Northwest Hills COG Regional Transportation Plan Study - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

FITZGERALD & HALLIDAY, INC.

Innovative Planning, Better Communities

Northwest Hills COG Regional Transportation Plan

October 8. 2015

Study Introduction

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• 1. Project Overview
• 2. Approach, Process and Products
• 3. Outreach
• 4. Status
• 5. Next Steps
• 6. NHCOG Visioning Exercise

Agenda

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Ruth Fitzgerald, AICP--Project Manager

› Transportation planning, quality assurance, collaboration

• Carol Gould, AICP--Principal Project Planner

› Community/Transportation Planning, plan preparation

• Rory Fitzgerald—Project Planner

› Data collection and analysis, documentation, outreach

• Eric Smith—Project Planner

› Documentation, mapping, graphics, technology

The FHI Project Team

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

Why an RTP now?

• New region
• Previous plans are dated
• To articulate a multimodal vision
• Position the region for funding
• Changing landscape…..

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

› Rural roads/bridges › Economic sustainability › Preserve character/heritage › Historic rail service › Active tourism/recreation › State roads as Main Street › Mobility for carless/elderly › Access to essential services › Quality of life

Why a Regional Transportation Plan?

• 1. To identify the Region’s vision and needs

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

› Multimodal approach › Guide for transportation investment › Financial plan › Performance measures › Public involvement › Environmental justice

Why a Regional Transportation Plan?

• 2. To meet federal funding requirements

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Begin with a vision

› Start with the end in mind

• Partner with COG and member communities

› You drive plan outcomes › Municipal liaisons

• Optimize stakeholder engagement

› Maximize input within limited resources

• Prepare plan that is:

› clear › visually rich › Implementable!

Project Approach

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

1: Research and Analysis 2: Discern Regional Transportation Vision 3: Community Engagement 4: Transportation Priorities and Alternative Scenarios 5: Draft Regional Transportation Plan 6: Final Regional Transportation Plan :

Work Plan

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

Project Flow

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Vision Statement (and goals)
• Website
• Flyer
• Initial list of projects
• Performance measures
• Draft plan
• Final plan

Project Products

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

Good planning requires an understanding of the vision and desires of those who live, work and travel in the study area. We need to listen carefully to local voices.

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Reach a cross-section of

stakeholders

› Survey › Contact list › Website › Flyers

• Member municipalities

› Interviews

• Encourage dialogue

› E-mails, NHCOG website, flyers, forums

Engaging Stakeholders

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Three Stakeholder forums

› Rail (Housatonic Rail Line) › Transit › Bike/ped

• Listen well
• Incorporate input and get

feedback

› Public forum on draft plan

Engaging Stakeholders Continued…

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

Project Schedule

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Initial meeting with NHCOG

staff › Previous plans › Current TIP

• Development of survey
• Flyer
• Municipal Liaisons—many

appointments scheduled

• Website
• Initial meeting with NHCOG

What Have We Done So Far?

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

Now through end of 2015

• Research

› Baseline conditions › Trends › Review previous plans/documents

• Survey and interviews
• Draft vision statement/goals
• Draft performance matrix
• Initial list of projects/actions

NEXT STEPS

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

FITZGERALD & HALLIDAY, INC.

Innovative Planning, Better Communities

Northwest Hills COG Regional Transportation Plan

Questions/Comments??

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Rural New England character

› Cultural heritage and preservation of assets

• Natural resource assets and strong

communities

• “Good bones” for transportation

improvements

› Roads/bridges › Transit › Housatonic Railroad › Strong bicycling community › Other??

NHCOG Opportunities??

A Vision conversation……….

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

• Aging population
• Shrinking funds
• Deteriorating infrastructure
• Maintaining character
• Economic development

competitiveness

• Access to jobs
• Non-motorized transportation
• pportunities
• Other??

NHCOG Challenges???

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

FITZGERALD & HALLIDAY, INC.

Innovative Planning, Better Communities

Northwest Hills COG Regional Transportation Plan

Thank you!!!

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

The Products

Products as part of the process, wrapped into a user friendly plan,

• Vision Statement
• Performance

measures

• Scenarios Matrix
• Implementation

Plan

NHCOG Regional Transportation Plan

The Outcomes

Real world strategies.....Fiscally constrained

Regional Strategies Town-by-Town recommendations