inventory and identification markers for crossings in Colquitt County.
General Rail Recommendations Report crossings described above to the GDOT Railroad Crossing Program Manager:
James Key Phillips Railroad Crossing Program Manager Georgia Department of Transportation
Office of Utilities, 10th FL One Georgia Center
600 West Peachtree St. Atlanta, GA 30308
Office: 404-631-1376 FAX: 404-631-1934 Cell: 404-694-6622
The Crossing Program Manager will schedule a field review to conduct a Highway Rail Engineering Analysis of each crossing in question.
Report train standing problems to the Federal Railroad Administration at:
61 Forsyth Street, SW Suite 16T20 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104 Phone 404-562-3800 Hot Line 1-800-724-5993 www.fra.dot.gov

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Limit construction of any new "at grade" highway-rail crossings. The county has a high number of these crossings which pose risk for both vehicular and pedestrian accidents.
When painting pavement markings, use thermoplastic versus paint. Thermoplastic will provide greater visibility at night and during inclement weather and will save on maintenance costs as it does not have to be re-applied as regularly as paint.
GDOT offers local government incentive payments for at-grade rail-highway crossing closures, a provision of U.S. Code 23, section 130 (SAFETEA-LU section 1401(d)). The amount of the incentive grant may be up to $7,500 to local governments for the permanent closure of public-at-grade crossings if matched by the railroad involved, for a total incentive of $15,000. The local government receiving the incentive payment must use the portion received from the State for transportation safety improvements. Types of safety improvements include:

o Grading, paving and drainage improvements associated with crossing removal;
o Guardrail, barricades and barrier wall; o Traffic signals; o Highway signs; o Turn lanes; o Pavement markings; o Sidewalks; o Emergency vehicles primarily responding to highway incidents; o Emergency equipment (i.e. "Jaws of Life); o Sirens and flashing lights for emergency response vehicles; o Radar guns; o Sponsorship of a community driver's education class.

Contact the Railroad Crossing Program Manager, above, for additional information.

Utilize available programs to address crossings with safety concerns and crossing violations.
The Georgia Operation Lifesaver Program is a national, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossing and on railroad rights of way. The organization promotes safety through: o Education for drivers and pedestrians to make safe decisions at crossings and around railroad tracks; o Active enforcement of traffic laws relating to crossing signs and signals; and o Continued engineering research and innovation to improve the safety of railroad crossings.

Free programs are presented to schools, businesses, civic organizations, school bus drivers, professional drivers, law enforcement and emergency.

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12.9 Bicycle and Pedestrian
The evaluation of existing bicycle and pedestrian systems in the study area revealed an incomplete sidewalk network throughout the county, and a lack of bicycle facilities (with the exception of one shared-use path). Within the City of Moultrie, there is a fairly well developed sidewalk network in the courthouse square and central business district core area, but there is a lack of sidewalks along collectors, arterials and in the vicinity of schools in the rest of the city. The Moultrie Bike Path extends 8 miles from downtown Moultrie to the Moultrie Municipal Airport and presents many opportunities for improved access and expansion. There are no bicycle lanes or bicycle friendly shoulders in the city.
The five other smaller cities in Colquitt County are generally characterized by quiet residential streets ideal for biking and walking, however with a lack of dedicated bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Each of the small communities (Norman Park, Doerun, Funston, Berlin and Ellenton) are traversed by a state highway which also presents challenges for pedestrians and bicycles attempting to cross the street to reach schools, government buildings and amenities.
State highways and county roads throughout the county lack adequate shoulder width for cycling, or often they are rendered unrideable by rumble strips. The Central State Bicycle Route (SBR 15) follows Ellenton-Omega Road from Tift County to SR 37 east to Cook County. With scenic low volume roads and good sight distance, combined with the designation of a State Bicycle Route, Colquitt County can take advantage of bicycle tourism while also providing new recreational and fitness opportunities for residents. Many of these routes could also become a very important part of the transportation system, for example: Funston is only 5 miles from downtown Moultrie, and Reed Bingham State Park is only 4 miles from downtown Ellenton both are easily bikeable distances if safe facilities were provided.
The following recommendations were based on the review of existing land use and transportation plans, input from stakeholders and the public, analysis of crash data, and a thorough examination of existing facilities, needs, and current and proposed projects, including site visits.

Improvement Recommendations
City of Norman Park: US 319/SR 35 (College Street) at Weeks Street: Install high visibility crosswalks and pedestrian signage at the intersection, and pedestrian crossing advance signage in advance of the intersection. Norman Park Elementary School is on W. Weeks Street and a safe crossing is needed for children on the east side of US 319/SR 35.
Norman Park Elementary: Continue sidewalks in front of school (currently they stop just east of the school property). Install high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian warning signage and in-

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street crosswalk sign at the intersection of W. Weeks Street and Middlebrooks Street. Decrease speed limit and install pedestrian warning signs on Doerun-Norman Park Road as it turns into W. Weeks Street.

City of Doerun:

N. Peachtree Street: Construct sidewalk on west side of N. Peachtree Street from Broad Avenue/SR 133 to the existing sidewalks at Union Lane (which connect to Doerun Elementary School).

N. Peachtree Street at Broad Avenue/SR 133: Install high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signage and instreet crosswalk sign to assist students living south of Broad Avenue to walk or bike to school.

W. Bay Avenue: Construct sidewalk on north side of W. Bay Avenue from Meyers Road to South Church Street.

S. Peachtree Street: Construct one block of sidewalk on the west side of S. Peachtree Street from W. Bay Street to Broad Avenue/SR 133 (to tie into proposed N. Peachtree Street sidewalk).

N. Broad Street at Broad Avenue/SR 133: Install crosswalks and pedestrian warning signage. There is an existing flashing beacon.
Mill Street at Broad Avenue/SR 133: Repaint crosswalks and add pedestrian signage.
City of Funston:
SR 37 from Manning Street to Church Street: Implement a downtown streetscape/gateway treatment to better delineate parking areas from pedestrian areas and to calm traffic through downtown to make it safer to cross the highway. The gateway treatment will serve to make it clear to drivers that they are entering a town and they should slow down. Decrease speed limit, improve lighting and install pedestrian signage.

Shared Lane Marking
Shared lane markings or "sharrows" are used when there is not enough room for a bicycle lane, but there is a desire to indicate to motorists that bicycles are present, and to indicate to bicyclists where they should be positioned on the roadway. They have been used throughout the country. Currently they are approved by FHWA for experimental use and will be included in the next edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

N. Manning Street: Construct shared-use path on west side of N. Manning Street (i.e. the school-side) from SR 37 to Duffel Drive to improve bicycle and pedestrian access to Funston Elementary School.

City of Berlin: Langford Street: Construct sidewalks on one side of Langford Street from SR 133 to Railroad Street.

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City of Ellenton: Ellenton-Omega Road/Baker Street: This is the Central State Bicycle Route (SBR 15). Pave 4' shoulders and add bicycle route signage. Install directional signage at intersection of Baker Street and SR 37 where bicycle route heads east on SR 37.

