STIP Annual Public Involvement Report Georgia State Transportation Improvement Program Fiscal Year 2010-2013 Georgia Department of Transportation October 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS STIP OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................. A 1. PUBLIC INVOLVMENT PROCESS ................................................................................... 1 Notification and Documentation........................................................................ 2 2. PUBLIC MEETING FORMAT ............................................................................................ 5 3. SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETING COMMENTS............................................................. 6 Meeting Notification.............................................................................................. 6 4. LESSONS LEARNED ......................................................................................................... 8 Planning for the Next STIP Cycle.......................................................................... 8 APPENDIX A: MEETING NOTICE and POSTER APPENDIX B: GDOT PRESS RELEASES APPENDIX C: RADIO ADVERTISEMENT APPENDIX D: MEDIA COVERAGE DOCUMENTATION APPENDIX E: TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS APPENDIX F: SAMPLE MEETING DISPLAY MAP APPENDIX G: HANDOUT & COMMENT FORM APPENDIX H: RESPONSE TO COMMENT LETTER LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Schedule of Public Meetings by District ......................................................... 2 Table 2. Radio Advertisements ....................................................................................... 3 Table 3. Public Meeting Summary by Date .................................................................. 7 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. GDOT District Map ............................................................................................ 1 H:\PROJECTS\100\155-125 STIP PI\PI Report\Draft Report revised 101309 eb[2].doc i Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 STIP OVERVIEW The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, known as the STIP, is Georgia's four-year transportation and capital improvements program. The STIP is a listing of federally-funded transportation projects within the state that are anticipated to be funded during fiscal years 2010-2013. Projects include highway, bridge, public transit, bike, pedestrian, railroad projects and other improvements. The STIP is developed in coordination with the citizens of Georgia, interested stakeholders, and in direct cooperation with local governments. Projects listed in the STIP are identified through GDOT's ongoing planning processes and are vital to the state's transportation program. The projects support GDOT's mission to provide a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to its citizens and environment. The STIP Public Involvement Process gives all citizens and interested stakeholders the opportunity to review and comment on the state's transportation priorities for the next four fiscal years. The public is encouraged to become involved and provide GDOT with thoughts, suggestions and information about transportation needs for Georgia. This report will serve to detail efforts regarding the notification and documentation of the meetings and to summarize the comments received. Supplemental project information is included in the Appendix. A Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 1. PUBLIC INVOLVMENT PROCESS A major component of the STIP development process is public involvement. A total of fourteen public meetings for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) were held throughout the six non-urbanized GDOT Districts, Districts 1 through 6. District 7 is the metro-Atlanta region and, therefore, was not included. Figure 1 illustrates the seven GDOT District boundaries, while Table 1 details the schedule of public meeting dates by District. Some of the GDOT Districts hosted more than one meeting to accommodate for the large geographic area covered by the District, and several held joint meetings to take advantage of opportunities to discuss projects that spanned more than one District. GDOT coordinated with each of its Districts outside of metro-Atlanta to identify environmental justice (EJ) areas of concern and to develop appropriate outreach strategies. GDOT district staff also assisted in determining the best locations for hosting public meetings, notifying the public through press releases, and staffing the public meetings. Furthermore, the public meetings were held in locations that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for ease of access and could also be reached by public transportation, where applicable. Figure 1. GDOT District Map 1 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 Table 1. Schedule of Public Meetings by District District 1 1 1 2 2* 3* Date August 25, 2009 August 31, 2009 September 8, 2009 September 14, 2009 September 15, 2009 September 3, 2009 3 September 10, 2009 3* September 15, 2009 4 August 31, 2009 4 September 1, 2009 4 September 3, 2009 5 August 31, 2009 6* September 3, 2009 6 *Joint Meeting September 15, 2009 Time 5-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 4-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. 