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Georgia

The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations

Georgia is the 21st largest state in the U.S. in land area, 10th largest in population, and 18th most densely populated. However, approximately 48 percent of Georgia's population and jobs, and 95 percent of the land, is non-urban. About 83 percent of Georgia's roads are rural. Federally owned lands amount to less than 5 percent of the state's land area.

Georgia is a growing state, as measured by population, with a growing rate of employment. The proportion of the state's jobs that are in the uniquely rural agriculture and mining sectors is small (4 and less than one percent, respectively). Most jobs in Georgia's rural areas are in sectors also common in urban areas: construction, transportation & utilities (15 percent); manufacturing (27 percent); business & trade (24 percent); and services & government (30 percent).

Demographically, Georgia's non-urban population is predominately white and African American (76 and 22 percent, respectively). Georgia has the 4th highest proportion of non-urban adults who did not graduate from college and the 13th lowest proportion that did graduate from college. The 16 percent of Georgia's non-urban people who are poor is greater than in most other states. About 41 percent of the state's non-urban population is in non-working age groups (29 percent 18 years or younger, and 12 percent 65 years or older).

Governmentally, Georgia has 159 counties, a fairly large number compared to many other states. The state also has 535 municipalities but no towns or townships. It has the 18th highest number of sub-county governments. Georgia does not have any federally recognized Indian tribes.

In addition, the 1997 U.S. Census of Governments has identified 22 independent, special-purpose governments in Georgia that have transportation responsibilities. This number is lower than in many other states. These special-purpose governments include 19 for airports, two for parking facilities, and one for transit. Georgia also has 72 other public transit providers serving rural areas and an additional 32 organizations that provide specialized transit services to elderly and disabled populations in those same areas. Georgia has 16 regional councils that cover approximately 100 percent of the state, and 10 MPOs. These regional units help to coordinate the other local governments and play a role in rural transportation programs as described below.

Of Georgia's 113,893 miles of Certified Official Roads, approximately 16 percent are state-controlled. Georgia has 4,668 miles of National Highway System (NHS) roads, which represent 4 percent of the total road miles in Georgia. Of the 4,668 miles of NHS roads, 4,382 miles (94 percent) are maintained by the state. Of the total 109,225 miles of non-NHS roads, 74 percent are county roads, 12 percent are city streets and 2 percent are on other systems. There are 83,129 miles of non-NHS rural roads, 14 percent are state routes, 78 percent are county roads, and 8 percent are other systems.

Processes For Consultation And Cooperation With Local Officials In Non-Metropolitan Areas

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) conducts transportation planning under the supervision of the Transportation Board. GDOT has 7 engineering districts, 6 of which are rural. There are 16 Regional Development Centers. The centers are established by counties and municipalities in accordance with state law, and are overseen by advisory boards of local officials. Counties and cities are required to have comprehensive plans, with a transportation component. GDOT provides financial (with local matching funds) and technical support to the centers for planning.

In Georgia, the consultative process covers all areas of transportation planning, from individual transportation project development to the 6-year construction plan, the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and the Statewide Transportation Plan (SWTP). It also covers all modes of transportation and requires an initial and continuing involvement of local officials and the public during the course of a planning study, as well as development of the various state plans and programs. Local officials from rural and developing portions of metropolitan planning areas have the same representation on the technical and policy committees of MPOs as officials from the more populated portions of the MPO study area.

After ISTEA, Georgia developed an action plan for public involvement. In part, the plan was a result of a statewide public involvement initiative known as T2000, which was a blue ribbon commission made up of transportation stakeholders. The commission sought advice, ideas and opinions from the public on various issues at over 15 public forums held throughout the state.

The Statewide Transportation Plan is updated every five years. An advisory committee is assembled from stakeholders for each revision. The committee participates in the public involvement process and helps to ensure there is adequate representation of all stakeholders at the public meetings held in all regions of the state. Public meetings are held at the beginning of the update process to solicit ideas and recommendations. A second round of public meetings is held midway through the update process that shares findings of technical and economic trends. Comments from these meetings are considered in developing the final plan recommendations.

At the beginning of the annual STIP update process, GDOT staff meets with officials of every county and city to discuss projects in the draft STIP and solicit recommendations and/or concurrence on the proposals. Additionally, the six rural GDOT district offices, in cooperation with the Regional Development Centers, conduct STIP public review meetings. At these meetings, local citizens, stakeholders, and elected officials are provided with information on the purpose of the STIP and their role in its development. They are also guided through the draft STIP and given an opportunity to comment. Based on the input the public, stakeholders and elected officials, GDOT develops the 6-year construction work program; the first three years of the program is the STIP. The STIP, including the urban TIPs, is forwarded to the State Transportation Board for approval.

GDOT established a core group of individuals and organizations known as the Family of Partners that is made up of about 2800 stakeholders. Through newsletters and mailings GDOT keeps them informed of new developments affecting transportation programs and projects of major importance. This core group also plays a major role in assisting GDOT to obtain public input into the transportation planning process.

There are no officially designated Indian Tribal lands within the state. However, representatives of indigenous Indian Tribes are invited to participate in the planning process, especially when proposed transportation projects could have an impact on recognized historic or archeological Indian sites. During the STIP development process, GDOT also meets with representatives of appropriate federal land management agencies to discuss their needs within the state and to mutually select projects for funding within their domains.

Georgia funds rural transportation projects through a combination of federal highway, federal transit, state and local funding-including some competitive federal grants such as Scenic Byways, Coast Guard, and National Park Service. The majority of state transportation funding is a combination of federal funds and state gas tax. Counties and cities can also apply for Local Assistance Road Program funding, a portion of the state gas tax is used to finance this program. The program is distributed on application by a formula of road miles and population. About 30 counties have also enacted a local option sales tax for transportation.

Georgia uses these practices:

State Consultation Tours: At the beginning of the annual STIP update process, GDOT meets with every county and city to discuss the draft STIP and obtain input and recommendations.
State Hearings: The T2000 commission held over 15 public forums throughout the state; GDOT and the Regional Development Centers sponsor public information meetings in each of the regions and in the six rural GDOT districts during the STIP development process.
Roles of RPOs: Regional development centers have a role in planning, helping to set up STIP review meetings and working with GDOT districts.
Statewide Policy-Making and Advisory Boards: Transportation Board; the T2000 Commission; the Family of Partners.

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