City of Moultrie:

All Arterial and Collector Streets: To address overall lack of sidewalks and the pattern of pedestrian crashes throughout the City of Moultrie, construct sidewalks on at least one side of roads classified as

HAWK Signal, Tucson, AZ. Courtesy of The National Center for Safe Routes To School (www.saferoutesinfo.org).

arterials or collectors.

A HAWK signal is a pedestrianactivated crossing device that

High Pedestrian Activity or Crash Areas:

has less delay time than a traditional signal because it

5th Avenue SE: Construct sidewalks on both sides of the 5th Avenue SE from Port Street to 10th Street SE. These sidewalks will connect to existing sidewalks on 5th
Avenue SE from Port Street to Veterans
Pkwy. Paint bike lanes on both sides of

allows traffic to flow when the pedestrian has completed the crossing. The AADT and pedestrian traffic volume warrants to install a HAWK are less than that of a traditional signal. HAWK signal will be in the upcoming edition of the Manual

road from S. Main Street to Veterans

on Uniform Traffic Control

Parkway (East Bypass). Where there is not

at least 4' available to stripe a bike lane,

then shared lane markings (aka "sharrows") should be used instead - no

additional width is needed (see box for explanation of sharrows). Bike lanes

should be incorporated into any future widening, paving or bridge replacement

project.

W. Central Avenue: Construct sidewalks on both sides of W. Central Avenue

from the West Bypass to Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Drive.

MLK Drive: Construct sidewalks on both sides of MLK Drive from W. Central

Avenue to Northside Drive.

Veterans Parkway (East Bypass) and Park Avenue SE: Due to pedestrian

crash activity and high pedestrian crossing volume in this area, pedestrian

improvements are needed at the intersection of Veterans Parkway (East

Bypass) and Park Avenue at Colquitt High School. If warrants can be met, install

a traffic signal, pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian warning signs and pedestrian

countdown timers.

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Alternative Recommendation: If warrants for a traffic signal cannot be met, an intersection redesign should be implemented. To address pedestrian safety needs, the intersection design should include: shortening crossing distances by eliminating right turn only lanes, widening and extending raised medians for pedestrian storage, expansion of concrete "pork chop" islands to cover painted island area, tightening of curb radii for right turn into Walmart parking lot (to slow down the turns), and installing a HAWK signal, pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian advance crossing signage. The HAWK signal (see box for explanation of HAWK signals) is being used in other parts of the country currently and is expected to be in the new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (at which time, it will be approved for use by GDOT).

1st Avenue SE: The 1st Avenue SE corridor has experienced several crashes resulting in pedestrians being injured while crossing the street. The crashes are clustered in two main areas: (1) from 2nd Street SE to 10th Street SE and (2) near the intersection of Old Adel Rd. All of the incidents happened in dark conditions (i.e. night, dusk, or dawn) so illumination in these areas would likely be beneficial. The following is recommended to address pedestrian needs on 1st Avenue SE.
o 1st Avenue SE from 2nd Street SE and 10th Street SE: Continue sidewalks on both sides of road from 8th Street SE (where existing sidewalks end) to 10th Street SE. Install lighting that illuminates both roadway and sidewalk from 2nd Street SE to 10th Street SE. Install traffic signal at 7th Street SE. Install pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian countdown signals and pedestrian crossing signage at each signalized intersection (2nd Street SE, 5th Street SE, 7th Street SE, and 10th Street SE).
Alternative Recommendation: If traffic signal warrants cannot be met at 7th Street SE, install a HAWK signal instead.
o 1st Avenue SE and Old Adel Road: There is a cluster of pedestrian crashes here, including two fatalities. A realignment of this intersection is included in GDOT's CWP. During the realignment project, the following should be incorporated to improve pedestrian safety: pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian countdown signals and pedestrian crossing signage. Note: This improvement should be included in the intersection realignment project listed in GDOT's Construction Work Program (#CSSFT-0007-00(477); 007477.

Shared-Use Paths:
SR 33/Thomasville Road SW at US 319/SR 35/East Bypass: Improve Moultrie Bike Path crossing through this intersection. Install path crossing signs and pedestrian countdown timers.

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Moultrie Bike Trail Trailhead: Construct a trailhead at the small park located at 1st Avenue NW and 1st Street NW. Include bike parking, signage, maps, water, bathrooms, and a shelter. Create and install unique signage throughout town to indicate path access points.
Moultrie Bike Path Crossing at 4th Avenue SW: Improve visibility of crossing by painting a high visibility crosswalk, installing a flashing beacon, and adding trail crossing signs in advance of, and at the crossing location.
26th Avenue SE: Construct a shared-use path along 26th Avenue SE from the East Bypass (Veteran's Parkway) to Thomasville Highway/SR 33. There are currently no sidewalks. The path will provide connectivity for residents and students to the Moultrie Bike Path, a private school and the YMCA.
Safe Routes to School:
Cox Elementary School: Construct sidewalks along 10th Street SE from 10th Avenue SE (where it connects to existing sidewalks) to 12th Avenue SE.
Colquitt County High School: See previous recommendation for Veterans Parkway (East Bypass) and Park Avenue SE intersection listed in the High Pedestrian Activity or Crash Areas section above.
Gray Middle School: Construct sidewalks on at least one side of 11th Avenue NW from West Bypass to Elliott Brown Street.
Multiple Schools: Stringfellow Elementary School, Williams Middle School and Colquitt Alternative School:
o Construct sidewalks immediately adjacent to school properties, including athletic fields.
o Construct sidewalks on 4th Avenue SW from 1st Street SW to 3rd Street SW near Stringfellow Elementary School.
o Serving all three schools, construct sidewalks on both sides of the road on 4th Street SW from 4th Avenue SW to 12th Avenue SW, and then on one side of the road from 12th Avenue SW to 17th Avenue SW/West Blvd.
o Construct sidewalks along 5th Street SW from Fairview Drive to Stadium Drive (i.e. driveway to Colquitt Alternative School).
o Improve pedestrian crossings at South Main Street and the following intersections: 5th Avenue SW, 7th Avenue SW, and 9th Avenue SW. Install high visibility crosswalks and pedestrian signage, and in-street crosswalk signs.

Unincorporated Colquitt County:
Central State Bicycle Route (SBR 15): As road improvements are made along this route, the following improvements should be made to accommodate cyclists. Construct six and one half foot paved shoulders on SR 37 from Ellenton-Omega Road to Cook County Line and on Ellenton Omega Road from Tift County Line to SR 37 (four foot shoulders will be adequate on the Ellenton-Omega Road section if rumble strips are not installed).

