February 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Background and Study Purpose .........................................................................5 2.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................5 3.0 Study Area and Demographics...........................................................................5 3.1 Population ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Households and Housing................................................................................................. 8 3.3 Employment .................................................................................................................... 9 3.3.1 Employment Within Wayne County ...................................................................................... 9 3.3.2 Employment Characteristics of Wayne County Residents................................................... 12 3.4 Environmental Justice ................................................................................................... 14 4.0 Land Use and Development.............................................................................18 4.1 Existing Land Use .......................................................................................................... 18 4.2 Historic Sites.................................................................................................................. 18 4.3 Environmental Resources ............................................................................................. 19 4.4 Parks and Recreational Areas ....................................................................................... 22 4.5 Land Development Controls ......................................................................................... 24 4.6 Future Land Use ............................................................................................................ 24 4.7 Planned Developments ................................................................................................. 24 4.7.1 Developments of Regional Impact....................................................................................... 25 5.0 Transportation ................................................................................................28 5.1 Roadway Characteristics ............................................................................................... 28 5.1.1 Volume ................................................................................................................................ 28 5.1.2 Functional Classification ...................................................................................................... 28 5.1.3 Number of Lanes ................................................................................................................. 31 5.1.4 Unpaved Roads.................................................................................................................... 31 5.2 Mobility Demand Analysis ............................................................................................ 38 5.2.1 Road Analysis Approach ...................................................................................................... 38 5.2.2 Socioeconomic Data for 2007.............................................................................................. 39 5.2.3 Socioeconomic Data for 2035.............................................................................................. 40 5.2.4 Existing Year 2007 Operating Conditions ............................................................................ 41 5.2.5 Horizon Year 2035 Operating Conditions ............................................................................ 45 5.3 Traffic Operations ......................................................................................................... 48 5.4 Hurricane Evacuation Routes........................................................................................ 48 5.5 Pavement Condition...................................................................................................... 48 5.6 Transit ........................................................................................................................... 49 5.7 Passenger Rail ............................................................................................................... 54 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 1 5.8 Freight ........................................................................................................................... 55 5.8.1 Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) Truck Routes............................................... 55 5.8.2 Rail ....................................................................................................................................... 57 5.9 Bicycle and Pedestrian Network ................................................................................... 61 5.11 High-Traffic Areas........................................................................................................ 67 5.12 Planned and Programmed Projects ............................................................................ 67 6.0 Economic Development...................................................................................73 6.1 Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) .......................................................... 73 6.2 GoFish Georgia Initiative............................................................................................... 73 6.3 Community of Opportunities (Co-Op) Initiative ........................................................... 74 6.4 Ports of Savannah, Brunswick and Jacksonville ............................................................ 74 6.5 AIRGeorgia .................................................................................................................... 75 7.0 Supporting Studies, Plans and Programs .........................................................76 7.1 National Studies, Plans and Programs .......................................................................... 76 7.1.1 Amtrak Strategic Reforms Initiative (2005-2010) April 2005............................................ 76 7.1.2 Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET)............................................................................. 76 7.2 Statewide Studies, Plans and Programs........................................................................ 78 7.2.1 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan (GDOT) December 2001............................... 78 7.2.2 Georgia Rail Freight Plan (GDOT) March 2001.................................................................. 78 7.2.3 Freight and Logistics Task Force Report July 2008............................................................ 79 7.3 Regional Studies, Plans and Programs .......................................................................... 80 7.3.1 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Plan - 2002......................................................... 80 7.3.2 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan June 2005................. 80 7.4 Local Studies and Plans ................................................................................................. 81 7.4.1 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan July 2004 ........................................................ 81 Appendix A: Travel Demand Model Documentation 1.0 Development of Year 2007 Base Year Socioeconomic Data .............................85 1.1 Wayne County............................................................................................................... 85 1.2 Liberty County and Long County................................................................................... 86 2.0 Development of Year 2035 Horizon Year Socioeconomic Data ........................87 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 2 Figures Figure 1. Study Area ................................................................................................................. 6 Figure 2. Population Growth in Wayne County and Surrounding Counties ............................ 8 Figure 3. Employment Growth in Wayne County and Surrounding Counties ....................... 10 Figure 4. Major Employers ..................................................................................................... 11 Figure 5. Wayne County Workforce Place of Residence........................................................ 12 Figure 6. Wayne County Residents' Place of Employment .................................................... 13 Figure 7. Households Living Below Poverty Level .................................................................. 16 Figure 8. Minority Households............................................................................................... 17 Figure 9. Existing Land Use..................................................................................................... 20 Figure 10. Natural Resources ................................................................................................. 21 Figure 11. Hydrology and Wetlands....................................................................................... 23 Figure 12. Existing Land Use - South Jesup Area.................................................................... 26 Figure 13. Future Land Use - South Jesup Area ..................................................................... 27 Figure 14. 2007 Traffic Volume .............................................................................................. 29 Figure 15. Roadway Functional Classification........................................................................ 30 Figure 16. Roadway Number of Lanes ................................................................................... 32 Figure 17. Unpaved Roads ..................................................................................................... 33 Figure 18. County Paving Projects ......................................................................................... 37 Figure 19. Examples of Level-of-Service ................................................................................ 42 Figure 20. 2007 Traffic Volume Wayne County Travel Demand Model ............................. 43 Figure 21. 2007 Level-of-Service Wayne County Travel Demand Model ........................... 44 Figure 22. 2035 Traffic Volume Wayne County Travel Demand Model ............................. 46 Figure 23. 2035 Level-of-Service Wayne County Travel Demand Model ........................... 47 Figure 24. Traffic Signalization ............................................................................................... 51 Figure 25. Hurricane Evacuation Routes................................................................................ 52 Figure 26. PACES Maintenance Ratings ................................................................................. 53 Figure 27. STAA Truck Routes and Truck Counts (2007)........................................................ 56 Figure 28. Proximity of Ports to Wayne County..................................................................... 59 Figure 29. Railroad Lines ........................................................................................................ 60 Figure 30. Bicycle Routes ....................................................................................................... 63 Figure 31. Existing Sidewalks ................................................................................................. 64 Figure 32. Roadway Widening Projects (Unfunded).............................................................. 70 Figure 33. Bridge Replacement Projects (Unfunded) ............................................................ 71 Figure 34. Transportation Enhancement Projects (Funded).................................................. 72 Figure 35. STRAHNET Routes ................................................................................................. 77 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 3 Tables Table 1. Age Demographics of Wayne County, 1990 and 2007............................................... 7 Table 2. 2007 Industry Mix in Wayne County ........................................................................ 10 Table 3. Mode of Transportation for Workers....................................................................... 13 Table 4. Commute Time (One-Way) for Workers .................................................................. 14 Table 5. Parks and Recreational Facilities in Wayne County ................................................. 22 Table 6. 2004 Wayne County Road Paving Priorities ............................................................. 34 Table 7. 2007 Wayne County Socioeconomic Data Inputs .................................................... 39 Table 8. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data................................. 40 Table 9. Employment Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data.............................. 41 Table 10. 2035 Employment Projections for Liberty and Long Counties............................... 41 Table 11. Roadway Improvement Projects ............................................................................ 45 Table 12. Deficient Roadway Segments in Year 2035............................................................ 45 Table 13. PACES Rating Definitions ........................................................................................ 49 Table 14. Regular Fares for Wayne County Transit................................................................ 50 Table 15. Transit Fare for Elderly, Handicapped, and Children Age 5 and Under ................. 54 Table 16. Aircraft Operation Demands at Jesup-Wayne County Airport............................... 65 Table 17. Jesup-Wayne County Airport Capital Improvement Program ................................ 66 Table 18. Roadway Widening Projects................................................................................... 67 Table 19. Bridge Replacement Projects ................................................................................. 68 Table 20. Transportation Enhancements and Other Projects ............................................... 69 Table 21. Short-Term Work Program, Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan ................ 82 Table 22. 2007 Wayne County Socioeconomic Data Inputs ................................................... 85 Table 23. TAZs Analyzed for 2007 Employment ..................................................................... 86 Table 24. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data................................ 87 Table 25. Employment Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data............................. 88 Table 26. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data................................ 88 Table 27. 2035 Employment Projections for Liberty and Long Counties............................... 89 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 4 1.0 Background and Study Purpose This document presents an evaluation of the existing transportation system, transportation needs, and recommended transportation improvements within Wayne County. The report is organized into two parts: Part I: Part II: Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Plan Development and Recommendations As conditions within the County are dynamic, this evaluation strives to present a summary of the most current inventory of transportation, land use, and development conditions based on readily available information. This information has been gathered from a variety of state, regional, county, and local sources. The information presented herein will be used to assess future travel demand, evaluate the future transportation conditions, and recommend needed transportation improvements for Wayne County. 2.0 Introduction Wayne County has experienced steady growth from 1970 to the present, and has grown an average of 1.57% annually between 1990 and 2006.1 The County's small town atmosphere, employment opportunities, affordable cost of living, and proximity to coastal Georgia have and will continue to draw more residents to the area. Therefore, it is essential to develop a multi- modal transportation plan for Wayne County that considers not only the transportation system, but also how it relates to land use, development patterns, the natural environment, and historic and cultural resources. This process will enable Wayne County to develop realistic strategies and recommendations to meet both its existing and future transportation needs. 3.0 Study Area and Demographics Wayne County was formed on May 11, 1803 from the land of the Creek Indians. It was named after Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The county seat, Jesup, was a hub of railroad activity in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with dozens of trains passing through each day.2 The rail activity continues today. In addition to Jesup, the County includes the Cities of Screven and Odum. Figure 1 shows the geographic location of Wayne County and its municipalities. 1 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 1990 (SF1, Table P001); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Quick Facts Wayne County, Georgia (2006 Population Estimates) 2 Wayne County, Georgia. (http://www.waynecounty.georgia.gov) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 5 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegfekorRddRd tu341 Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd UV Odum Tank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Rayonier Rd tu301 Jesup Bethlehem St Altamaha River UV203 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Flowers Murphy Break Break UV27 tu341 Rogers Break Hortense Rd LIttle Satill a River Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Browntown Rd Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Study Area Legend Roads Major Roads Railroad Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Wayne County GIS Glynn 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 1 3.1 Population Between 1990 and 2007, the population of Wayne County grew by 18.9%, from 22,356 to 29,046 people. Between 1990 and 2007, this represents an annual average growth rate of 1.5% per year.3 Table 1 presents a breakdown of Wayne County population in 1990 and 2007 based on age. Table 1. Age Demographics of Wayne County, 1990 and 2007 Age Group 1990 Percent of Total Population (1990) 2007 Percent of Total Population (2007) Under 20 7,164 32.0% 7,953 27.4% 20-34 4,845 21.7% 5,020 17.3% 35-49 4,652 20.8% 6,310 21.7% 50-64 3,092 13.8% 5,094 17.5% 65-79 2,033 9.1% 2,637 9.1% 80 and over 570 2.5% 828 2.9% Total 22,536 --- 29,046 --- Sources: 1990 Decennial Census (SF1, Table P001) and 2007 Population Estimates (Table T1), US Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing Figure 2 shows historic population growth in Wayne County and surrounding counties from 1960 to 2007. Except for a slight dip in population between 1960 and 1970, the County's population has been steadily increasing over the 47-year period. 