5-7 p.m. Venue Name City Hall City Hall Jackson County Courthouse Dublin Mall Milledgeville Mall Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Josh Gibson Youth & Family Resource Center Milledgeville Mall Valdosta Mall Tifton Mall Albany Mall GDOT District 5 Conference Room Carroll County Chamber of Commerce GDOT District 6 Conference Room City Helen Helen Jefferson Dublin Milledgeville Carrollton Buena Vista Milledgeville Valdosta Tifton Albany Jesup Carrollton Cartersville Notification and Documentation There were several methods used to advertise the meetings to the public: direct mailing, media release distributions, radio advertisements, use of the GDOT website, and posters in libraries across the State of Georgia. All of these materials were branded with the newly created STIP logo, as shown on the cover of this document. This branding effort was undertaken to give the STIP program its own identify and to make it easily recognizable. Direct Mailing and Posters A newsletter-style meeting notice was developed and mailed to members of GDOT's Family of Partners database, which includes over 5,600 addresses. This database includes individuals, organizations and elected officials at the federal, state and local level as well as representatives from EJ communities. 2 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 In addition, 11x17 color posters were mailed to 360 libraries throughout the State of Georgia. (See Appendix A for a copy of the meeting notice and poster). Media Release Distributions GDOT District Communications Officers were encouraged to distribute a media release, which was crafted specifically for their district, to the media outlets in their Districts. Ads were placed and press releases sent to local newspapers publicly announcing STIP meetings. Legal ads were placed in all Legal Organs in the state. (See Appendix B for the media releases that were distributed.) Radio New to the STIP public involvement effort was the use of radio advertisements. A series of thirty second and fifteen second ads were aired during prime drive time to publicize the STIP public meetings. Specifically, a thirty second ad introducing the STIP was run 1,140 times statewide on the Georgia News Network (GNN) two weeks prior to the first STIP public meeting. GNN has 114 affiliate radio stations, covers all of Georgia's 159 counties, reaches 992,000 listeners weekly, and is considered one of the most effective ways to reach rural Georgia. Fifteen second ads were also produced to highlight specific STIP meetings in each district. These ads were run two weeks prior to the first meeting in each radio market on the Total Traffic Network. Table 2 below identifies the markets in which the ads were aired, the number of spots aired in each market, the number of stations airing the ads and the Gross Impressions by age group. (Gross Impressions is the audience reach or the number of "impressions" an ad has on listeners in a market.) Appendix C provides additional detail on the market reach provided by radio advertising for the STIP public meetings. Table 2. Radio Advertisements Market GNN Atlanta Savannah Macon Columbus Augusta Albany TOTAL Number of Spots 1140 100 80 132 132 132 140 1856 # of Stations Airing STIP Ads 114 10 6 5 8 6 5 154 Gross Gross Imp Imp A18+ A25-54 1,395,900 720,500 914,200 542,400 Non subscriber to Arbitron 346,800 229,600 216,800 146,000 433,400 264,000 210,000 117,600 3,517,100 2,020,100 3 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 Website GDOT also provided information regarding the 2010-2013 STIP on the Department's website. In an effort to make this site more accessible, the website www.georgiastip.com was created. When accessed, the georgiastip.com site takes users directly to the Department's STIP page. Information contained on the STIP page during development of the FY 2010-2013 STIP included: Draft Fiscal Year 2010-2013 STIP Active Fiscal Year 2008-2011 STIP Previous STIPs MPO TIPs Public Involvement Financial Summaries for FY 2008-2011 STIP Funding by GDOT District Georgia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Contacts GDOT Contact Information These collective outreach efforts resulted in advertisements and news articles printed in local papers throughout the state. A summary of coverage received due to this notification effort is included in Appendix