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Bike and Pedestrian System-wide Infrastructure and Policy Recommendations
Upgrade intersections for pedestrian and bicycle safety anytime a roadway is improved. Intersection treatments may include, but are not limited to: traffic signals, raised medians or crossing islands, crosswalks, advance crosswalk bars, curb ramps (as required by ADA in all roadway alteration projects), pedestrian countdown signal heads, pedestrian or trail crossing signage, "no turn on red" or other restrictive signage, and signal time adjustments. FHWA's PEDSAFE tool and FHWA's "How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan" are helpful aides in choosing the right facility: http://www.walkinginfo.org/pedsafe/, http://www.walkinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=229.
Appropriate bicycle and pedestrian facilities should be included in all roadway improvement projects. The type of facility and level of accommodation will vary depending on need, land use and other factors.
Where bike lanes are recommended or planned, and it is later determined during the project development process that bike lanes cannot be accommodated for any reason, then shared lane markings (or "sharrows") should be used in its place rather than just signage or no facility at all.
To address overall lack of sidewalks and the pattern of pedestrian crashes throughout the City of Moultrie, construct sidewalks on at least one side of roads classified as arterials or collectors (see Moultrie Recommendations).
For roads with a rural-typical section (i.e. open drainage, no curb and gutter), construct minimum six and one half foot paved shoulders as part of GDOT widening, reconstruction or resurfacing projects, and minimum four foot shoulders on county roads (increase to six and one half foot if rumble strips are used).
To implement Colquitt County's School Wellness Policy, construct and maintain sidewalks on both sides of the road within a -mile radius of all schools. Provide incentives for children to bike or walk to school.
Subdivision and Zoning Codes: Update subdivision and zoning regulations to require that developers do the following:
Construct sidewalks on both sides of the road within subdivisions and along the main street frontage of a subdivision, commercial, office or retail development.
Provide bicycle parking at large commercial, office, and retail developments.
Construct a path, bike lanes or shoulders as part of any new development, if that development connects to or is adjacent to an existing path, bicycle lane or shoulder.
Conduct "Share the Road" awareness and bicyclist safety campaign, including a program to provide free bicycle helmets to encourage their use.

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The following recommendations are policy changes that would affect future projects. They have not been ranked because number of projects and termini are not known at this time, rather bike/pedestrian facilities will be added as other improvements are made.
All Arterial and Collector Streets: To address overall lack of sidewalks and the pattern of pedestrian crashes throughout the City of Moultrie, construct sidewalks on at least one side of roads classified as arterials or collectors.
For roads with a rural-typical section (i.e. open drainage, no curb and gutter), construct minimum 6.5' paved shoulders as part of GDOT widening, reconstruction or resurfacing projects, and minimum 4' shoulders on county roads (increase to 6.5' if rumble strips are used).
To implement Colquitt County's School Wellness Policy, construct and maintain sidewalks on both sides of the road within a -mile radius of all schools. Provide incentives for children to bike or walk to school.
Subdivision and Zoning Codes: Update subdivision and zoning regulations to require that developers do the following:
o Construct sidewalks on both sides of the road within subdivisions and along the main street frontage of a subdivision, commercial, office or retail development.
o Provide bicycle parking at large commercial, office, and retail developments.
o Construct a path, bike lanes or shoulders as part of any new development, if that development connects to or is adjacent to an existing path, bicycle lane or shoulder.
Conduct "Share the Road" awareness and bicyclist safety campaign, including a program to provide free bicycle helmets to encourage their use.
12.10 Bicycle and Pedestrian Prioritization
The prioritization criteria used to evaluate potential bicycle and pedestrian improvements were based on GDOT's Guidebook for Pedestrian Planning project prioritization framework, as well as on the goals and objectives established in this study. In addition to project recommendations, policy recommendations were also made which will have the effect of improving the bicycle and pedestrian network system-wide over the long term.
The evaluation criteria takes into account both system deficiencies (e.g. where there are no bicycle or pedestrian facilities) as well as pedestrian and bicycle potential factors (i.e. do the land uses and demographics create a need or demand for facilities?). The following table lists the criteria and the associated weights for each factor in the prioritization. Table 13.12.1 documents the scoring used for the bicycle and pedestrian prioritization and Table 13.12.2 displays the scoring applied to the proposed bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

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Table 13.12.1

Bicycle and Pedestrian Scoring Criteria

Project Prioritization Criteria Bicycle and Pedestrian Deficiency Factors
Bicycle/Pedestrian Crashes: Have there been bicycle or pedestrian crashes at this location, along this corridor, how many, and what severity?
Existing Facilities: Is this project replacing an existing facility or do none currently exist?
Traffic Factors: Does the project location have high vehicle speeds, high traffic volumes, multiple lanes to cross, or complicated intersections? Some roads due to their traffic and design characteristics are more difficult to cross and less attractive, and sometimes less safe, to walk or bike along. These roads often warrant improvements more so than quiet residential streets that are already bike and pedestrian friendly.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Potential Factors Need: Is there evidence of existing demand (bicycle or pedestrian counts, worn paths along side of road), or current or forecasted population densities that rely more heavily on walking and biking (young, elderly, low-income populations)?

Scoring

No more than one crash along

1 this corridor (but not the project

location) in past 3 years

No more than one crash at the

2 project location within last 3

years

2 or more crashes on the

3 corridor, but not at the project

location in the past 3 years

2 or more crashes at the

4 project location in the past 3

years

1 or more injuries or fatalities at

5 the project location or along the

corridor in the past 3 years

1

Purely a cosmetic upgrade of existing facility

Existing bike/ped facilities on

3

one side only, or existing facilities in very poor condition,

many gaps, ect.

No facilities currently exist on 5 either side of the road, or no
street crossing facilities

Project location is on a quiet, 21 lane residential street with low
speeds and low traffic volumes. Project location is on a street with moderate traffic volumes 3 and speeds, no more than 3 lanes of traffic (not including on-street parking). Project location is on a major street with high speeds, high 5 traffic volumes, multiple traffic lanes, wide intersections, and few crossing locations.

On a scale of 1-to-5, with 1

1 5

being the least demand and 5 being the highest demand for bicycle and pedestrian

facilities.

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Project Prioritization Criteria
Bike/Ped Priority Area: Is the project within a bicycle or pedestrian priority area? For bicycles, within 1 mile radius of schools, parks, libraries or community facilities (such as senior center, YMCA, community health clinic, etc); for pedestrians, within mile radius of schools, parks, libraries or community facilities (such as senior center, YMCA, community health clinic, etc). Connectivity: Does the proposed project provide a direct connection to:
Major employment or activity centers Downtown Commercial Business Districts Existing or proposed transportation projects or major real
estate developments
Other modes of transportation (such as public transit or a
shared path access point) Previously Identified Improvement: Was the proposed project previously identified in a community plan (STIP, RDC Bike/Ped Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Plan, Recreation Plan, etc)?

Scoring

0, 3, or 5

0 = No 3 = Partially 5 = Yes

0 = No connectivity

0 5

On a scale of 1-to-5, with 1 providing very little connectivity and 5 providing the greatest

connectivity to multiple

destinations.

0 or 3

0 = No 3 = Yes

Rank on a scale of 1-to-5:

1 = No political or community

Funding/Implementation: Does the project have funding dedicated already (such as Transportation Enhancement funds)? Does the project have political

1 -

support, requires ROW purchase and no funding identified

and community support to move forward? Does the project require 5 purchase of Right-of-Way?

5 = Funding secured, no ROW

required

(or

already

purchased),

has

support/approval

from

governmental entities and

community.