4 The County's growth is similar to that of surrounding counties, with the exception of Camden County, which experienced a large increase in population between 1980 and 2000. 3 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 1990 (SF1, Table P001); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2007 Population Estimates (Table T1) 4 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 1990 (SF1, Table P001); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table P1); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Quick Facts Wayne County, Georgia Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 7 Figure 2. Population Growth in Wayne County and Surrounding Counties 75,000 65,000 55,000 45,000 Population 35,000 25,000 17,921 17,858 20,750 15,000 29,046 26,565 22,536 5,000 -5,000 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2007 Year Source: U.S. Census Bureau Wayne County Long County Glynn County Camden County McIntosh County Brantley County Tattnall County Appling County 3.2 Households and Housing Following the population trend, the number of households in Wayne County grew by 17.7%, from 7,922 households in 1990 to 9,324 households in 2000.5 In 2000, 22.7% of these were one- person households; 33.4% were two-person households; 18.5% were three-person households; and the remaining 25.4% of households had four or more people.6 In 1999, the median household income for Wayne County was $32,766. This is 23% lower than the Georgia median household income ($42,433) and 22% lower than the national median income ($41,994).7 In 1990, there were a total of 8,812 housing units in the County, of which 7,922 were occupied households. The median housing value of owner-occupied housing units was $44,500, with 93% of the housing units worth below $100,000.8 In 2000, there were a total of 10,827 housing units in the County, of which 9,324 were occupied. The median housing value of owner-occupied units was $71,200, with 88% of the housing units worth below $150,000.9 As of 2000, 88.3% of the housing units were built in 1950 or later; the median year of construction for the housing units was 1978.10 5 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 1990 (SF1, Table DP-1); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Fact Sheet Wayne County, Georgia 6 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table H16) 7 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Fact Sheet Wayne County, Georgia; U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Fact Sheet Georgia 8 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 1990 (SF1, Table DP-1); U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Fact Sheet Wayne County, Georgia 9 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000, Fact Sheet Wayne County, Georgia 10 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table H35) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 8 Wayne County continues to attract new residents and spur new residential development. In 2007, unincorporated Wayne County saw over 250 new residential permits and seven new subdivisions approved in 2007, for a total of over 320 new home lots.11 3.3 Employment Section 3.3.1 discusses characteristics of employment and employees within Wayne County. Section 3.3.2 discusses employment characteristics of Wayne County residents. 3.3.1 Employment Within Wayne County According to the Georgia Department of Labor, Wayne County businesses employed 9,040 people in 2007.12 These employees include residents of Wayne County as well as neighboring counties. Between 1990 and 2007, total employment in the County increased by 16.9%.13 Figure 3 shows that Wayne County's rate of employment growth between 1990 and 2007 is similar to those of surrounding counties, with the exception of Camden and Glynn Counties, which have experienced more rapid rates of employment growth.14 The 2007 industry mix for Wayne County is shown in Table 2. In Wayne County, approximately 69% of employees work in the private sector, while the remaining 21% work in the public sector. Of those who work in the private sector, 60% of employees work in the service industry. The remaining 30%, or 2,471 workforce, are employed by goods-producing industries; over 60% of this workforce are employed in manufacturing.15 11 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 12 Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County 13 Georgia Department of Labor, 1990 and 2007 Labor Area Profiles Wayne County 14 Georgia Department of Labor, 1990 and 2007 Labor Area Profiles Long, Glynn, Camden, McIntosh, Brantley, Tattnall and Appling Counties 15 Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 9 Figure 3. Employment Growth in Wayne County and Surrounding Counties 45,000 40,000 35,000 Employment 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 7,735 9,040 5,000 0 1990 2007 Year Source: Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County 'Wayne County' 'Long County' 'Glynn County' 'Camden County' 'McIntosh County' 'Brantley County' 'Tattnall County' 'Appling County' Table 2. 2007 Industry Mix in Wayne County Industry Number of Employees Percent of Workforce Goods-Producing 2,471 27.3% Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 237 2.6% Construction 601 6.6% Manufacturing 1,634 18.1% Service-Providing 3,767 41.7% Government 2,797 30.9% Total 9,035 100% Source: Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County *Does not include industries for which data cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality considerations As of 2007, the largest companies in the County include Harsco Corporation, Rayonier, Inc., Rayonier Performance Fibers, LLC, Wal-Mart Associates, Inc., and Wayne County Hospital Authority.16 These major employers are shown in Figure 4. 16 Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 10 Appling Tattnall UV169 Wayne County Liberty Multimodal Transportation Study Odum Rd wy r Gar Post Rd Major Employers UV169 Long Legend Griffis Rd Walt e hg Major Employers tu341 Rayonier Performance Fiber Mill Roads hg UV Odum 27 Harsco Corp tu hgRayonier Performance Fiber - Marketing & Research 301 Major Roads hg Altamaha Tech Collegehg Wayne Memorial Hospitalhg Wal-Mart hg Jesup Altamaha River Railroad Stream/River Cities tu84 UV203 hg Federal Correctional Institution - Jesup UV38 UV23 Waycross H Broadhurst Screven Rd di Rd Golden Isles Hwy UV27 tu341 tu25 tu301 McIntosh Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Wayne County GIS, Georgia Department of Labor LIttle Satilla River Pierce - Brantley Glynn 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 4 February 2009 In 2007, approximately 83% of Wayne County workforce lived within the County. Another 3.8% live in Long County; 2.7% in Glynn County; 1.9% in Liberty County; 1.7% in Pierce County; 1.6% in Appling County; 1.1% in Ware County; and the remaining 5.4% in other Georgia counties. This is displayed in Figure 5. Figure 5. Wayne County Workforce Place of Residence 1% 1% 5% 2% 2% 2% 4% Wayne County Long County Glynn County Liberty County Pierce County 83% Appling County Ware County Other Counties in Georgia Source: Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County 3.3.2 Employment Characteristics of Wayne County Residents Among Wayne County residents, there are 12,707 people in the labor force, and 11,471 (approximately 90%) of these are employed in Wayne County or surrounding areas.17 Approximately 75% of Wayne County residents work within the County. Another 8% work in Glynn County; 4.8% in Liberty County; 2.6% in Appling County; 1.2% in Chatham County; and the remaining 8.4% throughout Georgia and adjacent states.18 This is displayed in Figure 6. The following data depicts "commute to work" characteristics for Wayne County residents compared to residents throughout the 17-county region19 and state. Table 3 shows that as a whole, workers who live in Wayne County drive alone more frequently (80.5%) compared to their counterparts regionally (76.8%) and statewide (77.5%). Correspondingly, workers who live 17 Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County 18 Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County 19 Based upon the 17-county region under the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Development Center, the regional planning body Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 12 in Wayne County are less likely to carpool, use public transit, or walk, bike, or use other means of transportation than workers in the surrounding region and throughout the state.20 Figure 6. Wayne County Residents' Place of Employment 1% 1% 1% 4% 2% 5% 1% Wayne County Glynn County 7% Liberty County Appling County 78% Chatham County Long County Source: Georgia Department of Labor, 2007 Labor Area Profile Wayne County Table 3. Mode of Transportation for Workers Number of Percent of Workers Geographic Workers Area Age 16 and Over Drive Alone Carpool Public Transit Walk Bike Wayne County 10,125 80.5% 14.1% 0.5% 1.6% 0.1% 17-County RDC 106,905 76.8% 17.2% 0.4% 1.9% 0.1% Region Georgia 3,832,803 77.5% 14.5% 2.3% 1.7% 0.1% Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table P30) Other 0.9% Work from Home 2.4% 1.7% 1.9% 1.0% 2.8% Approximately 83% of Wayne County workers live within Wayne County. Most workers (68.9%) have a one-way commute time of less than 30 minutes. Table 4 presents a comparison of commute times between Wayne County, the region, and the state. Relative to the region and the state, Wayne County workers have favorable commute times to work; 68.9% have a commute time of 30 minutes or less, compared to 68.5% for the region and 58.8% for the state.21 The 17-County Regional Development Center (RDC) Region includes the 17 counties that are included within the Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 20 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table P30) 21 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table P31) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 13 Table 4. Commute Time (One-Way) for Workers Geographic Area Number of Workers Age 16 and Over Percent of Workers Less than 15 Minutes 15 to 29 Minutes 30 to 44 Minutes 45 to 59 Minutes 60 to 89 Minutes Wayne County 10,125 40.2% 28.7% 11.5% 6.6% 6.0% 17-County RDC 106,905 37.3% 31.2% 15.2% 6.1% 4.6% Region Georgia 3,832,803 24.5% 34.3% 20.3% 9.1% 6.1% Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census of Population and Housing, 2000 (SF3, Table P31) 90 Minutes or More 4.7% 3.7% 2.9% Work from Home 2.4% 1.9% 2.8% 3.4 Environmental Justice According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), there are three fundamental environmental justice principles associated with the expenditure of federal funds for planning, development, and construction of transportation improvement projects: To avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations. To ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process. To prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations. Federal Environmental Justice requirements were set forth in Presidential Executive Order 12898 (1994) , which states: "Each Federal agency shall make achieving environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income populations." The following terms are defined as presented in the FHWA Order 6640.23 "FHWA Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations": Low-income: A household income at or below the Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines according to the 2000 guidelines, the threshold was $8,350 for one person, and $17,050 for a family of four; Minority: A person who is black (having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa), Hispanic (of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 14 other Spanish Culture or origin, regardless of race), Asian American (having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, of the Pacific Islands); or American Indian and Alaskan Native (having origins in any of the original people from North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's EnviroMapper tool was utilized to locate areas within Wayne County with the highest number of low-income and minority populations; the data is drawn directly from 2000 U.S. Census information by block group. Figures 7 and 8 highlight areas in Wayne County with high concentrations of low-income families and minority groups. According to Figure 7, households at or below poverty level are concentrated in Jesup in an area bounded by the CSX railroad line (to the east), the Norfolk Southern railroad line (to the north), and U.S. 341/W. Cherry Street. Here, 40-100% of the households live at or below poverty level. In addition, there is also a significant concentration of households living at or below poverty level in an area south of U.S. 341/SR 27 between Jesup and Odum. Here, 30-40% of households live at or below poverty level. Eastern portions of the County, especially those bordering Long, McIntosh, Glynn, and Brantley Counties, have the fewest number of low-income households, with only 0-10% of households living at or below poverty level. According to Figure 8, minority groups are concentrated in two areas of Jesup; in the northeastern area between U.S. 301 and Cherry Street, and in the southwestern area bounded by Slover Road, U.S. 301/SR 23, Harper Street, and the CSX railroad tracks. In these areas, 40- 100% of residents belong to a minority group. There is also a significant minority population south of U.S. 341/SR 27 between Jesup and Odum, and in an area bounded by Slover Road, U.S. 84/SR 38, Pierce and Brantley Counties, and U.S. 301/SR 23. In these areas, 30-40% of the population belongs to a minority group. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 15 Odum Rd Gar Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 UV169 tu341 UV Odum 27 tu84 UV203 UV38 UV23 Broadhurst R d Screven Long tu301 Jesup tu25 di Rd Liberty tu301 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study tu84 Households Living Below Poverty Level tu341 Legend City of Jesup 0 - 10% 11 - 20% 21 - 30% 31 - 40% 41 - 100% Major Roads City Limits Wayne County Surrounding Counties UV27 tu341 McIntosh Displayed as percentage of total households by Census tract that live below the poverty line. Poverty line varies based on household size. See Census 2000 poverty thresholds. Pierce - February 2009 tu301 Brantley Glynn Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, US Environmental Protection Agency 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 7 Odum Rd Gar Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 UV169 tu341 UV Odum 27 tu84 UV203 UV38 UV23 Broadhurst R d Screven Long tu301 Jesup tu25 di Rd Liberty tu301 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study tu84 Minority Households tu341 Legend City of Jesup 0 - 10% 11 - 20% 21 - 30% 31 - 40% 41- 100% Major Roads City Limits Wayne County Surrounding Counties UV27 tu341 McIntosh Displayed as percentage of total households by Census tract that live below the poverty line. Poverty line varies based on household size. See Census 2000 poverty thresholds. Pierce - February 2009 tu301 Brantley Glynn Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 8 4.0 Land Use and Development The following sections highlight existing and future land use plans as well as existing development patterns, planned developments, historic sites, and environmental resources in Wayne County. 4.1 Existing Land Use According to Wayne County's Existing Land Use Map, the dominant land use in Wayne County is forestry or undeveloped land, occupying almost 63% of total the land area. The forested and undeveloped areas are located primarily in the southeastern and western portions of the County. These lands are interspersed with agriculture uses, which make up 14% of total land use in the County. Residential areas, which are concentrated in an area to the north and northwest of Jesup, comprise 17% of total land area in the County. The remaining land uses in Wayne County comprise much less acreage. Commercial uses (1.06%) are primarily along main roadways within Jesup and along U.S. 341/SR 27 towards Odum. Industrial uses (1.96%) consist primarily of large parcels to the north and south of Jesup and along U.S. 341/SR 27 between Jesup and Odum. Parks, recreation, and conservation areas are all in Jesup (0.09%). Public/institutional uses (1.44%) consist primarily of government buildings in Jesup, such as the City Hall, Wayne County Courthouse, and County Jail; municipal uses in Screven and Odum; the Federal Correctional Institution in Jesup; and reservoirs along the Altamaha River. Transportation, communications, and utilities comprise the remaining 1.77% of land use in Wayne County. As most of the residential areas, commercial establishments, and major employment (such as industry) are concentrated around the Jesup area, it can be inferred that corridors between these uses, such as U.S. 341/SR 27 (Golden Isles Highway) and U.S. 84/SR 38, are among the most heavily traveled in the County. This is exhibited in Figure 14 in Section 5.1.1. The existing land use in Wayne County is shown in Figure 9. 4.2 Historic Sites There are four sites in Wayne County listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a federal designation that allows sites to be eligible for federal preservation and rehabilitation funds. (These properties are also listed on the State of Georgia Register of Historic Places.) Similar to the National Historic Register, properties designated by the State of Georgia Register of Historic Places may qualify for grant assistance or be eligible for a state property tax abatement for rehabilitation work.22 These historic structures are listed below. Wayne County Courthouse (Jesup) Leonard Carter House (Odum) John W.C. Trowell House (Jesup) Ritch-Martin House (Odum) 22 Georgia Register of Historic Places: Recognizing and Preserving Our Historic Properties. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division. September 2005. hpd.dnr.state.ga.us/assets/documents/ga_reg_fs.pdf Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 18 There are also a number of properties and sites in Wayne County that are not listed on the Historic Register but are locally significant to the area's culture and worthy of preservation. These include many historic homes and commercial establishments, such as Old Ingleside Hotel (Jesup), Apiary (Gardi), Odum Homecoming Park (Odum), Captain C.C. Grace Store Site (Screven), Bill Pye Blacksmith Shop, and Downtown Jesup. There are also industrial sites such as Jesup Standpipe (Water Tank), Bennetts Water Mill, and Odessa Brick Kiln and Yard Site; churches throughout Wayne County; wagon roads and old train depots; log homes and farms; and a number of archeological sites.23 4.3 Environmental Resources Wayne County is located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, an area naturally dominated by wetlands.24 As settlers inhabited the area beginning in the early 1800s, much of the `unusable' wetlands were converted to more profitable uses, such agriculture and forestry.25 By the 1980s, about 23% of Georgia's original wetlands acreage was lost to conversions. Wayne County has three wildlife management areas (WMAs) that serve as habitats for local vegetation and wildlife. These WMAs are Sansavilla WMA and Penholoway Swamp WMA in southeastern Wayne County along the Altamaha River; Little Satilla WMA south of Screven, along the Little Satilla River and near Screven; and Rayonier WMA in southern Wayne County near the border of Brantley County.26 These WMAs are shown in Figure 10. 