D. Additionally, in an effort to accommodate Georgia's Spanish-speaking citizens, the meeting flyer, poster, informational handout and news releases were translated into Spanish. A sample of these documents can be found in Appendix E. The narrative for the STIP document is translated into Spanish, as well. 4 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 2. PUBLIC MEETING FORMAT Public meetings were open-house style meetings held at various community venues, which included municipal buildings, GDOT District offices, and shopping malls. An informational table was set up and meeting attendees were encouraged to sign-in, take copies of the STIP informational handout and comment forms, and to visit the displays. STIP project maps that included planned projects and project numbers, which coordinated with the project numbers in the STIP, were displayed on easels (see Appendix F for an example of the maps). GDOT staff was available at each meeting to answer questions and provide guidance to citizens regarding STIP projects. An informational handout explaining the STIP process was produced and distributed at the public meetings. The comment form, which meeting attendees were encouraged to complete on-site, collected information regarding the public involvement process, including how people were notified of the meetings, whether or not the meeting was informative and how the meeting could be improved. The comment form also asked meeting attendees to provide input regarding specific projects as well as input regarding other transportation issues. A summary of comments and input received is included in the following section. (See Appendix G for the informational handout and a sample comment form). 5 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 3. SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETING COMMENTS A total of fourteen public meetings were held throughout the STIP area during the months of August and September. Meeting attendees were asked to sign in as they entered the meeting location. As a result, one hundred and forty-six (146) people signed in and were accounted for officially. Of the 146 attendees, 33 provided written comments regarding specific STIP projects or other transportation issues. The comments received were made a part of the official record for the project. Additionally, a Response to Comments letter, which is included in Appendix H, was prepared and mailed to the respondents so that all interested parties can be aware of the concerns raised and the responses given. Based on the comments received, 88% found the meeting informative. In addition to the comments received at the STIP public meetings, project inquiries were emailed to the STIP Coordinator throughout the year, who replied directly or coordinated a response through the appropriate GDOT project manager. As shown in Table 3, the District 1 meeting held at the Helen City Hall had the highest attendance with 26 participants, followed by the District 4 meeting at the Tifton Mall with 22 participants. Meeting Notification Of the people that returned comment forms, 43% stated that they were informed about the meeting through the newspaper. Approximately 15% of respondents were informed by the GDOT flyer that was mailed to the Family of Partners database, while another 40% were informed about the meetings through other means (i.e., email, radio/TV, word of mouth). Some attendees also noted that they learned about the project by being at the mall on the date of the meeting and simply approaching the informational display to ask questions. 6 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 Table 3. Public Meeting Summary by Date District 1 1 4 5 4 4 3 & 6 1 3 2 2 & 3 6 Date 8/25/09 8/31/09 8/31/09 8/31/09 9/01/09 09/03/09 09/03/09 09/08/09 09/10/09 09/14/09 09/15/09 09/15/09 Meeting Logistics Time Venue 5-7 PM 5-7 PM 4-7 PM 5-7 PM 4-7 PM 4-7 PM 5-7 PM 5-7 PM 5-7 PM 4-7 PM 4-7 PM 5-7 PM City Hall City Hall Valdosta Mall GDOT District 5 Conference Room Tifton Mall Albany Mall Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Jackson County Courthouse Josh Gibson Youth & Family Resource Center Dublin Mall Milledgeville Mall GDOT District 6 Conference Room City Helen Helen Valdosta Jesup Tifton Albany Carrollton Attendance Signed Written In Comment 26 6 1 0 6 1 Flyer 0 1 0 Email 0 0 0 7 1 0 0 22 8 1 0 14 2 0 0 8 4 2 0 Jefferson 21 0 0 0 Buena Vista 7 0 0 0 Dublin 14 Milledgeville 15 2 0 0 7 1 1 Cartersville 5 2 0 0 TOTALS 146 33 5 1 Notification Newspaper Radio/ TV 4 1 0 0 1 1 Other 1 0 0 Informative Yes No 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 8 0 1 0 1 2 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 3 8 29 2 7 Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 4. LESSONS LEARNED The STIP Public Involvement process is intended to provide the public an opportunity to offer thoughts and ideas