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS

38

The prioritization scoring resulted in the following bicycle and pedestrian improvements ranked as highest priority:
1. 4th Avenue SW: Sidewalks on one side 2. E. Bypass @ Park Avenue: Pedestrian crossing enhancements 3. W. Central Avenue: Sidewalks on both sides 4. S. Main Street: Pedestrian crossing enhancements at 5th Avenue SW and 7th Avenue
SW 5. 1st Avenue SE: Sidewalks, lighting, traffic signal, pedestrian crossing 6. 5th Avenue SE: Sidewalks on both sides 7. 10th Street SE: Sidewalks on both sides

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8. W. Weeks Street at College Street (Norman Park): Pedestrian crossing enhancements 9. S. Main Street at 9th Avenue SW: Pedestrian crossing enhancements 10. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: Sidewalks on both sides 11. 4th Street SW: Sidewalks on both sides

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Moultrie:

Table 13.12.2

Bicycle and Pedestrian Prioritization

Technical Memorandum September 2009

Project Length (miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Bike/Ped Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified Improvement (0 or 3) Funding/ Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road

From

To

Type of Improvement

4th Ave. SW (Stringfellow

1st St. SW

3rd St. SW

Sidewalks on one side

0.1 4 5 3 5 5 5 3 3 33

Elementary)

East Bypass at Park Ave. Colquitt Co. High

HAWK signal, crosswalks on all 4 legs, extend raised median to flush median area, tighten curb radii.

N/A 5 5 5 5 5 4 0 3 32

W. Central Ave.

W. Bypass

MLK, Jr. Dr. Sidewalks on both sides

0.4 2 5 3 5 5 5 3 3 31

S. Main St. at 5th Ave. SW

Crosswalks on all legs, pedestrian crossing signage, and in-street crosswalk signs on S. Main St.

N/A 3 5 3 4 5 5 0 4 29

S. Main St. at 7th Ave. SW

Crosswalks on all legs, pedestrian crossing signage, and in-street crosswalk signs on S. Main St.

N/A 3 5 3 4 5 5 0 4 29

Sidewalks on both sides, lighting,

1st Ave. SE

2nd St. SE

10th St SE.

traffic signal at 7th Ave SE, pedestrian crossing at each signalized

2.4 5

3

5

5

3

4 0

4 29

intersection

5th Ave. SE

Port St.

Sidewalks on both sides (connecting 10th St. SE to existing sidewalks on 5th Ave. SE 0.8 2 5 3 5 5 5 0 3 28

from Port St. to Veterans Pkwy)

10th St. SE (Cox 10th Ave.

Elementary)

SE

Sidewalks on both sides (connecting 12th Ave. SE to existing sidewalks on 10th St. at 10th 0.3 1 5 3 4
Ave).

5

4 3

3 28

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Project Length (miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Bike/Ped Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified Improvement (0 or 3) Funding/ Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road

From

To

Type of Improvement

S. Main St. at 9th Ave. SW

Crosswalks on all legs (t-intersection), pedestrian crossing signage, and in- N/A 3 5 3 3 5 4 0 4 27 street crosswalk signs on S. Main St.

W.

MLK, Jr. Dr.

Central Northside Dr. Sidewalks on both sides

1 1 5 3 5 5 5 0 3 27

Ave.

4th St. SW

4th Ave. SW

12th Ave. SW

Sidewalks on both sides (serves 3 schools)

0.7 1 5 3 5 5 5 0 3 27

Paint bike lanes on both sides of road.

5th Ave. SE

S. Main St.

(Where there is not at least 4 ft available

SR 133/

to stripe a bike lane, then shared lane

Veterans Pkwy. (E

markings should be used instead - no additional width is needed. Bike lanes

1.6 2 5 3 3

5

5 0

3 26

Bypass)

should be incorporated into any future widening, paving or bridge replacement

project).

Moultrie Bike Path Crossing at 4th Ave. SW

Crosswalks, 2 trail crossing signs, and flashing beacon

N/A

5

3

3

3

5

3 0

3 25

26th Ave. SE
11th Ave. NW (Gray Middle
School)

E. Bypass
W. Bypass

Thomasville Hwy.
Elliott Brown St.

Shared use path Sidewalks on one side

0.8 1 5 3 3 5 3 0 3 23 0.3 1 5 1 4 5 4 0 3 23

Stadium Dr.

5th St. SW

Fairview Dr.

(entrance to Colquitt Alt.

Sidewalks on both sides

0.2 2 5 1 3 5 4 0 3 23

School)

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Project Length (miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Bike/Ped Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified Improvement (0 or 3) Funding/ Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road

From

To

Type of Improvement

SR 33 / Thomasville Rd. SW at US 319 /
SR 35 / East

Install path crossing signs and pedestrian countdown heads at all 4 N/A 4 3 5 3 0 3 0 4 22 approaches.

4th St. SW

12th Ave. 17th Ave. SW / Sidewalks on one side (serves 3

SW

West Blvd schools)

0.7 1 5 1 3 5 3 0 3 21

Moultrie Bike Trailhead at 1st Ave. NW and 1st
St. NW

Construct trailhead at park at 1st Ave.

NW and 1st St. NW: 5 U-shaped bike

racks (holds 10 bikes), signage,

N/A 0 5 1 3 5 0 0 3 17

bathrooms, shelter, 20 signs across

town to show access points

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Doerun:

Technical Memorandum September 2009

Project Length in miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified (0 or 3) Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road

From

To

Type of Improvement

Broad Ave. at Peachtree St.

Crosswalks, pedestrian signage and instreet crosswalk signs on Broad Ave.

N/A 1 5

423 ft of sidewalk on west side of N.

N. Peachtree Broad

St.

Ave.

Union Ln.

Peachtree St. (connecting to existing sidewalks at Union Lane to Doerun Elem.

0.08 1

5

School).

Broad Ave. at Mill St.

Crosswalks and pedestrian signs

N/A 1 3

Broad Ave. at N. Broad St.

Crosswalks and pedestrian signs (there is an existing flashing beacon).

N/A

1

3

W. Bay Ave.

Meyers Rd.

S. Church
St.

Sidewalk on one side (north side)

0.4 1 5

S. Peachtree W. Bay

St.

St.

Broad Ave.

361 ft. of sidewalk on one side (west side) 0.07 1

3

3 3 3 3 0 3 21
1 3 3 5 0 3 21 3 3 3 3 0 4 20 3 3 3 3 0 3 19 3 3 0 3 0 2 17 1 3 0 3 0 3 14

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Norman Park:

Technical Memorandum September 2009

Project Length (in miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified (0 or 3) Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road*

From

To

Type of Improvement

W. Weeks St. at College
St/US319/SR35

Crosswalks on all legs, pedestrian crossing signage

N/A 1 5

Add crosswalks, pedestrian

W. Weeks St.

warning signage and in-street

at Middlebrooks

crosswalk sign at intersection N/A 1 5

St.

of W. Weeks St. and

Middlebrooks St

W. Weeks St.

Just West of West St.

Middlebrooks St.

Complete sidewalks on school frontage (417 ft.).

0.08

1

5

Decrease speed limit (new

Doerun-

Just before

Just east of signs), pedestrian warning

Norman Park curve, west of West St. (front signs on Doerun-Norman Park 0.3 1 5

Rd.

West St.

of school) Rd. as it turns into W. Weeks

St.