23 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 24 Georgia Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2008-2013 25 Jordan, Margaret Coleman. Wayne Miscellany. 1976. 26 Conservation Lands 2003 (shapefile). University of Georgia Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 19 Tattnall Liberty tu301 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study tu84 Existing Land Use Appling tu341 UV Odum 27 tu84 UV38 Screven Long tu301 Jesup tu25 City of Jesup UV27 tu341 tu341 Legend Existing Land Use Residential Commercial Public/Institutional Industrial TCU Parks/Rec/Cons Agriculture Forestry McIntosh City Limits Surrounding Counties TCU: Transportation, Communications, and Utilities Parks/Rec/Cons: Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Pierce - tu301 Brantley Glynn Source: 2004 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan (Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC) 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 9 February 2009 Odum Rd y Gar Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 UV169 Walter Griffis Rd tu341 UV Odum 27 tu84 UV203 UV38 Waycross H w Broadhurst Screven R d Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Natural Resources Long tu301 Jesup Altamaha River Legend Wildlife Management Areas Nature Conservancy of Georgia Lands Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties UV23 di Rd Golden Isles Hwy Penholoway Swamp WMA Sansavilla Boat Ramp McIntosh UV27 Altamaha River Scenic Easements tu Sansavilla WMA 341 LIttle Satilla River Pierce - February 2009 Little Satilla WMA Little Satilla WMA Rayonier WMA Brantley Glynn Sources: Wayne County GIS, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, National Hydrography Dataset 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 10 Much of the land conversion was from deciduous forested wetlands to intensively managed pine plantation.27 These timber resources have played an important role in Wayne County's economy. Wetlands provide a wide variety of benefits; they are an important water supply, enhance water quality, help with erosion control, and provide recreational opportunities. A large portion of anticipated population growth nationally is projected in areas adjacent to wetlands, 28 underscoring the need for wetland preservation.29 There are currently a number of funding programs underway to acquire wetlands for protection, including the Georgia Wetlands Trust Fund and efforts by non-profit groups such as the Georgia Conservancy and Environment Georgia. Wetland areas in Wayne County are shown in Figure 11. 4.4 Parks and Recreational Areas There are numerous local parks and recreational facilities in Wayne County for residents' enjoyment. These are listed in Table 5. Table 5. Parks and Recreational Facilities in Wayne County Facility City Bill Morris Park Jesup Hall Richardson Recreation Jesup Center Cracker Williams Park Jesup Recreation Complex Odum Sam Dryer Recreation Center Screven Grace Community Center Screven Game courts (from old high Screven school) Source: Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan, July 2004. The City of Jesup also has "pocket" parks throughout the City; these are near the Jesup Post Office, Twin, Madray Springs, Rayonier Road, Hickory Street, Gilford, Deborah Circle, Clark Hill, Garbutt Road, and Pinebloom Drive.30 In addition, the County has established a 250-acre recreational facility at Lake Grace near Jesup. The City of Jesup is currently developing the McMillan Creek Greenway, an in-town greenway along the McMillan Creek in Jesup. In addition to providing recreational opportunities, the project will improve the water quality of the creek and preserve the urban forest environment. Once completed, the greenway will span a length of 2 miles from S. 6th Street to Holmesville Road. The wildlife management areas previously described in Section 4.3 also provide recreational opportunities, including hiking, fishing, and hunting, and boat landings for water recreation. 27 Georgia Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2008-2013 28 Georgia Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2008-2013 29 Georgia Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 2008-2013 30 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 22 Tattnall UV169 UV169 Long Appling tu341 UV Odum 27 tu84 UV203 UV38 Screven tu301 Jesup Altamaha River tu25 UV23 UV27 tu341 LIttle Satill a River Pierce - February 2009 tu301 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Hydrology & Wetlands Legend Rivers and Streams Wetlands Reservoirs Major Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh Glynn Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 11 4.5 Land Development Controls Wayne County has commissioned a zoning committee to help develop the County's first comprehensive zoning plan, along with procedures for review and alterations in designation. With new industrial and residential developments occurring now and expected in the near future (as discussed in Section 4.7), a zoning ordinance will be vital to help Wayne County achieve its community goals and maintain a positive quality of life.31 The County does have an existing subdivision ordinance in place. In 2007, the County Commissioners made two significant changes to the subdivision ordinance. The first was to require developers of new subdivisions to pave public roads to County standards. In addition, the County specifications for road paving were modified to reduce the minimum right-of-way of roads that must be paved. These modifications to the subdivision ordinance are taking the burden and cost of paving roads off of the County.32 4.6 Future Land Use According to Wayne County's Future Land Use Map, there does not appear to be much anticipated change in land use in the County in the near future. The future land use map is almost identical to the Existing Land Use Map. The primary difference in the maps is in an area south of Jesup where agricultural land is anticipated to become industrial. Figures 12 and 13 show the expected changes in land use in the Jesup area of Wayne County. The highlighted parcels are those that will undergo a change in land use, from agricultural to industrial. 4.7 Planned Developments The planned developments in Wayne County serve to enhance the economic landscape of the county and build upon its existing lumber and industrial businesses. These planned developments are listed below. East Coast Ethanol is schedule to break ground on a new facility in Jesup in spring of 2009. This project, at a cost of $216,000,000, will be located on 350 acres along U.S. 341. The company was declared "effective" by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in October. 33 This will be among the first of large-scale ethanol plants in the State of Georgia.34 A 541-acre regional industrial park is proposed for development along U.S. 341. The County is in discussions with an international industrial company to establish operations in Wayne County. The operation would add up to 50 jobs. 31 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 32 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 33 Davis, Drew. "Ethanol company effective" The Press-Sentinel. October 17, 2008. http://www.thepress- sentinel.com/articles/2008/10/28/news/doc48f5075d5aaea255206043.txt 34 Lane, Jim. "1000 Mgy corn ethanol plant slated to open in Georgia; state's first large scale facility" Biofuel Digest. August 19, 2008. http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/08/19/100-mgy-corn-ethanol-plant-slated-to-open-in- georgia-states-first-large-scale-facility/ Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 24 Great Southern Wood in the Wayne County industrial park is in the process of expansion. Two buildings totaling 84,000 square feet will employ 15 additional employees.35 4.7.1 Developments of Regional Impact Under the Georgia Planning Act of 1989, a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) is defined as a large-scale planned development that will likely affect areas beyond the jurisdiction where the development is located. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs has established review processes for these developments. Various thresholds are measured to determine whether a planned development is a DRI, including anticipated population growth, increase in traffic volume, and affect upon surrounding infrastructure and services. In areas outside of Metro Atlanta, the Regional Development Centers (RDCs) determine, based on the thresholds and technical analysis, whether the DRI is in the best interest of the region. These determinations, however, are not legally binding. The final authority whether to proceed with the project rests with the local government. Since 2001, there has been only one DRI in Wayne County. In 2006, Wayne County submitted an application for an expansion of the Broadhurst Environmental Landfill. This would expand the total acreage of the landfill site from 382 acres to approximately 600 acres. In April 2006, the Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC approved of the development and found it in the best interest of the region. 35 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 25 US-84 / US-25 / Waycross tu84 - February 2009 Sunset Blvd US-301/Ga-23 Bypass S. Palm St S. Macon St Sunset Blvd UV23 Sansivilla Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Existing Land Use South Jesup Area Legend Jesup City Limits Existing Land Use Residential Commercial Public/Institutional Industrial TCU Parks/Rec/Cons Agriculture Forestry TCU: Transportation, Communications, and Utilities Parks/Rec/Cons: Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Sources: Wayne County GIS, Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC 0 0.35 0.7 1.4 Miles Figure 12 US-84 / US-25 / Waycross tu84 - February 2009 Sunset Blvd US-301/Ga-23 Bypass S. Palm St S. Macon St Sunset Blvd UV23 Sansivilla Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Future Land Use South Jesup Area Legend Jesup City Limits Future Land Use Residential Commercial Public/Institutional Industrial TCU Parks/Rec/Cons Agriculture Forestry TCU: Transportation, Communications, and Utilities Parks/Rec/Cons: Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Sources: Wayne County GIS, Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC 0 0.35 0.7 1.4 Miles Figure 13 5.0 Transportation According to Wayne County's 2008 Annual State of the County Report, transportation is a high priority for the County. The County is focusing on three different transportation initiatives. The first is to assess long-term transportation needs and address these with specific strategies. The second is to focus on immediate traffic flow issues that affect congestion and access. The third initiative addresses the effect of transportation upon quality of life, with particular regards to road paving and resurfacing projects. The County is crossed by multiple U.S. and State highways, as well as county and local roads. The passenger transportation network in Wayne County is heavily auto-dependent, but the area has over 500 unpaved roads. Wayne County ranks among the top 15 counties in Georgia with percentage of road mileage that is unpaved; approximately 508 miles (52.3%) of its surface mileage is unpaved.36 These unpaved roads have been a financial consideration in the past, as the County has had to pave unpaved roads inherited from existing subdivisions. In July 2006, a special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) program, dubbed as SPLOST 2, was initiated to fund hospital improvements and road paving. The total estimated revenues for SPLOST 2 are projected to be $22 million. As part of the SPLOST obligation, $12 million of the $22 million is committed to the hospital project.37 Further information about unpaved roads and paving projects is discussed in Section 5.1.4. 5.1 Roadway Characteristics The following sections present various data and information concerning roadways in Wayne County. 5.1.1 Volume According to 2007 GDOT traffic count data, roads near Jesup, where there is a higher population concentration, experience more traffic compared to more rural areas of Wayne County. Within Jesup, many roads exhibit counts of 15,000 or greater vehicles per day (average annual daily traffic) including U.S. 301 north into Long County. Other major routes (including U.S. 341 south into Glynn County and the Port of Brunswick) have some of the heaviest traffic volumes in the County. This traffic count data is displayed in Figure 14. 5.1.2 Functional Classification The functional classifications of roads in Wayne County range from local roads to urban principal arterials. There are approximately 700 miles of local roads in Wayne County. 38 The urban arterials and collectors are concentrated within and around Jesup; the remaining roads are rural or local (city or county) roads. Funding for new roads/road improvements is associated with roadway designation (either a federal, state or locally-owned facility) and functional classification. The functional classification of roads in Wayne County is displayed in Figure 15. 36 GDOT Office of Transportation Data, Mileage of Public Roads in Georgia by Surface Type. 12/31/2007 37 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 38 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 28 Appling Tattnall UV!(169 !( !( !( !( !( !( tu84 Liberty !( !( Morris Break Rd 26.85% !( Truck Traffic UV169 !( !( Long !( !( !( !( !( !( !( 1st!(St !( !(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!( !( !(!( !(!( tu !( 30!(1 !( !( !( !( !( !( Oglethorpe Rd !( K'Ville Rd Odum Rd !( Holmesville Rd tu341 !( !( !( !( Odum Tank Rd UV27 !( !( !( !( Holmesville1R7d.84% Truck Tra!(ffic !( tu Empire Rd !( !( !( 84 !( tu Rayonier Rd!( !( !( !( !( 301 !( 20.53% !( !( !(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!( !( Jesup Truck Traffic !(!( !( Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLCornegefkorRdd Rd Bethlehem St UV !( !( 203 Nine !( Run Rd !( !( !( UV !( 38 !( Slover Rd !( UV23 !( !( tu25 di Rd!( !( Stanfield Dr !( !(!( !( !(!( Broad!(hurst R d !( Screven !( TMruurp2ch2ykB.8rTe0ark%affic Flowers Break City of Jesup UV27 tu341 McIntosh River Rd !( Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study 2007 Traffic Volume Legend AADT (vehicles/day) !( 270 - 2,140 !( 2,141 - 5,400 !( 5,401 - 11,450 !( 11,451 - 22,710 Major Roads Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Rogers Break Hortense Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 !( Browntown Rd Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation, !( Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Hortense Rd - Brantley Glynn !( Miles Figure 14 February 2009 Tattnall Cowboy Rd Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd UV169 Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Oglethorpe Rd US 341 Long Rayonier Rd tu301 US 84 S. Macon St City of Jesup K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y UV203 Nine Run Rd Stanfield Dr Empire Rd tu84 UV38 Jesup Slover Rd UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegfekorRddRd Bethlehem St tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break UV27 tu341 Sunset Blvd SU.SP3a0l1mBSytpass Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Roadway Functional Classification McIntosh River Rd Legend Urban Principal Arterial Urban Minor Arterial Urban Collector Street Rural Principal Arterial Rural Major Collector Rural Minor Arterial Rural Minor Collector Local Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Hortense Rd Pierce - Hortense Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd tu White Star Rd 301 Flowers Browntown Rd Break Brantley Glynn Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation, Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 15 February 2009 5.1.3 Number of Lanes The entire length of U.S. 341/U.S. 25/SR 27 (Golden Isles Parkway) through Wayne County was recently widened to four lanes as part of the Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP), which is further discussed in Section 6.1. Other four-lane roads in the County include U.S. 301/SR 23 from Long County to U.S. 341/U.S. 25/SR 27 (Golden Isles Parkway); U.S. 84/SR 38 from Pierce County to SR 203; and U.S. 84/SR 38 from Sunset Blvd to U.S. 301/SR 23 in Jesup. The remaining roads are two lanes wide. Figure 16 exhibits the number of lanes of roadways in Wayne County. 5.1.4 Unpaved Roads Wayne County has approximately 508 miles of unpaved roads. Fourteen out of 159 counties in Georgia have 50% or more of unpaved road mileage; Wayne County ranks #10, with 52.3% of total road mileage unpaved.39 The County is exploring alternative strategies to reduce costs and time to pave roads, such as utilizing in-house personnel to perform the road base and preparation work. The County is also looking at modifying the specifications on certain types of roads that do not warrant the costs that the current specifications require.40 Unpaved public roads in Wayne County are exhibited in Figure 17. The road paving priorities for Wayne County as presented in Wayne County's 2004 Comprehensive Plan are shown in Table 6 and exhibited in Figure 18. 39"Mileage of Public Roads in Georgia By Surface Type," GDOT Office of Transportation Data. 40 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 31 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 UV Odum Tank Rd 27 Rayonier Rd tu301 K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegefkorRddRd Holmesville Rd Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Jesup Bethlehem St UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Slover Rd UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break Flowers Break UV27 tu341 Rogers Break Hortense Rd Pierce White Star Rd tu301 Browntown Rd Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Roadway Number of Lanes Legend Four-Lane Roads Two-Lane Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Glynn Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation, Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 16 Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long US 341 US 84 S. Macon St Liberty Sunset Blvd US 301S.BPyaplamssSt Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Rayonier Rd tu301 Jesup Bethlehem St Sansivilla Rd City of Jesup Altamaha River Walker Creek Rd Gar LittleLCornegefkorRddRd UV203 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven Hortense Rd LIttle Satilla River Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Rogers Break tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break Flowers Break Browntown Rd UV27 tu341 McIntosh River Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Hortense Rd Glynn - Brantley Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Unpaved Roads Legend Unpaved Roads Paved Roads Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Source: Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 17 February 2009 Priority 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Table 6. 