Calhoun Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
The Commission provides program administrative support to the Calhoun Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) of the Calhoun Area Metropolitan Transportation Study. The Calhoun Area MPO has six member jurisdictions; Oxford, Anniston, Hobson City, Weaver, Jacksonville and urban portions of Calhoun County. The MPO was established in 1975 when a joint Transportation Planning Process Agreement was signed with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) in order to comply with the transportation planning requirements of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962. The 1962 Act specified that urbanized areas with a population of 50,000 or more must develop a 3 “C” planning process that is comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing. The 2015 joint transportation planning agreement was renewed by the member jurisdictions in April 2017. The MPO updated its bylaws in April 2003.
The MPO centers around three main committees. The Policy (Voting) Committee consists of elected officials from the member jurisdictions, the Executive Director of the EARPDC, the ALDOT 4 the Division Engineer and non-voting representatives from the Federal Highway (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Policy Committee meets at 10:00 am, the 3rd Thursday of each month. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) composed of technical and engineering personnel from the member jurisdictions meets at 10:00 am the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is made up of over 40 local citizens with an interest in transportation and meets at 10:00 am every other month on the 3rd or 4th Wednesday. Meeting notices are mailed out and posted on the EAC main page. The CAC is the primary committee providing on-going public review and comment on MPO projects as part of the required 2013 Public Participation Plan. The PPP also includes requirements to provide meeting notices in the primary-secondary language of the urban area (Spanish), TITLE VI Language Assistance notices and Complaint Forms in English and in Spanish and interpretation services if requested.
The Policy Committee (MPO), the TAC and the CAC are public meetings held in the EAC 3rd floor conference room at 1130 Quintard Avenue, Anniston, Alabama. The CAC and TAC can advise and recommend projects, policies, and action but the Policy (Voting) Committee has final decision-making authority. The MPO receives approximately $1.9 million in federal funds annually and is authorized to schedule and fund improvements for a network of functionally classified roads in the urban area on an 80/20 federal/local cost share basis. Functionally classified roads are divided into three types; principal and minor arterials, and urban collector roads which feed into these arterials. In the unincorporated county areas, rural collectors can be either minor or major collectors.
The MPO centers around three main committees. The Policy (Voting) Committee consists of elected officials from the member jurisdictions, the Executive Director of the EARPDC, the ALDOT 4 the Division Engineer and non-voting representatives from the Federal Highway (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The Policy Committee meets at 10:00 am, the 3rd Thursday of each month. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) composed of technical and engineering personnel from the member jurisdictions meets at 10:00 am the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is made up of over 40 local citizens with an interest in transportation and meets at 10:00 am every other month on the 3rd or 4th Wednesday. Meeting notices are mailed out and posted on the EAC main page. The CAC is the primary committee providing on-going public review and comment on MPO projects as part of the required 2013 Public Participation Plan. The PPP also includes requirements to provide meeting notices in the primary-secondary language of the urban area (Spanish), TITLE VI Language Assistance notices and Complaint Forms in English and in Spanish and interpretation services if requested.
The Policy Committee (MPO), the TAC and the CAC are public meetings held in the EAC 3rd floor conference room at 1130 Quintard Avenue, Anniston, Alabama. The CAC and TAC can advise and recommend projects, policies, and action but the Policy (Voting) Committee has final decision-making authority. The MPO receives approximately $1.9 million in federal funds annually and is authorized to schedule and fund improvements for a network of functionally classified roads in the urban area on an 80/20 federal/local cost share basis. Functionally classified roads are divided into three types; principal and minor arterials, and urban collector roads which feed into these arterials. In the unincorporated county areas, rural collectors can be either minor or major collectors.
The MPO is tasked with the development of three major transportation plans and in order to receive federal funds; an annual Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), a four year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), and a multi-year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). In addition, the MPO must develop a Public Participation Plan and provide opportunities for citizen review and comment for both the TIP and LRTP before final adoption of any of these two planning documents. In addition, each fall the MPO publishes an annual listing of projects authorized for funding by the Alabama Dept. of Transportation (ALDoT) during the previous fiscal year.
Each year the MPO develops a UPWP which outlines the several transportation planning activities and tasks for the MPO staff for the upcoming fiscal year. The UPWP includes a budget for each task and a table indicating MPO member dues necessary to provide the 20% local match to receive administrative funds. the Draft FY 16 UPWP was developed in March and April 2015. The MPO adopted the FY 16 UWP at its meeting on May 21st, 2015. The FY 16 UPWP can be seen by clicking on the blue highlighted words in the paragraph above. Every three years the MPO develops and adopts a four-year TIP identifying a four-year schedule of transportation improvement projects. The TIP consists not only of MPO projects sponsored by the local jurisdictions but also includes all related projects funded by and through the several funding sources including, the ALDoT, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Works Administration (FHWA), the State Safety Program, Federal Railroad Administration, special Congressional earmarks or demonstration projects, the Interstate Maintenance Program, the Defense Access Program, the Industrial Access Road program and others. The Draft FY 16-19 TIP was developed in March, April, and May 2015 and offered for public review and comment in May, June, and July. The Final FY 16-19 TIP was adopted July 16, 2015, and can be viewed by clicking on the blue highlighted words. In November 2003, as a part of and a supplement to the TIP, the MPO developed and adopted a Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan for the area which identifies potential pedestrian and bicycle facility improvement projects and policies. A goal of the Bicycle/Pedestrian plan is to increase safety and quality-of-life and to ensure that non-motorized transportation is established as a part of the transportation network. Projects and policies in the Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan can be funded by or through several options including; the general fund of the local jurisdiction, Transportation Enhancement Program grants, National Recreational Trails (NRT) grant program or an allocation of MPO funds. MPO staff have provided on-going administrative, grant application development, and technical assistance for the construction of the Chief Ladiga Trail, rails-to-trails project. The 2040 LRTP update began in the winter of 2013 and continued during the spring and summer of 2014. It is composed of capacity building, operations, and maintenance projects needed to accommodate growth occurring in the next 20 years. Public review of the Draft 2040 LRTP occurred during July, August and September 2014 and the plan was adopted by the MPO on October 16, 2015. The 2040 LRTP can be viewed by clicking on the blue highlighted words in the paragraph above. Each year in December the MPO publishes an End of the Year Report which briefly summarizes activities for each of the MPO committees and programs. The report is distributed to the media, CAC and MPO members and all interested citizens.