5 4 5 4 0 4 28 1 3 5 3 0 4 22 1 3 5 4 0 3 22 3 4 5 0 0 3 21

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Funston:

Technical Memorandum September 2009

Project Length (in miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5) Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5) Need (1 - 5) Priority Area (0, 3 or 5) Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified (0 or 3) Implementation (1 - 5) Score (Possible pts = 38)

Road*

From

To

Type of Improvement

Implement a

downtown/streetscape/gateway treatment

SR 37

Manning St Church St area to delineate parking from pedestrian 0.1 1 3

areas and to calm traffic. Decrease speed,

improve lighting, add pedestrian signage

Construct shared-use path on west side of

N. Manning St.

SR 37

Duffell Dr.

N. Manning St (school side) from SR 37 to Duffell Dr to improve bike and pedestrian

0.2 1

5

access to Funston Elementary

5 2 3 3 0 3 20 1 3 5 3 0 2 20

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Colquitt County

1 2 0 2 0 2 13

0.7 1 5

Railroad St. Sidewalk on one side

SR 133

Langford St.

Type of Improvement

To

From

Road*

Project Length (in miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5)
Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5)
Need (1 - 5)
Priority Area (0, 3 or 5)
Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified (0 or 3) Implementation (1 - 5)
Score (Possible pts = 38)

Baker St. at SR 37
Berlin

5 1 0 2 0 4 18

N/A 1 5

Install directional signage at intersection of Baker St and SR 37 where bicycle route heads east on SR 37

Type of Improvement

To

From

Road

Project Length (in miles) Crashes (1 - 5) Existing Facilities (1, 3 or 5)
Traffic Factors (1, 3 or 5)
Need (1 - 5)
Priority Area (0, 3 or 5)
Connectivity (0 - 5) Previously Identified (0 or 3) Implementation (1 - 5)
Score (Possible pts = 38)

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13.0 Improvement Recommendations
Colquitt County's transportation improvement recommendations are substantiated by the future operating deficiencies identified in Section 11. Deficiencies have been evaluated in the areas of:
Roadway Characteristics; Roadway Operating Conditions; Safety evaluation including Intersections and Bridges; Freight Transport; Airport Facilities; Public Transportation; and Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities;
Transportation improvements to address deficiencies in several of these categories were identified in Section 13. This section will identify estimated costs, logical termini, and environmental justice considerations associated with the recommended improvements.
13.1 Estimated Costs
The GDOT Office of Planning recently developed a Right of Way and Utilities Cost Estimation Tool (RUCEST) and a Construction Cost Estimation Tool (CES) that was used in the development of planning-level cost estimates for the Colquitt County LRTP. These tools include area-specific values and the most up-to-date data available for construction lettings in the State of Georgia. Please note that all costs are planning-level, current-year dollars, based on the best assumptions and information available at the time this study was completed. All costs will be further refined as specific improvements and engineering concepts evolve. Actual project costs could be higher or lower depending on a number of factors including the results of more detailed environmental and engineering studies, fluctuations in the cost of land and materials, and the year of expenditure. All long-range cost estimates should be considered preliminary in nature and taken with appropriate care. More detailed engineering studies are required to identify highly accurate cost estimates based on specific project characteristics and concepts.
Roadway assumptions include the cost of pavement based on GDOT's recommended typical section for the facility type. Bridge improvements are calculated based on the ideal typical section and square footage of the improved structure. Rail crossing improvement costs were developed based on unit costs provided by the GDOT Office of Railroad Crossing Safety.
In the case of intersection and operational improvement recommendations, a micro-level analysis and review by GDOT District 4 and/or a professional engineer is required to make specific project recommendations. For purposes of planning-level cost estimation for these improvements, a placeholder of $250,000 is used. This estimate represents a reasonable average for intersection improvements, but it is important to note that actual costs could be

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higher or lower depending on the specifics of the improvement identified (for example, addition of a left-hand turn lane vs. geometric modifications). In cases where a specific improvement item is identified, such as a traffic signal or a roundabout, a unit cost for the item is used if available. Construction cost estimates for these types of improvements should be revisited when more detailed analysis is conducted. Bicycle and pedestrian improvement costs assume 5' sidewalks and 6.5' paved shoulders, both of which are desirable, typical rules of thumb for sidewalk and shoulder widths for these types of improvements nationwide. Bike lane costs assume only striping - they do not include widening or additional pavement. Bike lanes are assumed 5' wide on each side of the road. These could potentially be reduced to 4'; however, any narrower than that would not meet AASHTO standards. In cases of tight right-of way, sharrows are proposed as an alternative improvement. Cost estimates for the bike lanes were based on a 4" traffic grade paint stripe.
Right-of-way (ROW) costs were factored into sidewalk and paved shoulder projects, and applicable trail projects. Right-of-way costs were factored into sidewalk, paved shoulder and shared use path projects. Bike lanes, signage & lighting, crossing treatments, traffic calming and trailheads were assumed to occur within the existing ROW. Land values for ROW were acquired from GDOT, and are based on $200,000/acre (or $4.59/square foot (SF)) for commercial, $40,000/acre (or $0.91/SF) for residential, $15,000/acre (or $0.34/SF) for agricultural and $20,000/acre (or $0.46/SF) for industrial. There are 26,400 square feet per mile (SF/Mi) of sidewalk (assuming a 5' width), 34,320 SF/mi of paved shoulder (assuming 6.5' width), and 52,800 SF/mi per path (assuming a 10' width). The square footage was doubled if sidewalks/shoulders/paths were recommended on both sides of the street.
Recommended improvements are listed in Table 14.1. Recommended roadway improvements are mapped in Figure 14.1.1 and recommended bicycle and pedestrian improvements are mapped in Figure 14.1.2.

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Table 14.1 Recommended Improvements

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Figure 14.1.1 Recommended Improvements - Roadway

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13.2 Logical Termini and Environmental Considerations
For the roadway capacity improvements, logical termini were developed to help link the long range planning process with National Environmental Policy (NEPA) regulations. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations include three general principles at 23 CFR 771.111(f) that should used to frame a highway project:
In order to ensure meaningful evaluation of alternatives and to avoid commitments to transportation improvements before they are fully evaluated, the action evaluated in each environmental impact statement (EIS) or finding of no significant impact (FONSI) shall:
Connect logical termini and be of sufficient length to address environmental matters on a broad scope;
Have independent utility or independent significance, i.e., be usable and be a reasonable expenditure even if no additional transportation improvements in the area are made; and
Not restrict consideration of alternatives for other reasonably foreseeable transportation improvements.
Transportation projects that receive federal funds must follow NEPA requirements in order to receive approval from the Federal Highway Administration. Among other environmental studies conducted during the NEPA process, a survey is conducted to assess historic resources under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Identified historic resources that are National Register eligible properties are given special consideration during the NEPA process and transportation projects must receive State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) concurrence before receiving approval. These requirements are in place to identify historic resources, assess impacts, and determine appropriate measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse effects to historic resources.
These principles were factored into the project development process. Table 14.2 shows the list of potential environmental issues associated with the corridor improvements.