2004 Wayne County Road Paving Priorities Road Name Longford Road (from U.S. 341 to Bethlehem Road) Bethlehem Wesleyan Church Road (on hold) Palm Island Road Palm Island Circle Sea Island Road Holmesville Road Reddish Road East Lake Drive Meadowwood Drive (unpaved portion) Sierra Road Riverside Way Riverside Circle Larry Poppell Road Howard Road (City) Walker Road (City) Tyre Road Camden Street (from Bacon to Glynn Street) Glynn St (from end of pavement to Camden Street) Ware Street (from Glynn Street to end) Tift St (from Glynn Street to end) Middle Drive Photonia Street Photoria Avenue Weeping Willow Street (from Photoria to Pin Oak) Sugar Maple Street (from Pin Oak to Green Ash) South Lake Drive Green Ash Street Lud O'Quinn Road Bennett Road Rochelle Lane (from Gilford to Myrtle Street) Pine Street Land (from Cypress to Mahogany) Cypress Lane (from Oak to Pine Street) Mahogany Lane (from Oak to Cherry Street) N. Whaley Street (from Walnut to Cherry Street) Brunswick St. Lane (from Pine to Walnut Street) Length (mi) 1.09 1.72 Not Available 0.80 Not Available 2.50 1.50 1.50 0.46 0.50 0.15 0.56 0.15 0.13 0.35 1.00 0.15 0.13 0.09 0.11 0.08 0.60 0.40 0.15 0.33 0.13 0.10 2.40 0.22 0.21 0.17 0.83 0.26 0.09 0.09 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 34 Priority 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Road Name Length (mi) Cherry St. Lane (from Wayne to N. Elm) Palm Street Alley (from Devonwood to Ritch) Old Doctortown Road Mt. Pleasant Road (from Ten Mile Road to County Line) Arron Holland Road Clifford Jones Road Cameron Road Big Oak Road Ski Lake Drive Raintree Drive Buggy Whip Road (from railroad to the last house) Buggy Whip Lane Buckboard Trail Oran Way Extension McClain Road (from New Hope Rd to Constance Road) Constance Road Nursery Road Evinrude Drive Smith Street Magnolia Boulevard North Bay Street Hortense Road Mona Avenue Palm Island Circle Old River Road (from end of pavement) Ogden Loop (from Beards Bluff Road) Fairfield Drive Bailey Road J.C. Hamilton Road N. Bamboo Lane (from Bethlehem Rd to Railroad Avenue) Nancy Street Arabian Road Altamaha Road (from Rayonier Road) Penholloway Road Extension Roth Road Sheep Head Road Deerwood Estates Road 0.08 0.25 0.99 0.60 1.00 1.00 0.70 0.30 0.63 0.28 0.30 0.37 0.30 0.20 2.30 Not Available 1.69 0.24 0.11 0.20 0.13 1.00 1.00 0.80 0.30 1.20 0.30 0.66 0.40 0.10 0.35 0.17 0.79 2.58 0.60 0.08 0.20 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 35 Priority Road Name Length (mi) Hires Road 1.80 Melvin Westberry Road (from SR 169 to New Hope Road) 1.30 McClain Road (from Constance Road to Old River Road) 1.10 Source: Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan, July 2004. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 36 Tattnall US 341 Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Odum Rd y Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegfeokrRddRd US 301 BypS.asPsalm St Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd UV169 Oglethorpe Rd tu341 Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd UV Odum Tank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Rayonier Rd K'Ville Rd UV203 Empire Rd tu84 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven Rogers Break Hortense Rd White Star Rd tu301 Transportation Study US 84 Long S. Macon St Sunset Blvd Sansivilla Rd County Paving Projects Legend Road Paving Status City of Jesup Paving Completed Paving Not Yet Complete tu301 Roads Jesup Bethlehem St Major Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Flowers Murphy Break Break UV27 tu341 McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Browntown Rd Source: Wayne County GIS Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Hortense Rd Pierce 0 1.5 3 6 - Brantley Glynn Miles Figure 18 February 2009 5.2 Mobility Demand Analysis This section provides an overview of the travel demand analysis approach used to identify Wayne County's long-range transportation system needs. It also summarizes the area's development characteristics, travel patterns, and trends, and evaluates future transportation demands through the year 2035. 5.2.1 Road Analysis Approach To assess Wayne County's existing and future transportation mobility demands and identify future transportation needs, a travel demand model has been used as a quantitative assessment tool. The following section provides an overview of the travel demand modeling process used for the County's Multimodal Transportation Plan. The Wayne County travel demand model includes Liberty and Long Counties to account for trips between these neighboring counties, to produce an accurate reflection of travel demand in Wayne County. Liberty and Long Counties are already components of an existing travel demand model for the Hinesville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (HAMPO). The HAMPO Model was therefore used as the basis of constructing the Wayne County travel demand model. A Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) structure and highway network for Wayne County was added to the existing HAMPO model. The Wayne County travel demand model has been developed through the traditional four-step process: Trip generation Trip distribution Mode choice Trip assignment In the trip generation process, socioeconomic data such as population, household size, automobile availability, and employment data are used as inputs into equations to predict the number of trips that are produced or attracted to each TAZ. In the Wayne County trip generation model, trips purposes are categorized into the following six groups: Home-based work (HBW) Home-based shopping (HBS) Home-based university (HBU) Home-based school (HBSch) Home-based other (HBO) Non-home-based (NHB) The trip distribution procedure determines the number of trips that are produced from each traffic analysis zone (TAZ) and attracted to other TAZs. The Wayne County travel demand model employs a gravity model; that is, the attractiveness of a trip is inversely proportional to the distance between the origin and destination zones. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 38 The highway assignment model utilizes a mathematical equilibrium process that loads trips onto the appropriate highway and produces traffic volumes for each roadway segment. The traffic volumes produced represent daily traffic on a typical weekday (Monday through Friday). The highway network provides the basis of estimating travel time between TAZs, trip distribution and for trip routing in the traffic assignments. This network was used for transportation analyses conducted for the base year of 2007, and a horizon year 2035. The 2007 base year model was validated by comparing the 2007 model estimated traffic volumes to the 2007 traffic volume counts collected by GDOT. The comparison showed that the traffic volumes in Wayne County are accurately represented by the Wayne County travel demand model. A detailed description of the model refinement and validation process will be submitted separately in the Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan Model Development and Validation Report. 5.2.2 Socioeconomic Data for 2007 Economic growth and future demographics in Wayne County impact travel demand on the County's transportation system. These factors will largely determine the need for enhanced transportation systems and services in the area. Table 7 below shows population and employment totals estimated by county for the 2007 travel demand model. Population totals are based on U.S. Census estimates for 2007. Households are estimated from population based on the county-wide average persons per household from 2000 U.S. Census data. Employment figures are derived from 2007 County Labor Profiles, adjusted to reflect model employment categories as described in the April 2007 GDOT document General Summary of Travel Demand Model Development Procedures. Table 7. 2007 Wayne County Socioeconomic Data Inputs Counties Households Population Retail Jobs Service Jobs Manufacturing Jobs Wholesale Jobs Total Employment Liberty 20,649 60,503 Long 3,924 11,300 Wayne 11,086 29,046 Source: Wayne County Travel Demand Model 1,787 10 1,468 9,720 706 4,993 1,147 14 1,634 53 12,707 8 768 103 8,198 Detailed information about the development of the Wayne County travel demand model is included in Appendix A Travel Demand Model Development. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 39 5.2.3 Socioeconomic Data for 2035 Population Future year population figures from various sources for the three counties are shown in the Table 8 below. In general, the study team assumed that each County's Comprehensive Plan contained the most appropriate future projection. Table 8. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data Population Projection Source RDC Totals (year) 2030 GDOT HAMPO Model Liberty County 89,163 (2030) 94,709 Long County 22,607 (2030) 1,585 Wayne County 36,177 (2025) - County Comprehensive Plan (year) 97,651 (2030) 13,525 (2025) 31,904 (2025) 2030 DCA Projection 2035 Projected Population 97,651 10,2361 18,974 21,237 35,288 36,813 Source: Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC, GDOT HAMPO Model, LCPC Comprehensive Plan, Department of Community Affairs, Wayne County Multimodal Study Team To project 2035 population, the study team compared each County Comprehensive Plan's total population to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates; an annual growth rate was calculated between 2007 and 2025 for Long and Wayne Counties and between 2007 and 2030 for Liberty County. This annualized rate was applied to the Comprehensive plan total population shown above to project 2035 total population in each county. Appendix A presents the detailed methodology for development of the 2035 Socioeconomic data. Employment Employment figures were developed to match the growth rate assumed in each county's comprehensive plan. Total jobs located in each county in 2007, based on Georgia Department of Labor figures, were compared to the 2025 or 2030 Comprehensive Plan projections. A growth rate for each county was annualized and applied to 2007 model employment to obtain 2035 projections, as shown in Table 9. The GDOT HAMPO model 2030 total employment is shown for comparison purposes. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 40 Table 9. Employment Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data Employment Projection Source Liberty Long Wayne 2030 GDOT HAMPO Model 28,549 1,789 - County Comprehensive Plan (Year) 29,672 1,450 14,756 (2030) (2025) (2025) 2035 Projected Employment 25,796 1,734 17,580 Source: GDOT HAMPO Model, LCPC Comprehensive Plan, Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan Note: Model employment categories only; does not include agriculture, forestry, mining, or construction. Table 10 presents the detailed employment breakdown by category for Liberty and Long Counties showing the factors used to project employment to 2035 for each of these two counties. Appendix A includes detailed information in regards to how the county-wide totals by employment category were distributed to TAZs in each county. Table 10. 2035 Employment Projections for Liberty and Long Counties Factor by which 2007 County Data was Increased to Retail 2035 Values Liberty 1.724 3,313 Long 1.934 162 Source: Wayne County Multimodal Study Team Employment by Category (Jobs) Service Manufacturing Wholesale Total Employment 16,889 1,529 5,222 27 371 25,796 15 1,734 5.2.4 Existing Year 2007 Operating Conditions The 2007 Wayne County travel demand model was used to analyze current network operating conditions and travel patterns. Deficient segments were determined by analyzing the volume of traffic on the roadway segments compared to the capacity of those segments. These volume to capacity (V/C) ratios were then assigned corresponding measures of level-of-service (LOS). Prior to documenting operating conditions and roadway capacity needs, it is useful to summarize LOS. LOS is a qualitative measure of traffic flow describing operating conditions. Six levels of service are defined in the Highway Capacity Manual for use in evaluating roadway operating conditions for average daily traffic. They are given letter designations from A to F (similar to a school report card), with LOS A representing the best operating conditions and F the worst. In general, LOS A, B and C are considered acceptable conditions. In some locations, LOS D may be considered acceptable during peak hours. 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 of the different roadway levels of service is provided below. LOS A Drivers perceive little or no delay and easily progress along a corridor. LOS B Drivers experience some delay but generally driving conditions are favorable. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 41 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. Figure 19. Examples of Level-of-Service Level of Service A, B Level of Service C, D Level of Service E, F Source: Florida DOT LOS Handbook 2002 The 2007 base year analysis shows that all roadways in Wayne County operate at an acceptable LOS. Figures 20 and 21 illustrate the daily volume and daily LOS for all major facilities in the study area. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 42 Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd Holmesville Rd Odum tu341 UVTank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Screven Broadhurst R d Walker Creek Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Slover Rd Rd Bethlehem St Jesup tu25 Creek Little Gar Longford Rd di Rd Murphy Break US 341 Cowboy Rd Liberty US 84 US 301 Bypass Long SunseSt.BMlvadcon St Sansivilla Rd S. Palm St Jesup Longford Rd UV27 tu341 River McIntosh Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study 2007 Traffic Volume - Wayne County Travel Demand Model Estimated Vehicles per Day 0 - 2,390 2,391 - 5,600 5,601 - 10,730 10,731 - 19,550 19,551 - 43,380 Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Rogers Break WHhoitreteSntsaerRRdd Pierce - February 2009 Hortense Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd tu301 Browntown Rd Flowers Break Brantley Glynn Sources: 2007 Travel Demand Model; RS&H 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 20 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd Holmesville Rd Odum tu341 UVTank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Screven Broadhurst R d Walker Creek Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Slover Rd Rd Bethlehem St Jesup tu25 Creek Little Gar Longford Rd di Rd Murphy Break Long UV27 tu341 Rogers Break WHhoitreteSntsaerRRdd tu301 Browntown Rd Flowers Break Hortense Rd Pierce - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study 2007 Level-of-Service - Wayne County Travel Demand Model Estimated Level-of-Service A-C Free-Flow Traffic D Some Congestion Near Capacity; E Congested At or Above Capacity; F Severe Congestion River McIntosh Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: 2007 Travel Demand Model; RS&H Glynn 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 21 5.2.5 Horizon Year 2035 Operating Conditions A travel demand model for 2035 was developed to evaluate future operating conditions and identify the most critical roadway facilities. The existing roadway network and committed future highway transportation improvements (known collectively as the "E+C Network") are included in the highway network and analyzed. In the case of Wayne County, there were no "committed" projects to include in the network. The right of way phase has funding identified, but no construction funding is yet available. This provides an opportunity to determine how well the existing and committed transportation projects through 2035 will serve Wayne County at this time. Table 11 presents the future roadway improvement projects included in the 2035 network. Table 11. Roadway Improvement Projects Project Description Project Type Length (mi) Phase Status PI # C.R. 392/Sunset Boulevard from S.R. 38/U.S. 84 to S.R. 169/Lanes Bridge Widening 2.3 ROW Long Range 0005315 Road S.R. 38/U.S. 84 from S.R. 203 Widening 5.10 TO C.R. 392 at Jesup CST Short Range 522390 Source: Georgia Department of Transportation- Transportation Explorer (TREX), Georgia State Transportation Improvement Program Table 12 summarizes the 2035 daily volume, daily V/C ratio, and LOS for roadways with LOS D (no facilities in Wayne County have LOS E or F in year 2035). Figures 22 and 23 illustrate the daily volume and daily LOS for all major facilities in the study area. Table 12. Deficient Roadway Segments in Year 2035 Roadway Segment Broad Street from SR 341 to Plum Street U.S. 84 Northbound at U.S. 301 U.S. 84 at Long County Line Source: 2035 Wayne County Travel Demand Model Year 2035 LOS D D D Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 45 Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd Holmesville Rd Odum tu341 UVTank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Screven Broadhurst R d Walker Creek Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Slover Rd Rd Bethlehem St Jesup tu25 Creek Little Gar Longford Rd di Rd Murphy Break US 341 Cowboy Rd Liberty Sunset Blvd S. Palm St US 301 Bypass US 84 Long S. Macon St Sansivilla Rd Jesup UV27 tu341 River McIntosh Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study 2035 Traffic Volume - Wayne County Travel Demand Model Estimated Vehicles per Day 0 - 2,390 2,391 - 5,600 5,601 - 10,730 10,731 - 19,550 19,551 - 43,380 Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Rogers Break WHhoitreteSntsaerRRdd Pierce - February 2009 Hortense Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd tu301 Browntown Rd Flowers Break Brantley Glynn Sources: 2035 Travel Demand Model; RS&H 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 22 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd Holmesville Rd Odum tu341 UVTank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Screven Broadhurst R d Walker Creek Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Slover Rd Rd Bethlehem St Jesup tu25 Creek Little Gar Longford Rd di Rd Murphy Break Long UV27 tu341 Rogers Break WHhoitreteSntsaerRRdd tu301 Browntown Rd Flowers Break Hortense Rd Pierce - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study 2035 Level-of-Service - Wayne County Travel Demand Model Estimated Level-of-Service A-C Free-Flow Traffic D Some Congestion Near Capacity; E Congested At or Above Capacity; F Severe Congestion River McIntosh Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: 2035 Travel Demand Model; RS&H Glynn 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 23 5.3 Traffic Operations Figure 23 shows the locations of traffic signals in the Cities of Jesup, Odum, and Screven, respectively. There are no traffic signals in unincorporated Wayne County.41 5.4 Hurricane Evacuation Routes The purpose of a designated hurricane evacuation route is to give local residents the most efficient route out of town in case of a hurricane or tropical storm event. Wayne County does not have an interstate highway to transport residents inland from the coastal areas. Therefore, U.S. 341/U.S. 25/SR 27 (Golden Isles Highway) has been designated as a hurricane evacuation route. The particular route was likely chosen due to its orientation from the coast to inland areas (southeast/northwest) and greater capacity for vehicles. In addition, it passes through Jesup, the most populous city in the County, and intersects with U.S. 84/SR 38 (Waycross Highway) and U.S. 301/SR 23, which cross the other areas of the County. The hurricane evacuation route in Wayne County is shown in Figure 25. 