regarding future transportation projects planned for their area. Striving for more inclusive participation at these meetings will lead to better decisions and more support for the projects that are ultimately constructed. The following comments/suggestions were made at the August/September 2009 STIP public meetings. These suggestions will be taken into consideration to improve the next STIP meeting cycle. More detailed information regarding proposed projects. Hand out materials that include the districts and projects just like the map on display. A brief presentation might answer the same questions for many at the start of the meeting. More advance notification (newspaper) / send out notice earlier. Planning for the Next STIP Cycle In addition to the suggestions received at the 2009 STIP public meetings, the Department, including staff from the District Offices, and the Consultant Team will debrief the public involvement process for the 20102013 STIP. This meeting will provide valuable information about the 2009 meetings and the best ways for moving forward with planning for the next STIP public outreach effort. Since public involvement planning is an iterative process, the STIP project team will continue to refine the ways in which the public is notified and engaged prior to and during the STIP public meetings. Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 APPENDIX A: MEETING NOTICE and POSTER Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! Cooperating with citizens who live in the STIP project areas is essential to the Program's success. Our public involvement approach includes a variety of opportunities for you to participate in developing the Draft FY 10-13 STIP. Attend the Public Meeting in your Area: The meetings will be an opportunity for you to comment on the Draft FY 10-13 STIP. Don't miss this opportunity to tell us what you think! Submit your Thoughts in Writing: You may also provide comments via email to the STIP coordinator at stipcoordinator@dot.ga.gov. Be sure to include project numbers, if they are available and general project locations and/or landmarks ensure the correct project is referenced. Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Coordinator Office of Planning One Georgia Center 600 West Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30308 The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program identifies federally funded transportation projects such as highway, maintenance, bicycle, and pedestrian projects for Fiscal Years 2010-13. Come out to see what's planned for your area. The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a GDOT fouryear work program that is updated annually, exclusively for Georgia's non -urbanized areas. Included in the Draft FY 10-13 STIP are: federally funded highway and bridge projects, maintenance projects, bicycle and pedestrian projects, transportation enhancement activities projects, and public transit projects. If you live in a Metropolitan Planning Organization area, please contact your local MPO for projects in your area. Come out and... http://www.dot.ga.gov/informationcenter/programs/transportation/Pages/stip.aspx STAY INFORMED Attend one of the 13 public meetings Visit the STIP website. 1. Go to www.dot.ga.gov, 2. Click the "Programs" link under the Quick Links menu on the bottom right side of your screen. 3. Click the "Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)" link under the Transportation Plans & Programs menu. Call or e-mail the GDOT representative for your District listed below with questions or comments. STAY CONNECTED District 6 Greg Hood: (770) 387-3654 ghood@dot.ga.gov District 3 Tom Queen: (706) 646-6982 tqueen@dot.ga.gov District 1 Bill Cantrell: (770) 532-5530 bcantrell@dot.ga.gov District 2 Vonda Everett: (478) 552-4631 veverett@dot.ga.gov District 4 Shane Pridgen: (229) 386-3045 spridgen@dot.ga.gov District 5 Teresa Scott: (912) 427-5788 tscott@dot.ga.gov 2009 MEETING SCHEDULE DISTRICT 1 August 31, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm City Hall 25 Alpenrosen Strasse Helen, GA DISTRICT 4 August 31, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Valdosta Mall 1700 Norman Drive Valdosta, GA September 8, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm Jackson County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room 5000 Jackson Parkway Jefferson, GA DISTRICT 2 September 14, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Dublin Mall 2005 Veterans Boulevard Dublin, GA September 15, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Milledgeville Mall 2400 North Columbia Street Milledgeville, GA DISTRICT 3 September 3, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm Carroll Co. Chamber of Commerce 200 Northside Drive Carrollton, GA September 10, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm Josh Gibson Youth & Family Center 116 