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Table 14.2 Environmental Issues

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13.3 Environmental Justice Another key point of concern in evaluating proposed transportation improvements is environmental justice. This ensures that areas with high concentrations of low-income or minority populations are not adversely impacted by transportation improvements. Projects that will benefit the EJ communities include: bicycle and pedestrian improvements and numerous safety and capacity enhancements throughout the County. The following recommended projects are located in Environmental Justice (EJ) areas:
Top priority roadway projects include the need for roadway widening and the possibility of additional right of way, these project include:
SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway section north of Moultrie to north of the Colquitt County line
SR 133 from the existing 4-lane roadway section at Spence Field to Southerland Avenue, south of Berlin
SR 37 from Rossman Diary Road to MLK, Jr. Drive/11th Street SW SR 37 from East Moultrie Bypass to Cool Springs Road Cool Springs Road to Old Norman Park Road
Top priority bicycle, sidewalk, and intersection improvement projects help create a safer traveling environment, these projects include:
4th Avenue SW: Sidewalks on one side W. Central Avenue: Sidewalks on both sides E. Bypass at Park Avenue: Pedestrian crossing enhancements S. Main Street: Pedestrian crossing enhancements at 5th Avenue SW and 7th
Avenue SW 5th Avenue. SE: Sidewalks on both sides 10th Street SE: Sidewalks on both sides W. Weeks at College St. (Norman Park): Pedestrian crossing enhancements S. Main Street at 9th Avenue SW: Pedestrian crossing enhancements Martin Luther King Jr. Drive: Sidewalks on both sides 4th Street SW: Sidewalks on both sides
The recommended improvements will improve safety, mobility, and access for all users on a county-wide basis. Figure 14.3 shows the recommended projects in the vicinity of the EJ areas.

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Figure 14.3 Environmental Justice Evaluation

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14.0 Funding

Several funding sources will be utilized to implement recommended projects. Eligibility for funds is typically dictated by the agencies responsible for maintaining and operating the transportation facility in question. Most major facilities in Colquitt County are either operated by GDOT or the County. Should the County desire to accelerate projects on state owned and maintained facilities, it is highly likely that overmatching of local funds could accelerate the process.

Funding for most transportation projects in the County has historically come in part through GDOT. To understand the ability of GDOT to continue to provide funds to Colquitt County, it is useful to understand the components of GDOT funding. Key components include:

Federal Title I Apportionments; State Motor Fuels Taxes;

} Accounts for approximately 98% of the budget

State License Tag Fees;

State Title Registrations;

State Motor Carrier Fuels Tax;

State Personal Property Tax; and,

Tax Allocation Districts.

While detailed analysis of these funding sources is beyond the scope of this study, it is useful to point out that all of the revenue streams identified as key components of GDOT funding have positive growth rates historically, and it is anticipated that they will continue to grow in the future.

While GDOT funding components have traditionally had positive growth rates, the Department is experiencing some funding challenges related to recent downturns in the U.S. economy. Additionally, the State's Project Prioritization Process for transportation is under study, and it is expected that the outcomes will significantly impact the amount and type of projects that GDOT funds in the future. It is anticipated that in the future local funding sources will become more significant. A review of project implementation shows that locations with a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) have been in the best position to leverage funds and ultimately construct projects.

14.1 Federal Funding Sources for Transportation

A substantial portion of GDOT funding comes from the Federal Government through Federal Title I Apportionments. The primary funding source for Title I is the Federal gasoline tax collected at the state level. The US Congress authorizes federal transportation funding to the states and other public entities, generally every six years. The previous authorization was known as the "Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century" or TEA 21. The reauthorization of TEA 21 in August 2005 was SAFETEA-LU which authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005 through 2009.

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Based on the reauthorization, Table 15.1 illustrates funding levels for major highway transportation programs and apportionments and allocations to Georgia over the five-year time frame (FY 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009).
Table 15.1 Estimated Five-Year SAFETEA-LU Highway Apportionments and Allocations

Area

Georgia*

Interstate Maintenance

$922

National Highway System

$859

Surface Transportation System

$1,119

Bridge Replacement & Rehabilitation

$272

Congress Mitigation & Air Quality

$186

Appalachian Development Highway System

$90

Recreational Trails

$10

Metropolitan Planning

$37

Safety

$141

Rail Highway Crossings

$30

Safe Route to Schools

$18

High Priority Projects

$350

Equity Bonus

$2,324

Total

$6,356

* In millions of dollars (rounded to the nearest million) for FY 2005 through 2009. Source: US Department of Transportation

US* $25,202 $30,542 $32,550 $21,607 $8,609 $2,350 $370 $1,481 $5,064 $880 $612 $14,832 $40,896
$183,466

Federal funding for the majority of highway system improvements (excluding interstate highways) planned in Colquitt County is expected to come from the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Minimum Guarantee Program. Locally-sponsored projects within the County will generally require a 20% local funding commitment to match federal funds. The local government is also generally responsible for completing the planning and design of the projects as well. Federal and state funds are programmed by GDOT for right of way and construction costs. State-sponsored projects generally require a 10%-20% local funding match.

As part of the federal apportionment and allocation, there are opportunities for local governments to collaborate with GDOT on special transportation projects. These programs include:

Scenic Byway Program - GDOT has initiated a Scenic Byways Program to help communities preserve and promote the cultural and historic resources found along the roadways in Georgia. Once a road becomes designated as a Georgia Scenic Byway, it becomes eligible for federal Scenic Byway funds. Funds can be used to develop corridor management plans to protect the natural and cultural assets along the route.

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Transportation Enhancement Program (TE Funds) - Currently, the TE Grant Program provides federal transportation funds through GDOT to local governments through a competitive process for non-highway projects. Eligible projects include bicycle and pedestrian facilities, multi-use trails, the preservation of historic sites related to transportation, etc.

14.2 Federal Funds for Public Transportation

The need for better mobility and access to transportation extends far beyond city limits. In Colquitt County, a very limited amount of public transportation services are available for people who cannot or choose not to drive their private autos. As the population grows and demographic trends change with a larger percentage of the population being elderly, the needs for special public transit to serve seniors and disabled people will grow.

In addition, as the study area urbanizes and households with workers are formed, there will be growing demands to serve commuter travel needs. Commuter-oriented public transportation services, such as vanpooling programs and express bus services as well as transit facilities, such as park and ride lots will be needed in the area. All of these programs are eligible for federal funding, with the local share ranging from 10 percent for transit vehicle purchases and the construction of park and ride lots up to 50 percent for rural transit operating assistance.

As Colquitt County evolves, the County should monitor its needs for local and regional public transportation services and identify opportunities to tap into the available federal sources for these programs. Table 15.2 shows the estimated federal funds included in SAFETEA-LU. Generally, for public transit projects proposed in Colquitt County, the federal funding programs will be the Non-Urbanized Area Program; the Rural Transit Assistance Program; Transit for Elderly and Disabled Persons, Job Access and Reverse Commute; and SAFETEA-LU's New Freedom Program.