5.5 Pavement Condition GDOT uses the Pavement Condition Evaluation System (PACES) to objectively rate existing flexible pavement on roadways statewide. PACES is designed to indicate the amount and type of surface distress on a roadway at the time the survey is made. The system standardizes the terminology for the types of defects that can be found on a pavement in Georgia and defines the various levels of severity for these defects. This system allows roads to be rated objectively statewide. The project rating obtained from PACES (2007) can vary from 0 to 100 points. One hundred points are assigned to a roadway with no visible surface distresses. Points are deducted from a possible 100 based on the extent and severity of each surface distress. One hundred minus the total deducted points represents the project rating. Ratings are done for each mile (or partial mile) by selecting a sample section for cracking distresses representative of pavement condition for that rating segment. The defects noted for each rating segment within a project are then averaged to obtain the representative pavement condition for that project.42 Table 13 describes the rating range definitions according to GDOT's rating system. 43 Figure 26 shows roadway segments in Wayne County that have 2007 PACES ratings below a score of 65. 41 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 42 Pavement Design Manual. 2005. Georgia Department of Transportation 43 Systems Inventory Data Collection Coding and Procedures Manual. 1998. Georgia Department of Transportation. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 48 Table 13. PACES Rating Definitions Very Good 99-81 No maintenance necessary at present time. Good 80-65 Rideability good, some minor repairs needed. Fair 64-45 Considerable deterioration needs major repairs or resurfacing in near future. Poor 44-28 Badly deteriorated needs leveling and resurfacing. Source: Federal Highway Administration, National Center for Pavement Preservation The majority of State roads in Wayne County are "Very Good", or do not currently require maintenance. Roadways presented on Figure 26 as "Good", or needing minor repairs, include: U.S. 341, from the eastern city limits of Odum to Dogwood Estates Road in Jesup44 U.S. 301/U.S. 23, from U.S. 341/Cherry Street in Jesup to Brantley Road45 Roadways presented on Figure 26 as "Fair", or that may be in need of major repairs or resurfacing, include: U.S. 301/U.S. 25, from U.S. 341/Cherry Street to U.S. 84/N. 1st Street46 5.6 Transit Wayne County Transit is an on-demand transit service specifically for those with specialized transportation needs, including the elderly, mentally and physically disabled, and those with low incomes. The Wayne County transit service is ranked high by the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Development Center for the citizen participation and the cost effectiveness of the program.47 This service is coordinated through a joint cooperative effort between the Georgia Department of Human Resources and GDOT. Wayne County Transit serves clients of Wayne Service Center, Aging Department, Mental Health Department, Department of Family and Children Services, and Department of Labor (Vocational Rehabilitation). This provides residents with access to essential services such as medical appointments and job training.48 The transit service is funded locally and through Section 5311 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) federal funds.49 Those requesting transit service are asked to schedule trips at least three days in advance. Tables 14 and 15 display fare information for Wayne County Transit. 44 Does not imply a recommendation for a roadway maintenance/repair project 45 Does not imply a recommendation for a roadway maintenance/repair project 46 Does not imply a recommendation for a roadway maintenance/repair project 47 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 48 Wayne County Transit. http://www.co.wayne.ga.us/home/departments/Transit/ Accessed August 5, 2008. 49 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 49 Table 14. Regular Fares for Wayne County Transit Distance (mi) One-Way Trip Fare 0 10 $4.00 11 25 $6.00 26 50 $13.00 51 100 $20.00 Source: Wayne County Department of Transportation Round Trip Fare $8.00 $12.00 $26.00 $40.00 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 50 Tillman St Jasper Rd Sikes Rd Pine Cir Joey Williamson Rd Glynn St Bacon St Bay Acres Rd Tech St Dr Darmakes Ln XW O'Quinn Rd Boston St UV38 Sunset Milikin Blvd XW XWUV XW MaWg.nOolriaanSgte XW XWXWXWXWXW Sixth St 169 St Fourth St Fifth St Poplar St US 341 Camden St XWXW City Of Jesup US 84 North Church St Bay St Maggie St Brewer Cir Louise Ln C W Collins Wasdin St St XW XW Horton St City Of Odum US Hwy 341 North /Odum Hw UV38 - City Of Screven February 2009 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study UV23 Grantham Rd Traffic Signalization in Jesup Legend Traffic Signals XW Two Turn Signals XW One Turn Signal XW Caution light Martha St Wright St - McKee Hargrett St Tarber St Florie St Roads Major Roads Railroad City Limits Wayne County Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Wayne County GIS, Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan White Star Rd - Figure 24 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Tattnall UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Rayonier Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Empire Rd tu84 Jesup UV203 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven Hortense Rd LIttle Satilla River Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Walker Creek Rd Gar LittleLoCrnegefkorRddRd tu301 Bethlehem St Altamaha River tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break Flowers Break Browntown Rd UV27 tu341 Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Hurricane Evacuation Routes Legend Hurricane Evacuation Routes Roads Major Roads Railroad Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Georgia Emergency Management Agency Glynn 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 25 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Tattnall UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 Odum Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegefkorRddRd Empire Rd tu84 Jesup UV203 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Screven Broadhurst R d Bethlehem St tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break UV27 tu341 Hortense Rd Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Flowers Browntown Rd Break Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study PACES Maintenance Ratings Legend PACES Rating 70 - Good 65 - Fair Roads Major Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Glynn Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation 2007 PACES Data 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 26 Table 15. Transit Fare for Elderly, Handicapped, and Children Age 5 and Under Distance (mi) One-Way Trip Fare Round Trip Fare 0 10 $2.00 11 25 $3.00 26 50 $6.00 51 100 $10.00 Source: Wayne County Department of Transportation $4.00 $6.00 $13.00 $20.00 The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center (CGRDC), in concert with GDOT and Georgia Department of Human Resources, is preparing to initiate a regional vanpool program for the 10- county coastal Georgia region (which includes Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Screven Counties to the southeast of Wayne County). Trips on the vanpool must have either their origin or their destination within the CGRDC region. Wayne County borders this area, creating an opportunity for Wayne County residents to ride the vanpool to employment or other destinations in the CGRDC region; or for residents in the CGRDC region to travel to employment or other destinations in Wayne County. A feasibility study was completed in 2007, and the program is awaiting federal and state funding to begin start-up in late 2008.50 5.7 Passenger Rail The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or "Amtrak", operates a passenger rail line that travels through Wayne County and stops at a station in downtown Jesup. The Silver Service/Palmetto route travels between Miami, Florida and New York City, New York. The Silver Meteor train (97) arrives in Jesup at 7:44 am daily and continues to Florida. Another Silver Meteor train (98) arrives in Jesup at 6:53 pm daily and continues to Savannah and New York City.51 The Amtrak route through Wayne County shares rails with the CSX Railroad Line. It could not be determined whether there are any plans to change the frequency of Amtrak service through Wayne County. In 2000, the Georgia Legislature adopted the Georgia Rail Passenger Program to advance commuter rail services throughout the state as well as between Atlanta and Jacksonville. That same year, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) designated a portion of this line from Atlanta to Jesup (via Macon) as part of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor. This makes the line eligible for Federal intercity rail passenger funds. In 2001, the Atlanta-Macon line passed an environmental impact assessment, clearing the way for investment. The proposed Atlanta- Jacksonville service utilized this same line. The Atlanta-Jacksonville Intercity Passenger Rail Service Study (developed by the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority (GRPA)) evaluated three (3) 50 Personal contact with Barbara Foster-Hurst, Coordinated Transportation Director, Coastal Georgia RDC. September 17, 2008. 51 Atlantic Coast Service Timetable. (http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/may08/T04.pdf) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 54 proposed alternatives for intercity rail, including conventional, moderate, and high-speed service. In all three (3) alternatives, the train depot in Jesup is included as a stop.52 5.8 Freight 5.8.1 Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) Truck Routes The STAA of 1982 designated a network of interstate highways, as well as U.S. and state routes, for use by large trucks.53 The STAA routes in Wayne County are shown in Figure 27. Also shown are truck percentages, indicating the percentage of total vehicle volume represented by large truck traffic. These are available only for select locations in the County. 52 Atlanta-Macon-Jesup-Jacksonville Intercity Rail Passenger Service Study (Final Report). Georgia Rail Passenger Authority. July 28, 2004. 53 "Surface Transportation Assistance Act." http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/permits/pdf_documents/policy/tpm/19900223%20Ch08.pdf Accessed August 28, 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 55 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Tattnall Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd y Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLoCrnegefkorRddRd !( Holmesville Rd Walter Griffis Rd tu341 Odum UVTank Rd 27 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Rayonier Rd tu301 !( !( !( !( Jesup!( !(Bethlehem St !( Altamaha River UV203 Slover Rd Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Waycross Hw Screven Broadhurst R d tu di R!(d 25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break Flowers Break UV27 tu341 Rogers Break Hortense Rd LIttle Satilla River Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Browntown Rd Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study STAA Truck Routes & Truck Counts (2007) McIntosh River Rd Legend 2007 Truck Percentages !( 1.00- 7.99% !( 8.00 - 14.99% !( 15.00 - 19.99% !( 20.00 - 27.00% STAA Truck Routes Roads Railroad Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Note: Only public roads are shown. Glynn Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 27 5.8.2 Rail Wayne County's heritage is closely tied to the railways. Jesup evolved from a very small town to an active city with the introduction of the railroad in the late 1800s. The Atlantic and Gulf Railroad was the first railroad to pass through Jesup. In 1870, Jesup Mayor Willis Clary successfully convinced the Macon and Brunswick Railroad to locate its tracks to cross the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad. Likewise, the Cities of Odum and Screven were also historic railroad towns.54 Today, CSX Transportation, Inc. and Norfolk Southern Railway Company operate freight lines through Wayne County. CSX Transportation has 46.5 miles of mainline in Wayne County, including 10 miles in Jesup and two (2) miles within Screven. There is a series of switching tracks in Jesup. CSX serves areas throughout the United States. Norfolk Southern has 33 miles of mainline in Wayne County. There are a total of six spurs, four of which are operational. Norfolk Southern also operates 2.3 miles of track in a four-track yard in Jesup and about one (1) mile of track in Odum. This primarily east-west railroad connects coastal Georgia to Macon and Atlanta.55 There are also several railroad spurs being developed by Wayne County's industries, to provide direct rail access to their facilities.56 The Georgia Rail Freight Plan (March 2001), mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration for the receipt of Local Rail Assistance funds, was updated by the Georgia Department of Transportation in 2001. This plan outlines the existing rail system and activities and assesses future forecasted railroad traffic. In addition, the plan recommends a series of improvements and capital investments in order to strengthen the railroad system in Georgia. These include the introduction of passenger rail service on multiple rail lines through Wayne County. Both an intercity rail line and a federally designated high-speed rail corridor would be placed on or parallel to the CSX Railroad line through Wayne County as well as on Norfolk Southern Railroad line between Appling County and Jesup. This service would be in addition to the existing Amtrak service that operates on the CSX Railroad line.57 This plan is discussed further in Section 7.2.2. The Port of Brunswick, Port of Savannah, and Port of Jacksonville are within 40, 56, and 98 rail miles of Jesup, respectively.58 The Port of Savannah is connected to Wayne County by the CSX rail line and by U.S. 84/U.S. 17 and I-95, and is the fastest growing and 4th largest container port in the United States.59 The Port of Brunswick along the Georgia coast is one of the busiest and fastest growing ports along the Atlantic Coast. The newly constructed cable-stayed Sidney Lanier Bridge, which opened in 2003, has allowed for increased activity at the port, stimulating economic activity in coastal Georgia and the entire state, including Wayne County. Projecting increased rail traffic in the region, Norfolk Southern Railroad installed a passing track in Wayne County to accommodate additional freight traffic to and from the port.60 The Port of 54 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 55 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 56 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Advisory Panel Meeting. July 23, 2008. 57 Georgia Rail Freight Plan. March 2001. Georgia Department of Transportation. 58 Google Earth 59 "The Port of Savannah: Strengthening Our Advantages." Georgia Ports Authority. October 9, 2008 60 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 57 Jacksonville in neighboring Florida also has a significant impact, contributing $2.6 billion annually to regional economy.61 The impact of these ports on Wayne County is discussed further in Section 6.4. The proximity of the ports to Wayne County is shown in Figure 28. The presence of both Norfolk Southern and CSX rail lines produces significant train cargo that pass through Wayne County. According to the Georgia Rail Freight Plan, in 1998, the CSX Railroad through Jesup carried six (6) million gross ton miles per mile (MGTM/M) of cargo. The Norfolk Southern Railroad also carried significant cargo, ranging from 20 to 54 MGTM/M. A total of 967,500 tons of lumber and wood products terminated in Wayne County in 1998.62 Because of the recent significant growth increase of port activity at the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, there has been increased rail activity as trains travel from coastal Georgia and Jacksonville through Jesup. The rail crossings at S.R. 169 and Sunset Boulevard have been utilized more often, causing increasing delays in vehicle movement at these crossings.63 Based on field work conducted from December 1-21, 2006 by Moreland Altobelli Associates, Inc., it was determined that the railroad gates at S.R. 169 and Sunset Boulevard were activated an average of 17.5 times per day, resulting in an average daily activation time of 46 minutes. Due to the schedule and activities of the railroads at the adjacent rail yard, these activation periods often occur during daylight and early evening hours, when there is still significant vehicle traffic in the area. These activation periods cause significant delay to local motorists. To alleviate this issue, Wayne County and the City of Jesup have requested that the GDOT consider the construction of a new railroad overpass in the vicinity of S.R. 169 and Sunset Boulevard. In September 2008, District 5 of the Georgia Department of Transportation completed a Project Concept Report for this project (P.I. Number 0007567). Under the terms of this report, Wayne County will be required to fund the design, right-of-way acquisition, and relocation of utilities for the project. GDOT will let the project to contract and supervise construction when funding becomes available.64 The City of Jesup is also working to enhance the Jesup train depot, funded through GDOT transportation enhancement grants (P.I. Numbers 0008691 and 0008927). A concept report has not yet been submitted to GDOT, but preliminary plans include a renovation of the building to accommodate intermodal (rather than only train) traffic.65 In 2003, the Wayne County Tourism Board converted a memorial gazebo for Rotary Club member Bill Rinehart to the Jesup Railfan Platform. This platform, situated adjacent to the railroad tracks in Jesup, features a radio so that allows rail enthusiasts to listen in on train conductors'' signal calls and conversations.66 Wayne County's freight rail lines are shown in Figure 29. 61 Jacksonville Ports Authority 62 Georgia Rail Freight Plan. March 2001. Georgia Department of Transportation. 63 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 64 Project Concept Report SR 169 Railroad Overpass. Georgia Department of Transportation. September 4, 2008. 65 Conversation with Theresa Scott (GDOT District 5 Office). January 29, 2009. 