Roger Street Buena Vista, GA September 15, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Milledgeville Mall 2400 North Columbia Street Milledgeville, GA September 1, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Tifton Mall 458 Virginia Avenue North Tifton, GA September 3, 2009 4:00--7:00 pm Albany Mall 2601 Dawson Road Albany, GA DISTRICT 5 August 31, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm GDOT District 5 Office 204 North Highway 301 Jesup, GA DISTRICT 6 September 3, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm Carroll Co. Chamber of Commerce 200 Northside Drive Carrollton, GA September 15, 2009 5:00--7:00 pm GDOT District 6 Office 500 Joe Frank Harris Parkway Cartersville, GA All meeting locations are ADA accessible. If you need a hearing interpreter, please contact your GDOT District representative prior to the meeting you plan to attend. APPENDIX B: GDOT PRESS RELEASES Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 APPENDIX C: RADIO ADVERTISEMENT Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 APPENDIX D: MEDIA COVERAGE DOCUMENTATION Georgia Department of Transportation STIP Annual Public Involvement Report FY 2010-2013 3-year transportation plan to be discussed | AccessNorthGa Print GAINESVILLE - A three-year transportation plan for 13 northeast Georgia counties will be discussed at two public meetings over the next few weeks. The first will be at the Helen City Hall August 25 (5:00-7:00 p.m.) and the second on September 8 (5:00-7:00 p.m.) in Jefferson at the Jackson County Courthouse and Government Complex. State DOT will host the meetings that will focus on federally funded Interstate and State Route improvements in Banks, Dawson, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties. The Open House style meeting includes a review of DOT's upcoming federally funded projects. DOT Engineers will be on hand to answer your questions. ?Copyright 2009 AccessNorthGa.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Page 1 of 1 http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail-pf.php?n=222545 10/2/2009 Ga. DOT seeks public comment on state transporation plan | www.lincolnjournalonline.co... Page 1 of 3 Login Subscribe Get News Updates Print Edition RSS Feed Shopping Dining Real Estate Automotive Classifieds Place an Ad News News Front Page News September 3, 2009 Archives: Editorial Page Ga. DOT seeks public comment on Opinions state transporation plan Click ads below for larger version People Obituaries The Georgia Department of Transportation invites the public Worship Community Calendar Links Contact Info to open houses to discuss the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). The STIP is a four-year program that specifies federally funded transportation projects for non-urban communities in rural Georgia for fiscal years Email us 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. These projects include but are Services not limited to, new construction, improvements, and Advertiser maintenance for interstates and state routes, and bridges. Index Additional projects include bicycle and pedestrain project, Legals transportation enhancement projects and public transit Subscribe projects. News Archive The department will conduct two East Georgia open house Copyright meetings: Mon., Sept. 14, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Dublin Mall 2005-2009 and Tues., Sept. 15, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Milledgeville Mall. Lincoln Journal All Rights Reserved Attendees will be able to view the Draft FY 10-13 STIP, maps of projects in the local area, discuss projects with Georgia DOT staff, and submit comments on individual projects. All interested parties are encouraged to participate. Newspaper web site content management software and services The general public is invited to view projects planned for Baldwin, Bleckley, Burke, Columbia, Dodge, Emanuel, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Lincoln, McDuffie, Morgan, Newton, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Screven, Taliaferro, Treutlen, Warren, Washington, Wilkes and Wilkinson Counties. Projects for other counties in this region that are part of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (areas with more than 50,000 in population) will be available for public comment in a http://www.lincolnjournalonline.com/news/2009/0903/news/013.html 10/1/2009 Ga. DOT seeks public comment on state transporation plan | www.lincolnjournalonline.co... Page 2 of 3 separate meeting at a later date. The Draft FY 10-13 STIP will also be available on the interenet at www.georgiastip.com. The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment. For more information on the Georgia Department of Transportation, please visit our web site at www.dot.ga.gov. Reader Comments No comments have been posted. Be the first! Add Comment