RTC is looking to the future. The organization held its first public meeting on the 2050 Regional Transportation plan on Thursday. The RTC Interim Director of Planning says it's a federal requirement to have this plan in place.
In 2017, the RTC unveiled a plan for 2040, so this could be considered an update of that. But the organization says that intense population growth and changes in transportation choices also make this planning necessary.
RTC kicked off efforts to get public input on the area's transportation needs for the next 30 years. “2050, I'm hoping the bike lanes that disappear like on Plumb Lane, you cannot travel through this city on a continuous bike path,” said local resident Twila Pivnick.
“Through the plan we try to get the public's input to identify projects that are needed. Also, part of the plan is to prioritize those projects. Our plan has to be what’s called fiscally constrained,” said RTC Interim Director of Planning Daniel Doenges.
As RTC is begins drafting it's 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, it's taking current needs into consideration. “Obviously we're looking at roadway and vehicular traffic. Freight is a big component of that. We also have our transit system our bicycle infrastructure, and our pedestrian infrastructure,” said Doenges.
It also means planning for emerging trends like scooters, Segways, and bike share. “What that may look like in terms of personal mobility devices,” said Doenges.
Three maps were presented at the meeting. One emphasizes improving roadway safety. “Frequency of crashes, rate of crashes, and severity of crashes are what we are taking into consideration. And we are trying to use those three measures to identify areas that have the most need for improvement,” said Doenges.
Other subjects include pavement conditions and travel time. The RTC says that adjusting the traffic light timing system helps with traffic issues. “When we improve the functionality of the traffic signals and have them timed to each other, that actually moves traffic along much better,” said Doenges
RTC says they are hoping to have another public meeting on the plan in April. For now, if you want to weigh in on the plan, you can go to the RTC website for a survey on the plan.