66 Royal, Janet. "The City that Trains Built." Palmettos to Palms Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Bulletin. May 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 58 Laurens Emanuel Treutlen Candler Screven Hampton Bulloch Effingham Jasper Beaufort Charleston Colleton Montgomery Wheeler Toombs Evans Tattnall Telfair [_ Port of Bryan Savannah Chatham Jeff Davis Appling Liberty Long Coffee Bacon Atkinson Pierce Brantley Ware McIntosh [_ Glynn Port of Brunswick Clinch Charlton Camden Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Proximity of Ports to Wayne County Legend [_ Ports Railroad Georgia Counties South Carolina Counties Florida Counties Wayne County Cities Wayne County Echols Nassau Hamilton Baker Columbia [_ Duval Port of Jacksonville Union Bradford Clay St. Johns February 2009 Sources: Wayne County GIS 0 10 20 40 Miles - Figure 28 Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Oglethorpe Rd Odum Rd G riffis Rd tu341Norfolk Walter Southern UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Holmesville Rd K'Ville Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd Stanfield Dr Empire Rd tu84 UV38 CSX Jesup Slover Rd Walker Creek Rd y Waycross Hw Broadhurst Screven R d CSX Hortense Rd White Star Rd Pierce Rogers Break Long Rayonier Rd tu301 CSX Bethlehem St Gar LittleLCornegefkorRddRd tu di Rd 25 Norfolk Southern UV Murphy Break 27 Flowers Break tu341 Browntown Rd Old Hortense Rd Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Wire Rd Post Rd Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Railroad Lines Legend Freight Railroad AMTRAK Route Roads Major Roads Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Note: Only public roads are shown. Glynn Sources: Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 29 5.9 Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Wayne County has a fairly well-developed bicycle and pedestrian network. Infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians is typically located in or around the downtowns, developed areas and near schools and other public buildings. There are limited routes that extend into neighboring counties. There are opportunities for expansion of the bicycle and pedestrian system, especially in more rural areas of the County such as connecting the cities to one another, as well as schools, parks and other recreational areas. In Wayne County, there are bike lanes along U.S. 84/U.S. 301 in Jesup between Pine Street (U.S. 341) and the Altamaha River. This bike lane, which extends for approximately four (4) miles, is one of the few in the region. When U.S. 341 was recently widened between the Gardi community and Glynn County, a paved shoulder was included in both directions for a total distance of about 15 miles. These shoulders were also installed during the widening of U.S. 341 between Odum and Baxley, Georgia for a distance of approximately seven (7) miles within Wayne County.67 The Adventure Cycling Association has designated its Atlantic Coast route through Wayne County, traveling from Tattnall County through Odum and then south into Pierce County along local roads. These bike lanes and paved shoulders benefit cyclists in Wayne County and throughout the region.68 As mentioned in Section 4.4, the McMillan Creek Greenway project in Jesup is nearing completion. This project will develop a 2.5-mile in-town greenway along McMillan Creek through an urban forest. The greenway's nature trail will provide opportunities for residents to walk, jog, or bike through the urban forest. Other activities available include nature viewing, active recreation, fishing, horseback riding, and canoeing and kayaking. Wayne County has approximately 32 miles of sidewalks along its roads. This includes about 27 miles in Jesup, two (2) miles in Odum, and two (2) miles in Screven.69 In 2003, the City of Odum was awarded $98,000 by GDOT for sidewalks and lighting. Final design and construction of the sidewalks and lighting are forthcoming.70 Downtown Jesup's streetscape was recently improved with new planting beds and other landscaping, benches, decorative paving for sidewalks, and pedestrian safety improvements at crosswalks. Jesup was awarded additional funding for Phase 2 of the streetscape project to link pedestrians from the Historic Amtrak Station and Bus Depot with the Downtown Jesup Business district. While the GDOT 1997 Georgia Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan does not recommend any additional bicycle routes in Wayne County, the Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC (HOGARDC) has proposed new bicycle routes and bicycle route enhancements in Wayne County. New bicycle routes are proposed along S.R. 169 and on U.S. 341 from the Appling County line to the Gardi community. In addition, specific enhancements (the construction of 4-foot bicycle lanes) to the bicycle route 67 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan. June 2005. 68 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. 69 Heart of Georgia Altamaha GIS staff, Region GIS files, 2005. 70 Transportation Explorer. Wayne County, PI 00006541. Georgia Department of Transportation. Accessed November 3, 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 61 already present on U.S. 341 between Gardi and Glynn County are proposed.71 These are discussed further in Section 7.3.2. Figure 30 shows existing and proposed bicycle routes in Wayne County. Figure 31 shows existing sidewalks in Wayne County. 71 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan. June 2005. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 62 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd tu341 Holmesville Rd Odum Rd r Griffis Rd Walte UVTank Rd 27 Odum Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Rayonier Rd tu301 Bethlehem St K'Ville Rd UV203 Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd Little Creek Rd Gar Walker Creek Rd UV38 Slover Rd UV23 Jesup tu di Rd 25 Golden Isles Hwy Broadhurst Rd Screven Flowers Murphy Break Break UV27 tu341 Pierce tu White Star Rd 301 Browntown Rd Rogers Break Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Bicycle Routes Legend Existing Bicycle Routes RDC Proposed New Bicycle Routes RDC Proposed Bicycle Route Enhancements Cities Roads Major Roads Railroad Wayne County McIntosh River Rd Surrounding Counties *Proposed in HOGARDC Regional Bike/Ped Plan Proposed bicycle routes consist of widened shoulders that will be added by GDOT during road widening and as part of RDC recommendations. Route enhancements consist of bike facilities that will be added on existing bike routes. Glynn Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Wayne County GIS, Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bike/Ped Plan 0 2 4 8 Miles Figure 30 Ski Lake Dr City of Jesup Cowboy Rd Fourth St Joey Williamson Rd Log Cabin Rd Rose Petal Ln Power Line Rd Holmesville Rd US-M8o4n/aUASv-e25 / Waycross Empire Rd Smith Ln Slover Rd tu84 Ranger House Rd City of Odum Tank Rd Tank Rd Sunset Blvd Glynn St Sixth St S. Macon St Fifth St Vally St St N. Palm Bethlehem St tu Sansivilla US Rd Hwy 34314So1uth US-301/Ga-23 BypassS. Palm St Birdie Dr Club Dr Forest Cove Dr City of Screven Longford Rd Fender Rd Bower Dr Baby Ln Valentine Rd Grantham Rd General Lake Rd Kicklighter Dr Drawdy Dr 0 0.5 O1dessa Rd Miles 2 Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Existing Sidewalks Legend Sidewalks Roads Railroad Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Walter Griffis Rd Winn Rd Nine Run Rd North Church St tu341 Maggie St Hires Ave Jasper Rd Reddish Rd US Hwy 341 North /Odum Hw tu84 South Church St Tillman St Odum Rd South February 2009 0 0.25 0.5 Miles 1 Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Wayne County GIS, Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC - White Star Rd 0 0.2 0.4 Miles 0.8 Figure 31 5.10 Airport The William A. Zorn Jesup-Wayne County Airport is located approximately three miles south of Jesup and is situated on 139 acres. Based on its influence on regional business operations, the airport has been given a classification of Level III. Level III airports are ideally capable of accommodating a variety of corporate and business jet aircraft. The typical service area for a Level III general aviation airport is a 45-minute drive time.72 The Georgia Aviation System Plan defines minimum requirements as well as ideal facilities and services for airports given classifications of Levels I, II, or III. In addition to business travel, the Jesup-Wayne County Airport is also utilized by recreational, government, agricultural, and military planes. The runway is 5,550 feet long by 75 feet wide with medium intensity runway lighting. Supporting facilities include a 2,000 square foot terminal/administration building with nine hangars and six apron parking spaces.73 Table 16 shows current (2003) and forecast (2006-2021) annual demand for takeoffs and landings as well as based aircraft. Table 16. Aircraft Operation Demands at Jesup-Wayne County Airport Current (2003) 2006 Based Aircraft 3 3 Operations 5,000 5,111 Local 1,000 1,022 Itinerant 4,000 4,089 Emplanements N/A N/A Demand/Capacity 6% 6% Source: Georgia Aviation System Airport Summary Report, Summer 2003. 2011 3 5,253 1,051 4,202 N/A 6% 2021 4 5,549 1,110 4,439 N/A 7% Table 17 shows the Capital Improvement Program for the Jesup-Wayne County Airport. This program, detailed in the Georgia Aviation System Plan, recommends improvements based on a specific evaluation of the airport's existing facilities, current and forecast demand, and facility and service needs. The Capital Improvement Program is designed to bring facilities and services of the Jesup-Wayne County Airport to Level III airport standards (which include features such as appropriate runway length (5,500 feet), an approach lighting system, and appropriate public facilities74). 72 Georgia Aviation System Airport Summary Report. Summer 2003. 73 Georgia Aviation System Airport Summary Report. Summer 2003. 74 Georgia Aviation System Airport Summary Report. Summer 2003. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 65 Table 17. Jesup-Wayne County Airport Capital Improvement Program Fiscal Year Description Federal Cost 2009 Rehabilitate Apron Expand Apron & Relocate Wind Cone $199,500 $171,500 Construct T-Hangar (4- 2010 Unit) and Demo Existing $114,000 Hangar 2011 Construct Taxiway D $921,500 2012 Install Security Fencing $166,250 2013 Construct Parallel Taxiway $4,066,000 Grand Total $5,638,000 Source: Airport CIP Report, GDOT Aviation Programs, 8/21/2008. State Cost $5,250 $4,500 $3,000 $24,250 $4,375 $107,000 $148,375 Local Cost $5,250 $5,250 Total Cost $210,000 $180,000 $3,000 $120,000 $24,250 $4,375 $107,000 $148,375 $970,000 $175,000 $4,280,000 $5,935,000 Neighboring Glynn County has two airports whose activities have an impact upon Wayne County. The Brunswick Golden Isles Airport is served by Atlantic Southeast Airlines/Delta Connection, and there are several daily flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, a worldwide airport hub.75 The McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport is a general aviation airport that serves both business and vacation travelers. This airport has two runways to serve aircraft traffic.76 The Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, located approximately 58 miles from Wayne County in Chatham County, also has a regional impact upon Wayne County. It is the largest in the region and has two runways that handle both commercial and general aviation air traffic.77 This airport owns and operates Savannah Foreign Trade Zone 104. This is a specially designated area that encourages international commerce by waiving duties and taxes on international and domestic merchandise.78 As the Savannah area and other areas of Coastal Georgia participate in more international business operations, Wayne County's freight transportation network (truck routes and railroads) will likely experience greater traffic. 75 Brunswick Golden Isles Airport: Brunswick, Georgia. http://www.glynncountyairports.com/services3.html Accessed September 3, 2008. 76 Brunswick Golden Isles Airport: Brunswick, Georgia. http://www.glynncountyairports.com/mckservices3.html Accessed September 3, 2008. 77 Savannah Hilton Head International Airport General Aviation. http://www.savannahairport.com/generalaviation.php Accessed September 3, 2008. 78 Savannah Hilton Head International Airport Foreign Trade Zone. http://www.savannahairport.com/foreigntradezone.php Accessed September 3, 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 66 5.11 High-Traffic Areas Although Wayne County typically enjoys free-flow traffic conditions characteristic of rural areas, there are some higher-traffic areas, primarily in the more densely populated areas in and around Wayne County's municipalities. As indicated by the Advisory Panel members, these areas are listed as follows: Adjacent to Wal-Mart (1100 North First Street, Jesup) Towards and past Goose Creek area on SR 169, due to ongoing residential growth Tillman Street (Odum) Collins Loop (Odum) Around local schools (e.g., U.S. 301 adjacent to Arthur Williams Middle School in Jesup) Durrence Road, adjacent to Martha Puckett Middle School (Jesup) U.S. 341, adjacent to Martha Ross School At-grade railroad crossings U.S. 84 (at traffic signals) SR 169 and Spring Grove area79 5.12 Planned and Programmed Projects Planned and programmed transportation projects for Wayne County are shown in Tables 18, 19 and 20. The majority of the projects are bridge replacements. There are also a few transportation enhancement projects and one roadway widening project. The transportation projects shown in Table 18 are mapped in Figure 32; projects shown in Table 19 are mapped in Figure 33; and projects shown in Table 20 are mapped in Figure 34. Note that "Long Range" under the status column in the following tables means that the project does not have identified funding. Table 18. Roadway Widening Projects Project Description Project Type Length (mi) Phase Status PI # C.R. 392/Sunset Boulevard from S.R. 38/U.S. 84 to S.R. 169/Lanes Bridge Widening 2.3 ROW & CST Long Range 0005315 Road Source: Georgia Department of Transportation 79 Comments from July 23, 2008 Advisory Panel Meeting and comments received from surveys given at ArchFest (October 25, 2008) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 67 Table 19. Bridge Replacement Projects Project Description Project Type Length (mi) Phase Status PI # S.R. 203 at Dry Creek 5.7 miles NW OF Screven Bridge Replacement 0.4 C.R. 145 south of Odum at Little Satilla Creek Bridge Replacement 0.2 C.R. 99/Walter Griffis Road at Goose Creek Bridge 1 mile north of Replacement 0.21 Odum C.R. 105 NE of Odum Bridge at Goose Creek Replacement 0.2 C.R. 127/Holmesville Road at Boggy Creek Bridge 3.5 miles south of Replacement 0.2 Odum C.R. 132 NW of Screven at unnamed stream Bridge Replacement 0.2 C.R. 185/Michael Lake Road at Colemans Creek Bridge Replacement 0.4 C.R. 388/Beards Bluff Road at Goose Creek Bridge 4 miles north of Replacement 0.2 Odum Source: Georgia Department of Transportation ROW & Long CST Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range CST Long Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range PE, ROW Long & CST Range 0005572 570781 541985 570783 570950 570780 0008302 542010 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 68 Table 20. Transportation Enhancements and Other Projects Project Description Project Type Length (mi) Phase Status PI # Jesup Train Depot Intermodal Center Enhancement N/A Jesup Train Depot Intermodal Center Enhancement N/A Odum Sidewalks and Lighting Enhancement N/A Transportation Improvements in Jesup Miscellaneous Improvements N/A Source: Georgia Department of Transportation CST CST CST PRECST Short Range Short Range Short Range Short Range 0008691 0008927 0006541 0007567 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 69 Tank Rd PI# 0005315: Sunset Blvd from SR 38/US 84 to SR 169/Lanes Bridge Rd Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 PI# 522390: SR 38/US 84 FM SR 203 TO CR 392 - February 2009 Slover Rd S. Palm St Longford Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Cowboy Rd S. Macon St Sunset Blvd Bethlehem St Sansivilla Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Roadway Widening Projects (Unfunded) Legend Widening Projects 0005315* 522390* Major Roads Railroad City of Jesup Wayne County *Represent GDOT P.I. Numbers Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation 0 0.45 0.9 1.8 Miles Figure 32 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling UV169 Morris Break Rd Tattnall UV 542010 ! 169 Long Oglethorpe Rd 541985 ! ! 570783 tu341 UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Rayonier Rd tu301 Odum Rd Holmesville Rd 570950 ! K'Ville Rd 570780 ! 570781 ! Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 Jesup Bethlehem St UV 0005572 203 ! Slover Rd tu25 Altamaha River Walker Creek Rd GarLittleLCornegefkorRddRd 0008302 ! Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd UV38 UV23 Broadhurst R d Screven Pierce White Star Rd tu301 di Rd Murphy Break Flowers Break Browntown Rd UV27 tu341 Rogers Break Hortense Rd Hortense Rd LIttle Satilla River - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Bridge Replacement Projects (Unfunded) Legend ! Bridge Projects Roads Major Roads Railroad Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd Bridge replacement projects are identified by their Georgia Department of Transportation project ID number. Glynn Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation, Wayne County GIS 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 33 Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Long Oglethorpe Rd Tank Rd K'Ville Rd Odum Rd tu341 Holmesville Rd UV203 Stanfield Dr Nine Run Rd 0006541 UV ! Odum 27 Rayonier Rd tu301 Holmesville Rd Empire Rd tu84 UV38 0008927 Jesup ! 0008691 0009142 ! Slover Rd UV23 tu25 di Rd Walker Creek Rd GaLrittleLCorenegfkorRdd Rd Broadhurst R d Screven Liberty Holmesville Rd 0008927 ! 0009142 ! 0008691 Rd Slover Rd Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study Transportation Enhancement Projects (Funded) Longford Creek Rd Little City of Jesup River Rd UV27 tu341 McIntosh Legend ! Bike/Ped Facility ! Transit Facility Roads Major Roads Railroad Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties Transportation enhancement projects are identified by their Georgia Department of Transportation project ID number. Hortense Rd Pierce - February 2009 Hortense Rd Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd White Star Rd tu301 Browntown Rd Brantley Glynn Note: Only public roads are shown. Sources: Georgia Department of Transportation 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 34 6.0 Economic Development Wayne County is strategically sited to benefit from a number of economic development initiatives underway locally and in the State. Locally, the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Development Authority and Tourist Development Board have been instrumental in bringing new industry into the County, as discussed in Section 4.7 above. There are also several statewide opportunities for economic development. These programs and initiatives are summarized in the following sections. 