Table 15.2 Four-Year Apportionments and Allocations for Public Transportation

Area

Georgia*

Urban Areas

$308

Fixed Guideway Motorization

$150

Non-Urbanized Areas

$62

Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP)

$1

Job Access/Reverse Commute Program

$13

Elderly & Persons with Disabilities

$12

New Freedoms

$10

Metropolitan Planning

$9

State Planning

$2

Total

$567

* In millions of dollars (rounded to the nearest million) for the period from FY 2006 2009. Source: US Department of Transportation

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US* $12,723 $6,076 $1,880 $29 $603 $490 $339 $343 $72 $22,598

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14.3 State Funding Sources for Transportation
State funding for transportation projects in Georgia is derived from the following sources:
State tax on motor fuels (7.5 cents per gallon)(provides majority of revenue); State license tag fees; State title registrations; State motor carrier fuels tax; and, State personal property tax.
It is also useful to note that Georgia currently has one of the nation's lowest state motor fuels taxes, excluding sales taxes. Even when including the additional 4% sales tax, Georgia's motor fuel taxes are the third lowest in the US.
A major element of Georgia's Statewide Transportation Plan is the Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP). The program is viewed as a priority funding program for GDOT. The GRIP program was started in 1989 through action by the Georgia Legislature. The program's goal is to connect 95% of the state's cities with a population of 2,500 or more to the Interstate Highway System through a four-lane facility.
14.4 Local Funding Sources for Transportation
Local governments (cities and counties) receive revenues from a number of sources to support the public facilities and services they provide to citizens. These sources include federal and state funds, "own source" funds, such as property tax revenues and other monies, and discretionary grant funds from federal and/or state agencies.
Increasingly, counties in Georgia, like Colquitt, have enacted a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, to fund specifically identified capital projects. SPLOST taxes require voter approval and are time-limited. SPLOST funds can be used for transportation projects, including matching federal and/or state transportation funds. A portion of Colquitt County's SPLOST funding goes to transportation improvements. Cities and counties may also use Local Option Sales Taxes (LOST) for transportation purposes, including providing local matching funds for GDOT projects. Other local sources of transportation funding include impact fees or other exactions paid by developers according to local ordinances and the creation of self-taxing entities, such as Community Improvement Districts (CID). In addition, counties in Georgia may issue general obligation bonds to support transportation capital projects.
County governments use a portion of their own revenues for transportation-related purposes, including capital projects, and operations and maintenance of transportation facilities within their own jurisdiction. A key determinant of the ability to improve an area's transportation facilities is the availability of local funds to match state and/or federal transportation funds. Colquitt County has a SPLOST from a 1% sales tax that is projected

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to generate approximately $12,000,000 through year 2012, which is used for new construction projects.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the County's "own source" revenues, including revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, excise and special use taxes and service charges and fees were estimated. Own source revenues are relevant because a portion of these funds could be provided as local matching funds for federally and state-funded transportation improvements or for locally-funded projects, depending on the County's other funding priorities. Table 15.4 illustrates this data. In 2004, Colquitt County had per capita own source amounts of $421, which is less than the statewide revenue per capita of $631.

Table 15.4 Own Source Revenues

County

2000 Own Source
Revenues

2004 Own Source
Revenues

% Change from 1996
to 2000

Per Capita Amount*

Colquitt County

$16.2 million

$18.2 million

12.4%

$421

* Statewide per capita amount equals $631. Source: Georgia Department of Community Affairs

14.5 Local Road Assistance Program The Local Road Assistance Program (LARP) provides capital assistance for each Local Government (County/city) to maintain through resurfacing the roads and streets within their respective transportation system. Each Local Government must submit a priority list of desired project they wish to have considered for the LARP. The priority list is evaluated by the GDOT's engineers based on a needs assessment and cost estimates for the project. The GDOT engineers make recommendations to the Commissioner of Transportation. Funds for this program are distributed by Board formula among the Congressional Districts and are equitably apportioned among urban and rural areas. Eligible priorities must meet acceptable needs evaluation and funding must be available prior to approval under this Program. No funds for this Program may be use to relocate utilities or perform work outside of existing pavements. Private property or lease property does not qualify for assistance. All Counties and Cities within the State are eligible to receive funds. Priorities that are located on the County or City road and street system are eligible for consideration. Resurfacing contract are issued at the discretion of the Commissioner based upon needs assessment and available funds. Priority lists are request from each County and City of road and streets to be considered. Projects are selected from the priority list and contracts are prepared by the GDOT and let for competitive bidding. Completion dates are established that will allow for the completion of the work during the current paving season after the contract islet. Many Counties and Cities request their LARP contracts to be negotiated in the form of County or city contracts. These contracts do not have a completion date assigned; however the Local Governments are encouraged to complete

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the projects during the same paving season. All contracts are engineered and supervised by GDOT engineers, following current guidelines and specification for construction.

Traditionally, Colquitt County has received about 40% of the total construction costs of identified LARP qualifying project from LARP funds and usually is able to resurface about 2 to 3 miles per year.

14.6 GDOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

Each year, GDOT develops its State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), a listing of all projects and project phases anticipated to be funded with federal and state funds within the current three-year period. The STIP also contains "lump sum" projects for transportation activities that benefit more than one county jurisdiction, for example, roadway beautification projects.

In its FY 2008-2011 STIP, GDOT estimated that nearly $9.5 billion were allocated for various transportation functions throughout Georgia. Table 15.6.1 shows the allocation of these funds across major functional areas.

Table 15.6.1 STIP Fund Allocations (FY 2008 2011)

Transportation Function New Construction Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Bridges Safety Maintenance Transportation Enhancement Transit Other Total

Amount Allocated $1,273,880,000 $3,239,680,000 $969,770,000 $560,049,000 $911,204,000 $495,397,000 $957,176,000 $1,052,411,000 $9,459,567,000

Percent of Total 13.47% 34.25% 10.25% 5.92% 9.63% 5.24% 10.12% 11.13% 100.00%

Additionally, GDOT develops a Construction Work Program (CWP), a listing of projects expected to be funded within a six-year period (current year plus five subsequent years). The fourth, fifth, and sixth years of the CWP list improvements that GDOT's intents to proceed with the projects as funding becomes available (complete engineering design, acquire right-of-way, if needed, and construct the improvement). These projects are documented in this Plan.

According to GDOT's CWP from February 2009, a total of four projects for Colquitt County have been programmed utilizing approximately $20 million in federal and state funds. Table 15.6.2 summarizes these programmed amounts.