Most recently MPO member governments have been required to update their ADA Transition Plans. Each of the six member governments has worked to update ADA Transition plans in late 2015. In January 2016; Talladega County, Calhoun County, Oxford, Anniston, Weaver, Jacksonville, and Hobson City completed the updates for their ADA Transition Plans. Click on the highlighted names to view the ADA Transition Plans.
Each year the MPO develops a UPWP which outlines the several transportation planning activities and tasks for the MPO staff for the upcoming fiscal year. The UPWP includes a budget for each task and a table indicating MPO member dues necessary to provide the 20% local match to receive administrative funds. the Draft FY 16 UPWP was developed in March and April 2015. The MPO adopted the FY 16 UWP at its meeting on May 21st, 2015. The FY 16 UPWP can be seen by clicking on the blue highlighted words in the paragraph above. Every three years the MPO develops and adopts a four-year TIP identifying a four-year schedule of transportation improvement projects. The TIP consists not only of MPO projects sponsored by the local jurisdictions but also includes all related projects funded by and through the several funding sources including, the ALDoT, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Works Administration (FHWA), the State Safety Program, Federal Railroad Administration, special Congressional earmarks or demonstration projects, the Interstate Maintenance Program, the Defense Access Program, the Industrial Access Road program and others. The Draft FY 16-19 TIP was developed in March, April, and May 2015 and offered for public review and comment in May, June, and July. The Final FY 16-19 TIP was adopted July 16, 2015, and can be viewed by clicking on the blue highlighted words. In November 2003, as a part of and a supplement to the TIP, the MPO developed and adopted a Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan for the area which identifies potential pedestrian and bicycle facility improvement projects and policies. A goal of the Bicycle/Pedestrian plan is to increase safety and quality-of-life and to ensure that non-motorized transportation is established as a part of the transportation network. Projects and policies in the Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan can be funded by or through several options including; the general fund of the local jurisdiction, Transportation Enhancement Program grants, National Recreational Trails (NRT) grant program or an allocation of MPO funds. MPO staff have provided on-going administrative, grant application development, and technical assistance for the construction of the Chief Ladiga Trail, rails-to-trails project. The 2040 LRTP update began in the winter of 2013 and continued during the spring and summer of 2014. It is composed of capacity building, operations, and maintenance projects needed to accommodate growth occurring in the next 20 years. Public review of the Draft 2040 LRTP occurred during July, August and September 2014 and the plan was adopted by the MPO on October 16, 2015. The 2040 LRTP can be viewed by clicking on the blue highlighted words in the paragraph above. Each year in December the MPO publishes an End of the Year Report which briefly summarizes activities for each of the MPO committees and programs. The report is distributed to the media, CAC and MPO members and all interested citizens.
Most recently MPO member governments have been required to update their ADA Transition Plans. Each of the six member governments has worked to update ADA Transition plans in late 2015. In January 2016; Talladega County, Calhoun County, Oxford, Anniston, Weaver, Jacksonville, and Hobson City completed the updates for their ADA Transition Plans. Click on the highlighted names to view the ADA Transition Plans.
The MPO’s Policy Committee meets at 10:00 am the third Thursday of each month in the 3rd-floor conference room of the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (EARPDC) at 1130 Quintard Drive in Anniston. This is a public meeting and this is a handicapped accessible building and room. For more information contact:
Elizabeth (Libby) Messick, Regional PlannerPhone: (256) 237-6741
Fax: (256) 237-6763
Email: elizabeth.messick@earpdc.org
LINKS
For on-line Traffic Counts/Data for the Calhoun County area go to:
http://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/atd/default.aspx
Alabama Department of Transportation: www.dot.state.al.us
Alabama Transportation Planners Association: www.alabamatransportation.org
Chief Ladiga Trail Map
Northeast Alabama Bicycle Club: www.neaba.org
City of Jacksonville Bicycle Info Page: www.jacksovnille-al.org/CommunityLife
Federal Highway Administration: www.fhwa.dot.org
Federal Transit Administration: www.fta.dot.gov/
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations: http://www.ampo.org//
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals: www.apbp.org/
Rails to Trails Conservancy: www.railtrails.org/
TITLE VI Notice and Complaint Forms - English or Spanish
Benefits of Roundabouts
How to Use a Roundabout
Upcoming Events
EARPDC Board of Directors MeetingOct 09 / Nov 13 / Dec 11
Monthly Transit Advisory Board meeting, unless rescheduled, is on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
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