6.1 Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) The Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP) is a system of 3,309 miles of roads in Georgia that have been designated as economic development highways. The primary goal of GRIP is to improve connectivity in rural Georgia by connecting 95% of Georgia cities with a population of 2,500 or more to the Interstate highway system, and have 98% of all areas in the state be within 20 miles of a four-lane road. These road expansions will also enhance safety throughout the State, as accidents occur three times more often on two-lane highways than on multi-lane divided highways, especially on corridors with high travel volumes. In addition to providing safer and more efficient transportation, GRIP will create opportunities for economic development in rural areas.80 In Wayne County, two major routes have been marked as GRIP corridors for expansion to four lanes; U.S. 341/U.S. 25 (Golden Isles Highway) and U.S. 84. As of April 2008, the Golden Isles Highway improvements are almost complete; the portion from Appling County to Odum is still under construction. In addition, a small portion of U.S. 84 between SR 203 and Jesup is still under construction for GRIP improvements.81 According to findings in the report "The Economic Benefits of the Governor's Road Improvement Program," expenditures for road projects in Wayne County, which have totaled approximately $10.5 million, have produced a total output impact of $13.3 million. This has created a value-added impact of $5.6 million, a labor income impact of $3.9 million, and an employment impact of 143 jobs.82 6.2 GoFish Georgia Initiative The Go Fish Georgia Initiative, launched in 2007, is aimed at boosting economic development throughout the state by promoting and enhancing fishing tourism programs. The initiative has three primary goals: to improve access to Georgia's waters; increase fishing participation by promoting Georgia resources; and improve the quality of fishing in Georgia. There are numerous programs planned in order to meet these goals. A Go Fish Georgia Center will be established in Perry, Georgia, and will include a visitor center, public fishing ponds, aquaria and exhibits, and educational programs. In addition, the initiative will improve fish stock and habitats in local 80 Governor's Road Improvement Program. Georgia Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.ga.gov/informationcenter/programs/roadimprovement/GRIP/Pages/default.aspx Accessed August 12, 2008. 81 "Golden Isles Parkway". Georgia Department of Transportation Fact Sheet. April 2008. 82 The Economic Benefits of the Governor's Road Improvement Program (GRIP). Humphreys, Jeffrey M. Selig Center of Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, The University of Georgia. October 23, 2003. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 73 waters by managing stock, participating in research in fish production, and conducting a fertilizing program. Another planned program is the Georgia Bass Trail, a network of boating access areas capable of hosting major tournaments as well as recreational fishing activities. A single fishing tournament could bring millions of dollars into the state, which would be of great benefit to smaller rural towns.83 Wayne County features a planned mega-ramp site as part of the Georgia Bass Trail. Jaycee Landing in Jesup has been selected to receive $400,000 to develop the site into a mega-ramp capable of accommodating major fishing tournaments. These funds will be matched locally by Wayne County.84 6.3 Community of Opportunities (Co-Op) Initiative A recently completed analysis by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) determined the economic vitality index, or economic strength, of all Georgia counties for the years 1980, 2001, and 2004.85 Many Georgia counties, particularly in central and south Georgia, were designated as "Lagging" or "Declining" in economic vitality.86 In response to this, Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Rural Development Council began the Communities of Opportunity (Co-Op) Initiative in March 2007. Its goal is to provide programs and strategies to enhance the economic strength of rural Georgia communities.87 In the aforementioned analysis of Georgia counties, during 1980, 2001 and 2004, Wayne County remained an "Existing- Emerging Growth Center."88 While this is a positive designation, there is the opportunity to achieve the more favorable designations of "Developing" and "Rapidly Developing." From January to March 2009, the Georgia DCA and other partners will meet with local stakeholders in DCA Service Delivery Region 9, which includes Wayne County, to determine whether the communities would like to participate in the Co-Op program. Communities that choose to participate in the program will be given community assessments and assistance in developing community improvement strategy to enhance the economic vitality of the area.89 6.4 Ports of Savannah, Brunswick and Jacksonville There are three ports whose activities have an impact upon the economic strength of Wayne County. These are the Port of Savannah, approximately 56 rail miles from Jesup; the Port of Brunswick, approximately 40 rail miles from Jesup; and the Port of Jacksonville, approximately 98 rail miles from Jesup. 83 Go Fish Georgia. http://www.georgiawildlife.org/Assets/Documents/GoFishGeorgia/ProgramOverview.pdf Accessed August 12, 2008. 84 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 85 "Community of Opportunity Initiative Begins Statewide Rollout." Georgia Department of Community Affairs News Release. August 22, 2008. 86 Economic Vitality Index: 1980 and 2001. Georgia Rural Development Council; and Economic Vitality Index: 2004. Georgia Rural Development Council. 87 "Community of Opportunity Initiative Begins Statewide Rollout." Georgia Department of Community Affairs News Release. August 22, 2008. 88 Economic Vitality Index: 1980 and 2001. Georgia Rural Development Council; and Economic Vitality Index: 2004. Georgia Rural Development Council. 89 "Community of Opportunity Initiative Begins Statewide Rollout." Georgia Department of Community Affairs News Release. August 22, 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 74 The Port of Savannah is connected to Wayne County by the CSX rail line and by U.S. 84/U.S. 17 and I-95. Trains and freight trucks transport an increasingly greater number of goods through from Savannah through Jesup each year. The Port of Savannah is the fastest growing and 4th largest container port in the United States.90 The Port of Brunswick along the Georgia coast is one of the busiest and fastest growing ports along the Atlantic Coast. The original Sidney Lanier Bridge adjacent to the port had to lift numerous times a day to allow ships to pass through, and it was struck many times by ships due to a low vertical clearance. The newly constructed cable- stayed Sidney Lanier Bridge, which opened in 2003, has allowed for increased activity at the port, stimulating economic activity in coastal Georgia and the entire state, including Wayne County. Projecting increased rail traffic in the region, Norfolk Southern Railroad installed a passing track in Wayne County to accommodate additional freight traffic to and from the port.91 In FY 2008, the Port of Brunswick handled a record 2.6 million tons of cargo.92 The Port of Jacksonville in neighboring Florida also has a significant impact, contributing $2.6 billion annually to regional economy.93 In August 2007, the port increased its exports by 18.7% from the previous August.94 Three railroads, including CSX and Norfolk Southern, connect the port to Wayne County. 6.5 AIRGeorgia In 2006, Governor Sonny Purdue announced the launch of AIRGeorgia, an initiative to integrate rural airport improvements into the state's overall rural economic development plan. This financing program, under the direction of OneGeorgia Authority, helps fund infrastructure improvements at Georgia's many rural airports.95 The goal of the program is "to strengthen rural Georgia's economic development efforts by accelerating the completion of critical airport infrastructure improvements, thereby placing every Georgian within a 30-minute drive of an airport that is capable of serving 85% of the corporate aircraft flying today."96 Potential projects include weather report stations, navigational aids, runway extensions, and the like. These improvements are primarily directed toward the 49 Level I and Level II airports in Georgia. 97 Because Jesup-Wayne County Airport is a Level III airport, it is not eligible for AIRGeorgia-funded improvements. However, there are several improvements planned for the Jesup-Wayne County Airport, as discussed in Section 5.10. Nearby airports eligible for AIRGeorgia-financed improvements are Nanhunta-Brantley County Airport in Brantley County and Baxley Municipal Airport in Appling County.98 The enhancements of these airports will have a positive impact 90 "The Port of Savannah: Strengthening Our Advantages." Georgia Ports Authority. October 9, 2008 91 2008 Annual State of the County Report. Wayne County Board of Commissioners. 92 "The Port of Brunswick: Realizing New Potential." Georgia Ports Authority. October 17, 2008 93 Jacksonville Ports Authority 94 Bauerlein, David. "Port growth key for Jacksonville, jobs, mayor says." The Times-Union. October 17, 2008. 95 AIRGeorgia Airport Initiative in Rural Georgia. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/AirGeorgia/index.html Accessed August 14, 2008. 96 AIRGeorgia Presentation. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/AirGeorgia/powerpoint.html Accessed August 14, 2008. 97 AIRGeorgia Airport Initiative in Rural Georgia. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/AirGeorgia/index.html Accessed August 14, 2008. 98 AIRGeorgia Eligibility Map and List. http://www.dca.state.ga.us/onegeorgia/AirGeorgia/index.html Accessed August 14, 2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 75 upon economic development throughout the southeast Georgia region, including Wayne County. 7.0 Supporting Studies, Plans and Programs There are several national, local, regional and statewide plans, studies and programs pertinent to Wayne County that have recently been completed. These have been summarized in the following sections. 7.1 National Studies, Plans and Programs The following section discusses national studies, plans and programs that pertain to transportation. These initiatives are anticipated to impact Wayne County's transportation system. 7.1.1 Amtrak Strategic Reforms Initiative (2005-2010) April 2005 Amtrak's Silver Meteor rail line that travels through Jesup is designated as a national long distance operation by Amtrak. The national long distance lines have been under consideration for potential reform over the past several years. Amtrak, however, believes that "long distance trains are a foundation for future rail development and provide and important transportation link for many rural communities across the country."99 According to the Amtrak Strategic Reforms Initiative, completed in April 2005, the organization has initiated an annual evaluation process and performance improvement program to reduce overall loss in operating costs on the long distance routes. States are also given the opportunity to provide funding for routes where there are gaps between farebox revenues and operating costs.100 7.1.2 Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) The Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) is a system of roads designated by the U.S. Department of Defense for "defense access, continuity, and emergency capabilities for movements of personnel and equipment in both peace and war."101 The network includes approximately 62,700 miles of roads, comprised of 45,400 miles of interstate and defense highways, 15,600 miles of additional highways, and 1,700 miles of connector roads, which link military installations and ports to the primary network. Because Wayne County is adjacent to Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield, and the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, as well as the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick, U.S. 84/U.S. 301 through the center of the County is on the STRAHNET system. This is shown in Figure 35. 99 Amtrak Strategic Reform Initiatives. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. April 2005. 100 Amtrak Strategic Reform Initiatives. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. April 2005. 101 STRAHNET. Global Security.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/strahnet.htm Accessed 8-27-2008. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 76 Old Hortense Rd Wire Rd Post Rd Appling Tattnall UV169 Morris Break Rd Beards Bluff Rd UV169 Holmesville Rd Odum Rd G riffis Rd Walter tu341 UV Odum 27 Tank Rd Holmesville Rd Empire Rd Oglethorpe Rd Long Rayonier Rd tu301 Jesup Bethlehem St Altamaha River K'Ville Rd Gar LittleLCornegefkorRddRd y Walker Creek Rd UV203 Nine Run Rd UV38 Stanfield Dr Slover Rd UV23 Waycross Hw Broadhurst R d Screven Hortense Rd LIttle Satilla River Pierce White Star Rd tu301 Rogers Break di Rd tu25 Golden Isles Hwy Murphy Break Flowers Break UV27 tu341 Browntown Rd Hortense Rd - February 2009 Brantley Liberty Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Study STRAHNET Routes Legend STRAHNET Route Roads Major Roads Railroad Stream/River Cities Wayne County Surrounding Counties McIntosh River Rd STRAHNET: Strategic Highway Network Note: Only public roads are shown. Glynn Sources: US DOT FHWA 0 1.5 3 6 Miles Figure 35 7.2 Statewide Studies, Plans and Programs 7.2.1 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan (GDOT) December 2001 The 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Transportation, provides a comprehensive look at existing and projected multimodal freight movements within Georgia. This plan produced several key findings that have an impact on Wayne County. 1) CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads transport most of the rail freight in Georgia. Most freight is carried via truck for at least a portion of each trip. While the interstate highways have more ground mileage than the railroads across the state, the railroads transport freight tonnage at a scale comparable to the interstate highways.102 CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads span Wayne County and cross at the City of Jesup. 2) A substantial amount of existing freight (33% of total weight) only passes through Georgia on its way to other destinations. A significant amount of this freight is transported along the CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads, which connect cities nationwide.103 3) The water freight in Georgia is carried primarily through the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick.104 These ports are within relatively close proximity to Wayne County (add stats on how close with a new footnote), and increased port activities will affect the rail and highway freight network in the County. Containerized freight is expected to substantially increase at Eastern U.S. ports in the next few years due to the widening of the Panama Canal. 4) In 1998, there were 1 to 10 million tons of domestic freight in Wayne County at a value of $1 billion to $10 billion.105 5) In 1998, U.S. 84/SR 38, U.S. 301 north of Jesup, and SR 169 transported 1 to 10 million tons of freight at a value of less than $5 billion annually. This value is expected to rise to $5 billion to $25 billion by 2035.106 7.2.2 Georgia Rail Freight Plan (GDOT) March 2001 The Georgia Rail Freight Plan, mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration for the receipt of Local Rail Assistance funds, was updated by the Georgia Department of Transportation in 2001. This plan outlines the existing rail system and activities and assesses future forecasted railroad traffic. In addition, the plan recommends a series of improvements and capital investments in order to strengthen the railroad system in Georgia. As of 1998, the CSX Railroad through Jesup carried six (6) million gross ton miles per mile (MGTM/M) of cargo. The Norfolk Southern Railroad carried substantially more cargo, ranging 102 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan. Georgia Department of Transportation. 103 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan. Georgia Department of Transportation. 104 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan. Georgia Department of Transportation. 105 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan. Georgia Department of Transportation. 106 2005-2035 Georgia Statewide Freight Plan. Georgia Department of Transportation. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 78 from 20 to 54 MGTM/M. A total of 967,500 tons of lumber and wood products terminated in Wayne County in this year. The plan recommends the introduction of passenger rail service on multiple rail lines through Wayne County. Both an intercity rail line and a federally designated high-speed rail corridor would be placed on or parallel to the CSX Railroad line through Wayne County as well as on Norfolk Southern Railroad line between Appling County and Jesup. This service would be in addition to the existing Amtrak service that operates on the CSX Railroad line.107 7.2.3 Freight and Logistics Task Force Report July 2008 The Freight and Logistics Task Force, established by The Commission for a New Georgia in 2003, developed a report in July 2008 to begin an assessment of infrastructure capacity and future needed investments and support the impending growth of freight and logistics in the state. There were numerous inputs into this study process. In May 2008, five statewide listening sessions with over 200 total attendees were conducted across the state. Also, the task force interviewed stakeholders, consisting of industry experts, government officials, and academic leaders. In addition, extensive research was compiled regarding logistics and freight movements in Georgia and around the world. The task force has recommended that Georgia adopt the following mission for freight and logistics: "The State, in partnership with local and federal governments, will identify and promote the implementation of activities that improve the capacity, capability, and connectivity for today's supply chains. This will leverage intermodal freight connectors to destinations both inside and outside of Georgia to generate a competitive advantage that benefits Georgians." The recommendations developed by the Freight and Logistics Task Force are summarized below: Outreach and Collaboration 1. Identify and market Georgia's differentiating advantages. 2. Establish a Statewide "Freight Mobility Information Exchange." Data, Tools & Talent 1. Identify, establish and promote statewide freight corridors and hubs. 2. Promote and support workforce, training, and educational programs. Planning & Infrastructure 1. Develop a demand-driven strategic statewide freight and logistics plan. 2. Make future infrastructure plans more durable. 3. Create a supportive business model. 4. Establish a focused freight and logistics division within GDOT. 107 Georgia Rail Freight Plan. March 2001. Georgia Department of Transportation. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 79 The Freight and Logistics Task Force has identified the following characteristics of freight and logistics firms and movements within Wayne County: Rayonier Performance Fibers, LLC, which employs 51-200 persons, had annual sales of $3,750,001-$15,000,000 in 2004. 