Other Stories With Comments: Article Comments Dear Hearts and Gentle People 1 Amy Melinda McKellar weds Tony Mark Fulwood 1 July 11 http://www.lincolnjournalonline.com/news/2009/0903/news/013.html 10/1/2009 DOT seeks public input on transportation plan Page 1 of 2 DOT seeks public input on transportation plan Staff reports August 28, 2009 09:11 pm -- VALDOSTA -- Representatives from the Georgia Department of Transportation will be in Valdosta Monday to discuss the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. The public is invited to stop by and talk about the plan from 4-7 p.m. at Valdosta Mall. The Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, according to a press release from the Georgia DOT, is a four-year program that lists federally funded transportation projects for the non-urban areas in rural Georgia. It covers fiscal years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Projects include, but are certainly not limited to, new construction, improvements and maintenance for interstates and state routes and bridges. Other initiatives include bicycle and pedestrian projects, transportation enhancement projects and public transit projects. Participants will have the opportunity to view a draft of the 2010-2013 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, maps of projects in the local area, discuss projects with Georgia DOT staff, and submit comments on individual projects. Projects have been planned for Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Cook, Echols, and Lanier counties. Projects for other counties in this region that are part of a Metropolitan Planning Organization, like those areas with more than 50,000 in population, will be available for public comment in a separate meeting, at a later date. The draft 2010-2013 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan will also be available on the Web at www.georgiastip.com. The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment. For more information on the Georgia Department of Transportation, please visit www.dot.ga.gov. Group develops transportation improvement program draft The Valdosta-Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization has developed its 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Program draft for the Valdosta Urbanized Area, which includes all of Lowndes County and portions of Berrien and Lanier counties. This TIP is available for public review and comment from Sept. 1 through Oct. 15 at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission located at 327 W. Savannah Ave., the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library located at 300 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Valdosta City Hall located at 216 E. Central Ave., the Lowndes County Administrative Offices located at 325 W. Savannah Ave., or on the Web at www.sgrc.us/ transportation, www.valdostacity.com or www.lowndescounty.com. A public open house will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission located at 327 W. Savannah Ave. for interested parties to view the document and ask questions. Comments are accepted by email at chull@sgrc.us or by fax at 333-5312 or by mail at VLMPO, 327 W. Savannah Ave., Valdosta, Ga. 31601. To learn more, call Corey Hull, MPO coordinator, at 333-5277. http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_240211220.html/resources_printstory 10/1/2009 GA DOT seeks input on 4-year transportation plan - WTVM.com and WTVM News Lea... Page 1 of 2 << Back GA DOT seeks input on 4-year transportation plan Posted: Sep 08, 2009 3:43 PM EDT Updated: Sep 10, 2009 10:45 AM EDT Press Release THOMASTON, GA - The Georgia Department of Transportation invites the public to open houses to discuss the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). The STIP is a four-year program that specifies federally funded transportation projects for non-urban communities in rural Georgia for fiscal years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. These projects include, but are not limited to, new construction, improvements, and maintenance for interstates and state routes, and bridges. Additional projects include bicycle and pedestrian project, transportation enhancement projects and public transit projects. The Department has 2 remaining West Georgia open house meetings that the public may attend: Thursday, September 10, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Josh Gibson Youth and Family Resource Center in Buena Vista, GA, and Tuesday, September 15, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Milledgeville Mall. Attendees will be able to view the Draft FY 10-13 STIP, maps of projects in the local area, discuss projects with Georgia DOT staff, and submit comments on individual projects. All interested parties are encouraged to participate. The general public is invited to view projects planned for