April 2004

The Georgia Department Of Transportation (GDOT) made two moves recently that could prove positive to bicycling and walking everywhere in the state.

One of the actions re-emphasizes GDOT's policy of accommodating bike routes into road widening and new road projects when such are identified in official local documents. The other action, which is detailed below, is creating regional bicycling and walking plans around the state. We can thank Amy Goodwin, the GDOT State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, and Joe Palladi, the State Transportation Planning Administrator, for both of the moves.

GDOT has contracted with 15 of the state's Regional Development Centers (RDCs) to develop region-wide bicycle and pedestrian plans. These RDC plans will: - designate roads and areas for bikeway improvements, - identify roads and areas for pedestrian improvements, and - develop recommendations and funding such projects and programs. This should help the regions identify, prioritize, and seek funding for bike/ped projects and programs. It will also help guide GDOT's bike/ped program goals as well as help GDOT better accommodate bike/ped routes and facilities into future road improvement projects. Note that these regional plans will not overlap existing MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) bike/ped plans. And as a measure of temperance, note that even when everything goes perfectly with plans, funding, design, and construction, it can easily be 2 to 5 years before the first results are seen.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
The development of each of the 15 RDC bike/ped plans will include a public planning process; a citizens' advisory committee; and other opportunities for input. YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE... START BY GETTING IN CONTACT WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE RDC TODAY. Time is of the essence since some of the RDCs anticipate finishing as early as October 2004 (the GDOT contracts allow completion as late as April 2005).

Information about the RDCs including a state map of their districts can be viewed at: www.dca.state.ga.us/planning/regdev.html . *The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the only RDC not doing a bike/ped plan (they are a MPO and already have plans).* Contact information for each RDC's transportation person is posted in the Resources section of the GEORGIA BIKES! website: www.georgiabikes.org .

The GDOT's re-emphasis of their bicycling accommodation policy and their contracting with RDCs to create regional bike/ped plans represent proactive moves. These actions also provide superb opportunities for everyone to help shape the bike/ped directions of their community and region. Please be involved. Many of you did just that during the development of GDOT's Statewide Bicycle Route Network Plan in the mid 1990's -- those routes are now being signed and improved (e.g. State Bike Routes 10 and 95 were signed a couple of years ago and bike lanes were recently opened in Savannah and Statesboro because the roads being improved were on State Bike Routes 35 and 95). So, ask your local government about having an official bike/ped document and ask your RDC to include you in the development of its regional bicycle and pedestrian plan.

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DAVID CRITES Executive Director (volunteer),
GEORGIA BIKES!
P.O. Box 49755
Atlanta, Georgia 30359
404-634-6745
georgiabikes@bellsouth.net