500,001 2,000,000 truckload tons of cargo (that have destinations within the state of Georgia) flow through Wayne County each year (2004). 2,000,001 5,000,000 truckload tons of cargo (that have origins within the state of Georgia) flow through Wayne County each year (2004). 500,001 2,500,000 truckload tons of cargo were received in Wayne County each year (2004). Altamaha Technical College in Jesup is one of 48 logistics related education providers in Georgia.108 7.3 Regional Studies, Plans and Programs 7.3.1 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Plan - 2002 The Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Development Center (RDC) is the regional planning entity for 17 counties and 63 cities in south Georgia. Its jurisdiction includes Wayne County and the Cities of Jesup, Screven, and Odum. In 2001, the RDC completed a Regional Plan for the counties and cities in its area. Its intent is to guide the future development of the region with regards to population, economic development, natural and historic resources, public facilities and infrastructure, housing, land use, and human services (aging). The two-volume document includes a Technical Staff Report with the community's existing conditions and a Regional Agenda that discusses the issues in the region and recommended implementation actions. The Regional Plan was updated in 2002 by the RDC Board of Directors.109 It is the intent of the Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan to support the goals, objectives, and work program of the RDC Regional Plan. 7.3.2 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan June 2005 The Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan is a regional plan for improvements in bicycling and pedestrian activities and facilities within the 17-county Heart of Georgia Altamaha Region. It was completed in June 2005. Prepared under contract with GDOT, it is the first known plan devoted to the improvement of these activities and facilities within the region. Indirect evidence, such as the number of growing bicycle clubs and events, indicates the growth of bicycle usage within the region as in much of the nation. The plan examines existing conditions and needs, and provides recommendations for future improvements, including new route recommendations and other efforts to boost education, safety, and usage. Needs identified for the region include needs for additional facilities, particularly paved shoulders, additional state bike routes, better state signage, and for increased 108 Task Force on Freight and Logistics Final Report. Commission for a New Georgia. July 15, 2008. 109 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Plan. February 2005. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 80 safety and educational activities. Since the Golden Isles Parkway was recently widened in Wayne County, the paved shoulders could potentially serve as future regional bike facilities. In Wayne County, the Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan recommends the following improvements: Establish U.S. 341 as the region's "southern regional route" for bicycle travel. Construct four (4) foot bicycle lanes along a "southern regional route" parallel to U.S. 341 from Gardi to Cochran (Bleckley County) by 2020. Construct four (4) foot bicycle lanes along S.R. 169 from Jesup to Reidsville (Tattnall County) as a connector between U.S. 341 (the region's "southern regional route") and U.S. 280 (the region's "central regional route") by 2020.110 7.4 Local Studies and Plans 7.4.1 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan July 2004 The Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan was completed in 2004 for Wayne County and its municipalities the City of Jesup, the City of Odum, and the City of Screven. The plan was designed to meet the Georgia Planning Act's requirements for each government to have a plan for its future growth and development in accordance to state standards. The document is a critical examination of Wayne County and its cities in the areas of population, economic development, natural and cultural resources, community facilities and services, housing, land use, intergovernmental cooperation, solid waste, and service delivery. It serves a reflection of the community's concerns and desires for the future. The goals of the Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan that pertain to the Multimodal Transportation Plan are as follows. Transportation Goal: To provide all citizens of Wayne County with adequate public transportation facilities to insure a convenient and safe environment in which to live; and to examine potential growth and assure that community leaders have the resources in place to satisfy the future needs for public transportation facilities. Land Use Goal: To systematically integrate land use and development while protecting the environment, preserving cultural resources, effectively meeting economic needs, and enhancing the quality of life for existing and future residents. Economic Development Goal: To improve the economic well-being of Wayne County by maintaining and increasing the community's economic development program and efforts of local leadership to encourage location of new industry, and expansion of present industry, agriculture, tourism, retail trade and other sectors of the local economy. The Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan includes an inventory, assessment, public involvement plan, and agenda that present goals and implementation strategies based on the elements of population, economic development, natural and cultural resources, community 110 Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan. June 2005. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 81 facilities and services, transportation, housing, land use, and intergovernmental coordination. These are outlined for Wayne County and each of its municipalities. The plan concludes with short-term work programs for each local government. These five-year programs detail specific actions, programs, and projects that each local government should undertake to successfully implement the Comprehensive Plan.111 Table 21 summarizes the transportation-related activities from the Short Term Work Programs for Wayne County and its municipalities. The Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan was completed in July 2004; the activities highlighted below are those that were anticipated to occur in 2007 and beyond (including ongoing activities from 2005 to 2009). Table 21. Short-Term Work Program, Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan Activity Timeframe Responsible Parties Participate in regional efforts to advocate the multi- laning of U.S. 301 through Georgia as a north-south Interstate alternative. 2009 and beyond Wayne County, Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority Participate in the Golden Isles Parkway Association to advocate the development of the Golden Isles Pkwy (U.S. 341) as a tourist route through Georgia. 2005 - 2009 Wayne County, Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority, Golden Isles Parkway Association Complete the construction of a perimeter road for Jesup with a first priority to connect U.S. 301 North and U.S. 341 West and secondly, to provide access to U.S. 301 North/Rayonier, including truck traffic. 2009 and beyond Wayne County, Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority, Golden Isles Parkway Association Maintain a countywide road development ordinance with appropriate standards to meet minimum state DOT requirements for rights-of-way, drainage, and construction. 2005 - 2009 and beyond Wayne County Maintain a priority list for paving of dirt roads and streets, and work with the GDOT in carrying out road paving projects. 2005 - 2009 Wayne County, Cities of Jesup, and beyond Odum, and Screven, and GDOT Continue to upgrade equipment and manpower needs of 2005 - 2009 the County's roads department as needed. and beyond Cities of Jesup, Odum, and Screven Maintain and upgrade bridges as needed. 2005 - 2009 Wayne County, Cities of Jesup, and beyond Odum, and Screven, and GDOT 111 Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 82 Activity Seek funding to improve sidewalks in Jesup, Odum, and Screven. Timeframe 2005 - 2009 Responsible Parties Cities of Jesup, Odum, and Screven Pursue downtown revitalization activities in Jesup, Odum, and Screven, such as building/faade rehabilitations, streetscape, and other beautification projects. 2005 - 2009 Source: Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan. July 2004. GDOT and Cities of Jesup, Odum, and Screven Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 83 APPENDIX A Travel Demand Model Documentation Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 84 1.0 Development of Year 2007 Base Year Socioeconomic Data Economic growth and future demographics in Wayne County impact travel demand on the County's transportation system. These factors will largely determine the need for enhanced transportation systems and services in the area. Table 22 shows population and employment totals estimated by county for the 2007 travel demand model. Population totals are based on U.S. Census estimates for 2007. Households are estimated from population based on the county-wide average persons per household from 2000 U.S. Census data. Employment figures are derived from 2007 County Labor Profiles, adjusted to reflect model employment categories as described in the April 2007 GDOT document General Summary of Travel Demand Model Development Procedures. Table 22. 2007 Wayne County Socioeconomic Data Inputs Counties Households Population Retail Jobs Service Jobs Manufacturing Jobs Wholesale Jobs Total Employment Liberty 20,649 60,503 Long 3,924 11,300 Wayne 11,086 29,046 Source: Wayne County Travel Demand Model 1,787 10 1,468 9,720 706 4,993 1,147 14 1,634 53 12,707 8 768 103 8,198 1.1 Wayne County Employment In order to determine employment for Wayne County, 2006 employment data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LED)112 Program was collected for Wayne County by blockgroup. To place this data into the appropriate TAZs, the blockgroup boundaries were compared to TAZ geometry, and the employment data by blockgroup was placed into the corresponding TAZs. Population In order to determine population for Wayne County, the study team combined 2000 U.S. Census blocks sharing similar ethnicity, gross population density, and household income (by block group) to form TAZs numbered 111-166. Population was estimated by determining the rate of change between 2000 Census data and the 2007 Census estimate for Wayne County. This rate was then applied to increase the population in each TAZ by 9.3%. 112 U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics Program (http://lehdmap3.did.census.gov/themap3/entry.html) Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 85 Households In order to determine the number of households in each TAZ for Wayne County, the rate of change between 2000 Census data and the 2007 estimated Census population was calculated. This rate, 9.3%, was applied to each TAZ to estimate the number of households in each TAZ. 1.2 Liberty County and Long County Employment In order to determine employment for Liberty and Long Counties, the 2003 Hinesville Area MPO model data totals, by industry category (retail, manufacturing, service and wholesale), were first compared to the 2007 Labor Profile totals according to each industry category. The 2003 retail and manufacturing categories appeared overestimated, as they were higher than 2007 Labor Profile industry totals. A rate of change was calculated between 2003 and 2007 Labor profile totals, and this rate was then applied to each traffic analysis zone (TAZ) to increase or reduce the 2003 employment to 2007 values for each category. After this, several TAZs in activity centers likely to have growth rates inconsistent with the rest of the County were closely analyzed. The Census Bureau's Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LED) Program was used to analyze these specific TAZ's in comparison to the 2003 Hinesville Area MPO model data. The following TAZs, presented in Table 23, were further analyzed by group. Table 23. TAZs Analyzed for 2007 Employment Group TAZs Specific Areas Analyzed A 60, 63, 67, 69, 70, 72 Midway B 10, 18, 37 Hinesville C 57, 22, 55, 59, 61, 62 Hinesville, Flemington D 92, 94, 96, 97, 99 Ludowici Source: 2007 Wayne County Travel Demand Model The 2006 LED data was used to distribute employment data into these TAZs. Population Population was estimated by determining the county-wide rate of change between 2000 Census population data (`POP00') and 2007 estimated Census data. Each TAZ 2000 Census population was then reduced by 96.5% in Liberty County and increased by 21.7% in Long County to estimate 2007. Households The number of households for Long and Liberty Counties was determined by calculating the rate of change between 2000 Census household county-wide totals (`HH00') and 2007 Census estimates. The number of households for each TAZ was estimated by reducing the 2000 Census household figures by 96.5% in Liberty County and increasing them by 21.7% in Long County. Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 86 2.0 Development of Year 2035 Horizon Year Socioeconomic Data Population Future year population figures from various sources for the three counties are shown in Table 24. In general, the study team assumed that each County's Comprehensive Plan contained the most appropriate future projection. Table 24. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data Population Projection Source RDC Totals (year) 2030 GDOT HAMPO Model Liberty County 89,163 (2030) 94,709 Long County 22,607 (2030) 1,585 Wayne County 36,177 (2025) - County Comprehensive Plan (year) 97,651 (2030) 13,525 (2025) 31,904 (2025) 2030 DCA Projection 2035 Projected Population 97,651 10,2361 18,974 21,237 35,288 36,813 Source: Heart of Georgia Altamaha RDC, GDOT HAMPO Model, LCPC Comprehensive Plan, Department of Community Affairs, Wayne County Multimodal Study Team To project 2035 population, the study team compared each County Comprehensive Plan's total population to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates; an annual growth rate was calculated between 2007 and 2025 for Long and Wayne Counties and between 2007 and 2030 for Liberty County. This annualized rate was applied to the Comprehensive plan total population shown above to project 2035 total population in each county. Population and Household 2035 Projections in Wayne County In Wayne County, the study team assumed that population distribution in 2035 would match the 2007 distribution. Therefore, each TAZ population was increased 127% to match the county-wide total above. Households were increased in the same manner. While this leaves many TAZs with no households in 2035, it is consistent with the Future Land Use Map and rural nature of the county. Population and Household 2035 Projections in Liberty and Long Counties The 2030 GDOT HAMPO model projected population distribution was assumed to be sufficient for 2035 modeling work. Therefore, for TAZs in Liberty or Long County, numbered 1-110, the 2030 figure was factored to match each county's projection shown above. Population in Liberty County by TAZ was increased 108% and population in Long County was increased 140%. Household totals by TAZ were increased by the same county-wide rates. Employment figures were developed to match the growth rate assumed in each county's comprehensive plan. Total jobs located in each county in 2007, based on Georgia Department of Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 87 Labor figures, were compared to the 2025 or 2030 Comprehensive Plan projections. A growth rate for each county was annualized and applied to 2007 model employment to obtain 2035 projections, as shown in Table 25. The GDOT HAMPO model 2030 total employment is shown for comparison purposes. Table 25. Employment Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data Employment Projection Source Liberty Long Wayne 2030 GDOT HAMPO Model 28,549 1,789 - County Comprehensive Plan (Year) 29,672 1,450 14,756 (2030) (2025) (2025) 2035 Projected Employment 25,796 1,734 17,580 Source: GDOT HAMPO Model, LCPC Comprehensive Plan, Joint Wayne County Comprehensive Plan Note: Model employment categories only; does not include agriculture, forestry, mining, or construction. The following sections describe how the county-wide totals by employment category were distributed to TAZs in each county. Job Projections in Wayne County In general, employment data was distributed in Wayne County by increasing the 2007 values in each TAZ to match the 2035 total by employment category. While this leaves many areas in Wayne County with no jobs in 2035, it is consistent with the Future Land Use Map, the rural nature of the county and the significant amount of land devoted to timber. There were specific areas targeted for growth in the Wayne County Comprehensive Plan or other documents that were assigned future jobs to account for employment growth. These areas are described in Table 26. Table 26. Population Projection Sources for 2035 Socioeconomic Data Specific Area of Growth Odum Service Employment Center Odum Industrial Center TAZ affected 128, 129, 130 154 South Jesup along U.S. 301 139, 166 Future Land Use map shows industrial use Source: 2035 Wayne County Travel Demand Model Employment Assumed 180 Retail Jobs 25 Manufacturing Jobs 15 Wholesale Jobs 70 Service Jobs 70 Manufacturing Jobs 210 Wholesale Jobs Job Projections in Liberty and Long Counties Liberty and Long Counties are included in the HAMPO 2030 travel demand model in TAZs numbered 1 through 110. RS&H noted discrepancies between the 2007 Department of Labor (U.S. Census LEHD) employment distribution and the future year employment distribution assumed for 2030. This is a concern because some TAZs containing jobs in 2007 contain no jobs Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 88 in the 2030 model, but we do not expect jobs to decrease to zero between now and the future in any given TAZ. Therefore, RS&H applied two rules to distribute future employment to TAZs. (1) Where 2007 employment was assumed to be zero but the 2030 data was not zero, the 2030 value was used for 2035; (2) Where 2007 employment data was not zero, the 2007 employment was factored to match the 2035 total projection by category. Table 27 shows the factors used and the resulting totals by category. This method accounted for both projected growth areas in the 2030 HAMPO model and also recent growth areas that are likely to continue to grow but that were not included in the 2030 model data. Table 27. 2035 Employment Projections for Liberty and Long Counties Factor by which 2007 County Data was Increased to Retail 2035 Values Liberty 1.724 3,313 Long 1.934 162 Source: Wayne County Multimodal Study Team Employment by Category (Jobs) Service Manufacturing Wholesale Total Employment 16,889 1,529 5,222 27 371 25,796 15 1,734 Evaluation of Existing and Future Conditions Report Wayne County Multimodal Transportation Plan February 2009 89