Multi-County Planning Study
Project Overview
Federal regulations implementing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) require long-range transportation plans to ensure a transportation system that serves economic, mobility, and accessibility needs. In non-attainment areas, such as the metropolitan Atlanta region, long range transportation plans must conform to federal air quality standards and should be comprehensively developed in cooperation and coordination with local, state, and federal planning partners as well as the general public.
To meet air quality and long range transportation planning needs, GDOT initiated a study of counties surrounding the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) ten county metropolitan Atlanta area. The study purpose is to identify and meet transportation and air quality challenges over the next thirty years. GDOT contracted with Day Wilburn Associates, Inc. to complete the task of developing transportation plans and programs for the eleven counties within the Atlanta ozone non-attainment area but not members of the ARC.
The overall study effort was divided into two phases: (1) the Atlanta Suburban Counties Study completed in early 2003 and included Bartow, Coweta, Forsyth, Newton, and Paulding Counties and (2) the Multi-County Study which is currently underway and includes Barrow, Carroll, Dawson, Hall, Spalding, and Walton Counties. Many of these counties are among the fastest growing in the United States. They are under significant growth pressures, with a need to not only provide transportation infrastructure but also address air quality challenges.
As with the Atlanta Suburban Counties Study, the primary objectives of the Multi-County Study are to develop transportation plans and programs for six counties while developing operational plans for implementing an on-going planning process meeting state and federal planning requirements after the studies are complete. Four of the six counties in the study area have been designated “urbanized” by the U.S. Census. Urbanized areas are subject to the required urban planning process for transportation. The study will introduce the urban planning process to the urbanizing counties: Barrow, Walton, Spalding, and Hall. Another important element is developing procedures to guide future GDOT actions when a county is designated as non-attainment for air quality purposes.
Extensive public involvement will be undertaken, such as stakeholder groups, community dialogue sessions, small citizen groups, and publishing newsletters. Public involvement includes assertively outreaching to groups who have been traditionally underserved by transportation investments. Individual interviews with county staff and elected officials are another important part of this public outreach effort as a supplement to formal meetings.
This important planning effort will require the development of travel demand models for the counties in the study area. Where current travel models exist, these models will be updated. Socioeconomic estimates and projections will be developed to guide plan development.
Needs for study area counties will be identified in a collaborative process focusing on using both quantitative models and qualitative discussions with local, state and federal planning partners. Needs will be forecast through 2030 with multimodal transportation strategies identified.
Upon completion of the planning process, all study area counties will have transportation plans and programs meeting federal requirements, including those dealing with the complex federal requirements impacting air quality planning. Procedures will be established to put into place an on going process where transportation and air quality planning occurs not only in a local, but also a regional context.
What Does The Study Mean To An Average Citizen?
The study will ensure that:
Air quality issues, as they relate to transportation, are anticipated and dealt with for the benefit of all.
Transportation issues such as mobility, accessibility, and safety are identified and responded to in a cost-effective manner with a long-term perspective. 2030 is the target year for the study.
Local governments will each have a unique needs-based 30-year plan to anticipate, prepare for, and meet increasingly difficult transportation related challenges.
Local governments will have a process for planning and programming transportation improvements that is approved by GDOT and each county.
The public is involved in the development of the processes and plans described above.
Study Area Map
The counties shown in dark green are those which are included in the Multi-County Study. Those shown in light green were part of the Atlanta Suburban Counties Study.