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Table 15.6.2 GDOT 2008-2011 CWP
Project SR 133 at CR 238/Industrial Dr & SE 5th Ave at Old Adel Rd. Bridge replacement on Hagin Still Road at Ochlockonee River Bridge replacement on SR 256 at Warrior Creek Bridge replacement on SR 37 at Okapilco Creek East TOTAL PROGRAMMED FUNDS

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Total Funds Programmed $4,923,688.00 $1,679,574.65 $5,423,451.82 $7,709,101.00 $19,735,815.72

14.7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Sources
The following bicycle and pedestrian funding information is from the GDOT's Georgia Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (2009).
Transportation Enhancement Program (TE): The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) established the Transportation Enhancement (TE) program, which was further refined under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998 and reauthorized under the SAFETEA-LU in 2005. The TE program provides funds for non-traditional transportation projects such as sidewalks, multi-use trails, bicycle facilities, railroad depot and lighthouse renovations, and streetscape improvements.
http://www.dot.ga.gov/localgovernment/FundingPrograms/TransportationEnhancement/
Congressional Earmarks: Congressional earmarks are funds inserted into legislation for specific projects, locations, or institutions that do not go through the normal budgetary review process. Access to these funds is generally obtained through lobbying a Congress member. There are 89 bicycle and pedestrian projects in the SAFETEA-LU authorization for Georgia.
www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/m012606.pdf
Recreational Trails Program (RTP): The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) was established under ISTEA. The RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel (i.e. tax on all-terrain vehicle fuel). Eligible projects include developing and maintaining recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized recreational trail uses.
RTP funds are distributed to the states by legislative formula: half of the funds are distributed equally among all States, and half are distributed in proportion to the estimated amount of non-highway recreational fuel use in each State and a portion of these funds must be dedicated to motorized ATV trails projects. Georgia receives approximately $2

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Million annually and the funds are administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites.
www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/index.htm

Safe Routes to School: Safe Routes to School (SRTS) was established in 2005 through SAFETEA-LU and provides Georgia with approximately $16 Million for fiscal years 2005-2009. The program's goal is to increase the number of children in grades K-8 bicycling and walking to school. The program makes funding available for a wide variety of programs and projects, from building safer street crossings to establishing programs that encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle to school. Benefits of the Program include: reduced congestion and increased safety near participating schools; reduced air pollution in route to and near participating schools; and increased physical activity of children. In Georgia, the program is administered by GDOT. The first round of infrastructure projects was awarded in 2009. GDOT is also in the process (as of June 2009) of establishing a Safe Routes to School Resource Center which will assist any interested Kindergarten 8th grade school in developing programs related to education, enforcement and encouragement of children biking and walking to school. http://www.dot.ga.gov/srts/

Land and Water Conservation Grants:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established 40 years ago by the National Park Service to acquire recreation lands and protect natural resources. In Georgia, the grants are administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites. Local governments may apply for funding for projects that promote land and water conservation, which includes greenway and trail projects, park expansion and land acquisition. There is approximately $1,000,000 available statewide per year. The typical award is about $100,000. http://gastateparks.org/net/content/item.aspx?s=8084
Safety Education (Sections 402 & 157): The Governor's Office of Highway Safety administers funding for safety-related educational programs. Funding comes from the State and Community Highway Safety Grant Program (Section 402 of SAFETEA-LU) and some funding from the Safety Incentive Program (Section 157). Project selection is directed towards "National Priority Program areas" (i.e. program areas most effective in reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities) which include the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program and the Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP). Agencies at the state, county, city and private/non-profit levels are eligible to apply. State grants are available for up to three years with the first year of funding at 100% (no local match), the second year requiring a 20% local match, and the third year requiring a 40% local match. Funds are generally prioritized by crash frequency from the previous year's crash data. Examples of funded bicycle and pedestrian projects include a "Share the Road" awareness campaign and a bilingual pedestrian safety education initiative. (http://www.gohs.state.ga.us/).

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Surface Transportation Program: The Surface Transportation Program (STP) is funded by the Federal Highway Trust Fund, which is funded through gas taxes. The STP is the largest "pot" of money available for non-interstate highway construction, including bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Much of the bicycle and pedestrian facility network is constructed through this program as part of road widening and construction projects. In some instances, GDOT has used these general surface transportation funds to pay for pedestrian facilities as "stand alone" projects. Counties must submit their bike/pedestrian projects to GDOT to be included in the State Transportation Improvement Program in order to be funded. (www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/factsheets/stp.htm).
14.8 Future Transportation Funding Needs
A combination of federal, state, local, and private funding sources should be pursued for individual projects to improve transportation facilities in the study area. These sources should be pursued depending on GDOT (state), regional and local investment priorities considering the safety, convenience, and economic benefits of the projects throughout the planning period.

14.9 Effective Use of the Plan
This LRTP identifies potential projects for implementation based on local transportation needs and verified by technical analysis. This is an important step towards implementation but additional steps are necessary in order to advance projects into the GDOT's Project Development Process and / or to identify and solidify funding commitments from the state, if desired. The project implementation process for Georgia outside of an MPO area begins with support from local elected officials. Each County should begin with a thorough review of their LRTP priority projects. If funding is desired beyond what is available locally, the following steps are recommended:

Step 1: Gather letters of support from local elected officials highlighting the need for the project(s) and the merits of the project(s).
Step 2: Assess the level of funding support that may be provided by the County as a local match and / or for specific project phases (i.e. PE, ROW, etc.).
Step 3: Contact your GDOT District Office and coordinate with the GDOT District Engineer regarding the project. Depending on project type, the GDOT District may know of state aid resources that could be used for feasibility studies and potentially for additional match funding sources.
Step 4: The GDOT District Office typically serves as the project sponsor and submits a project information package to GDOT's Project Nominating Review Committee (PNRC) for consideration. The information included in the long-range plan and the project sheet, in addition to any supporting information resulting from additional study, is included in this package.

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Step 5: Projects approved by the PNRC are programmed into GDOT's Long-Range Program. As funding is identified, the project will move into GDOT's six-year Construction Work Program (CWP).

15.0 Environmental Sustainability Recommendations
Sustainability means meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. There are several approaches to building a sustainable transportation system and it is likely that practices now considered "green" will become the standard in the future. A policy guide was developed that includes an introduction into some concepts that may be considered to create a more sustainable transportation system and minimize impact to the environmental resources of Colquitt County. For environmental sustainability recommendations, the policy guide may be consulted and concepts used as applicable to meet the goals and objectives of Colquitt County.
16.0 Conclusions
GDOT Office of Planning initiated the Colquitt County Multi-Modal Transportation Study to develop a LRTP to serve the County through the planning horizon, year 2035. Recommended projects for Colquitt County were identified by analyzing current transportation deficiencies and selected based on local goals and objectives with the intent of enhancing the quality of life for County residents and visitors. Efforts were taken to ensure that proposed projects impacted the community as little as possible while providing maximum benefits. Analysis was conducted to ensure that the projects benefited and did not disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities. Ultimately, the study identified multi-modal improvements and prioritized project implementation in the form of a Long Range Transportation Plan.
The study team coordinated with GDOT, Colquitt County, cities including Berlin, Doerun, Ellenton, Funston, Moultrie, Norman Park, and Riverside, area residents and business leaders, and other partners in the planning, development, and review of potential improvements. Additionally, a comprehensive and interactive public involvement program was conducted. This ensured that alternative transportation improvements were not only coordinated with various governments, but afforded individual citizens and interested groups the opportunity to provide their input in developing and evaluating potential improvements to each County's transportation network.
The end product for this study is this LRTP document, providing for the efficient movement of people and goods within and through Colquitt County through the horizon year of this study, year 2035. Interim year analysis was conducted for the year 2015 and 2025. As part of this effort existing and future operating conditions were documented for the following modes: roadways and bridges, bicycle and pedestrian, freight, transit, rail and airport access.

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Technical Memorandum September 2009

This document should be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure that the planning factors and other assumptions are still relevant and effectively address transportation needs. This document should serve as the foundation for Colquitt County's transportation planning efforts and a starting point for addressing transportation needs.

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