Planning commissioners received a roundup of regional transportation projects on Tuesday at the Metropolitan Planning Commission, looking ahead at ways to ease present and future congestion problems and promote better connectivity throughout Savannah.
Mark Wilkes, a project manager with the MPC, gave a detailed PowerPoint to eight board members on the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Total Mobility Plan, adopted on Aug. 27.
That mobility plan is an update to a similar framework created in 2009 outlining the area’s long-range transportation options over the next 25 years. Each plan must be routinely reassessed and updated to continue to be eligible for federal funding.
Among the numerous projects and studies highlighted were the Interstate 16 flyover removal, the SR 204 corridor and the U.S. 80 bridge widening.
Wilkes said the I-16 flyover removal had recently moved into its second phase, with consultants now conducting an Interchange Modification Report. This report is a vital step to getting the Georgia Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to sign off on the project because it involves changing the interstate system, though it will still need local buy-in for design and funding.
“Will there be a vote for the public to have input?” asked board member Murray Marshall.
“The general public will have a voice as we go along,” said Tom Thomson, executive director of the MPC. “Ultimately, we’ll need to get approval from City Council if this is something they still support.”
He said that likely wouldn’t come until after the interchange modification study, which also involves a lengthy environmental component. Thomson acknowledged the process was slow and could stretch another decade.
Anticipating future congestion along SR 204, Wilkes told commissioners they were still studying the possibility of elevated lanes to separate regional thru-traffic from local.
This proposal would allow commuters going to Georgetown, Richmond Hill and New Hampstead to get there a little quicker, while maintaing access and adding bike and pedestrian accommodations to the lower roadway.
“Frankly, we have our detractors on this concept,” said Thomson in response to a question on the project’s support.
He said the state’s DOT is leery of the construction of elevated structures, preferring to widen roads at grade.
Although this type of roadway hasn’t been done before in the state of Georgia, Thomson pointed to similar concepts in Tampa and other parts of Florida. He said starting on this concept now could avoid future headaches and would ultimately be cheaper than buying right-of-way on a pricey commercial thoroughfare.
“Because by our projections … 204 will look like the west end of DeRenne in 10-15 years,” said Thomson. “I don’t think we’re too early, it might be too visionary.”
Commissioner Lacy Manigault agreed.
“Third-world countries are doing this … we’re so far behind compared to other countries,” he said.
An update on the U.S. 80 bridge widening — to accommodate emergency vehicles, more traffic and bikes — was described as “complicated” due to the environmental impact studies that are needed, but Wilkes said the GDOT had advanced this program.
Among several ongoing projects, Wilkes said the MPO was looking at an Advanced Traffic Management System to better handle traffic especially in the event of a storm.
According to a study they conducted, Thomson said the city maintains between 75-80 percent of all traffic lights in the area with the county taking care of the rest. He said the idea would be to create a unified system overseen by a traffic management center that streamlines police, fire and other city resources.
“Thirty percent of the congestion identified (in that study) could be alleviated by a traffic management system,” said Thomson.
Jane Love, a transportation planner, gave a presentation on the county’s nonmotorized plan, emphasizing that they want to encourage more bike and pedestrian improvements to give commuters options besides cars.
“Recreation might be an incidental use, but we’re using it as a transportation option,” said Love.
Overall, asked how the CORE MPO stacks up against heavy hitters like Atlanta and Augusta for capturing coveted and fickle transportation funding, Thomson said Savannah was holding its own.
Between federal, state and SPLOST funds, expected revenue for CORE MPO is at about $1.19 billion, said Wilkes, the majority of which goes to programs looking at roadway capacity and reconstruction projects.
However, Wilkes said, the MPO was still looking at nearly $3.5 billion in unmet needs, i.e. longer-range projects for which they’d like to eventually get funding.
“Keeping the program priorities constant helps get things done,” said Thomson. “The county and city have done a good job getting things to construction.”
Last year about $250 million projects went under construction, he said, including the Truman Parkway, a sum of money he described as pretty good for this size area.
“Of course, then there is that $3 billion list of projects that would be nice to do in the next 50 years,” said Thomson. “We certainly have other projects we’d like to do.”
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For more information on transportation projects and the Total Mobility Plan, go to www.thempc.org/transportation