Butts, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Heard, Jones, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Peach, Pike, Pulaski, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, Upson, and Webster Counties. Projects for other counties in this region that are part of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (areas with more than 50,000 in population) will be available for public comment in a separate meeting, at a later date. The Draft FY 10-13 STIP will also be available on the internet at www.georgiastip.com. The Georgia Department of Transportation is committed to providing a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system that supports Georgia's economy and is sensitive to both its citizens and its environment. For more information on the Georgia Department of Transportation, please visit our web site (www.dot.ga.gov). Source: Georgia Department of Transportation http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?s=11093018&clienttype=printable 10/1/2009 DOT sets meeting on rural road plans | News | OnlineAthens.com Page 1 of 3 HOME DOGBYTES SPOTTED COMICS PREP SPORTS Banner-Herald Classifieds Extras Search: Site Web GO Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH Subscribe Contribute Customer Service Home The Athens Banner-Herald News News EMAIL PRINT COMMENT DOT sets meeting on rural road plans Athens Banner-Herald | Story updated at 10:28 pm on 8/22/2009 The state Department of Transportation will present information on the State Transportation Improvement Program, a four-year road plan for rural counties, at a public meeting next month in Jefferson. The open house will be held from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Jury Assembly Room of the Jackson County Courthouse and Government Complex, 5000 General Jackson Parkway. DOT engineers will have a review of upcoming federally funded road projects in rural counties, including Banks, Elbert, Franklin, Hart and Jackson. Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, August 23, 2009 WANT TO COMMENT? Comments are not edited and don't represent the views of the Athens Banner-Herald. Please read our Terms of Service. You can rate each comment by clicking the or buttons. To flag an inappropriate comment, click the button. Reader Comments http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/082309/new_484971763.shtml 10/2/2009 DOT seeks public comment on state transportation plan - WALB.com News, Weather an... Page 1 of 1 << Back DOT seeks public comment on state transportation plan Posted: Sep 03, 2009 11:29 PM EDT Updated: Sep 08, 2009 10:29 AM EDT By Wainwright Jeffers - bio | email ALBANY, GA (WALB) - The Department of Transportation wants you to know how it's spending your tax money. Thursday night at the Albany Mall, transportation officials showed off the statewide transportation improvement program for our region. It includes plans for new construction, improvements on interstates and other highways, and pedestrian projects in 30 mostly rural counties in south Georgia. "We're basically showing for the next four years from 2010-2013 the projects in these areas, basically bridge projects resurfacing projects, transit projects and a lot of bridge replacements," said Shane Pridgen, Planning & Program Engineer. Thursday The public was able to view plans for projects scheduled for the next three years and submit their comments on those projects. click here for more information. Feedback 2009 WALB News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All content Copyright 2000 - 2009 WorldNow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?s=11045047&clienttype=printable 10/2/2009 Georgia DOT seeks public comment on state transportation plan - WTXL ABC 27 Tallah... Page 1 of 1 <> El departamento de transportacin de Georgia (GDOT) busca sus opiniones y comentarios para el plan FY2010-2013, del Programa STIP, para mejoras al sistema de transporte y obras pblicas. El STIP es un programa de cuatro aos que identifica proyectos de transporte pagados por el gobierno federal en localidades rurales de Georgia durante los aos fiscales 2010, 2011, 2012, y 2013. Algunos de estos proyectos incluyen nuevas construcciones, mejoramientos y mantenimiento a las carreteras, rutas estatales, y puentes. Otros proyectos incluyen, vas para las bicicletas y los peatones, proyectos para el mejoramiento del transporte, y proyectos del transporte pblico. Las oficinas de GDOT de los distritos de << Gainesville/ Tennille/Thomaston/Tifton / Jessup/Cartersville>> ofrecern <> reuniones llamadas "Open House" para que puedan repasar el propuesto plan FY 10-13 STIP. Ver mapas de los proyectos, y hablar con el personal del GDOT y hacer comentarios formalmente. Las reuniones estn abiertas al pblico, y se le urge a la ciudadana que asista. Reuniones en el <> de Georgia se ofrecern en: <>, << Date>>, <