Transportation

With growing population throughout the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, and decreasing funding, it is becoming increasingly important to make smarter choices about our transportation options. The ideal options will provide a balanced transportation system integrating all travel modes and complementing environmental, economic, and community development goals.

Interested in Involving the Public in Transportation Planning? Join the CHART Committee!

The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is seeking applications to fill two (2) vacancies on its citizen’s advisory committee, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Transportation (CHART) Committee. The CHART Committee acts in an advisory capacity to the MPO and encourages public involvement in transportation planning. The Committee meets monthly on the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at TJPDC, 401 E. Water Street. To download the application, please click here. Applications should be received on or before Friday, January 29th 2010. For more information, please visit the MPO and CHART web pages. Questions? Please contact Sarah Eissler at the 434-979-7310 ext. 360 or seissler@tjpdc.org.

For a summary of the CHART Committee’s role and responsibilities please click here.

TIP Amendment Approved

On November 23, 2009, the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board approved an amendment to the FY09 to FY12 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). This amendment allows for the inclusion of second round stimulus funds. These funds are specifically allocated local transit organizations, Charlottesville Transit Service(CTS) and JAUNT, and will be used for Capital Improvements. If you have any questions regarding this TIP amendment. Click here to view the signed resolution. Please contact Sarah Eissler by phone at (434) 979-7310 ext. 360 or by email at seissler@tjpdc.org.

RideShare Launches Expansion into Shenandoah Valley

The RideShare program recently expanded to cover the Central Shenandoah Planning District, which includes the five counties of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockbridge and Rockingham and the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro. “RideShare has offered carpool matching to those commuting into or out of the Charlottesville region since the ‘80s,” says RideShare Program Manager, Lisa Horanyi. “We already have RideShare carpools going from Waynesboro to Charlottesville. Now those commuting to areas like Harrisonburg can find a carpool match as well.”  The expanded service was launched during the 6th Annual RideShare Week, October 12-16. For more information, contact Lisa Horanyi at lhoranyi@tjpdc.org or 434-979-7210 x330.

Greene County Multimodal Corridor Study Completed

The Renaissance Planning Group has completed the “Multimodal Corridor Study for the US 29 and US 33 Development Areas in Greene County”. The study was funded through a Multimodal Planning Grant awarded by Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to the TJPDC and was timed to coincide with the updating of the Greene County Comprehensive Plan. Renaissance is the consultant to the TJPDC for the project, which includes multimodal transportation solutions, land use strategies, and an implementation plan specific to Greene County, while addressing regional travel needs on the US29 and US33 corridors.  The Study was presented to the Greene County Board of Supervisors on August 25. It has provided valuable information to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as they complete the update to the Comprehensive Plan.The full Study is available online here. For questions or more information, contact Bill Wanner at 434-979-7310 x390.

Downtown Trail Project

The City of Charlottesville Neighborhood Development Services Office and the Albemarle County Office of Community Development have asked TJPDC staff to examine possible locations for a commuter bicycle route along Route 29 North. In the long term it is hoped that this commuter bike trail extends from the UVA Research Park to Downtown Charlottesville and, eventually, to UVA. This commuter “trail” is intended to promote multimodal transportation options along the often congestion corridor. TJPDC staff is researching what facilities exist, are being constructed in the near future, and are planned for the long term. The Downtown Trail Steering Committee, which is made up of representatives from the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County and VDOT, will guide work on this project, whose overall goal is to create a non-vehicular transportation link between the residential and employment centers of the City and County. The existing Downtown Trail hopefully will serve as the backbone for a more complete bicycling network in urban area localities of the region. For additional information, contact Sarah Eissler at seissler@tjpdc.org or 434-979-7310 x360.

Changes to the MPO Meeting Schedule

The MPO committee schedule has been altered in an effort to make all MPO Committees more efficient. The Community Mobility Committee, which focuses on multimodal transportation options, and the MPO Tech Committee, which focuses on roadway and major transit issues, have been merged on a trial basis to create a more balanced perspective about transportation issues in the MPO. The merged committee will meet the third Tuesday of every other month at 10am at Charlottesville’s CitySpace, with the next meeting being November 17th. The MPO Policy Board also is now meeting bimonthly on the fourth Wednesday of every other month at 4 pm at City Space. However, the next meeting for the Policy Board is scheduled for Monday, November 23rd due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Second Edition Toolkit Now Available

The Second Edition of the Transportation and Housing Alliance (THA) Toolkit is now available and ready for use. The Transportation and Housing Alliance (THA) is a statewide initiative in Virginia linking public and private efforts in the areas of housing and transportation. The Toolkit was produced through a grant awarded to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD). VBPD recognized the important role of Planning District Commissions in developing and using this Toolkit.

The purpose of the Toolkit is to create plans that lead to livable communities for all citizens. The Toolkit provides approaches to assess current housing and transportation needs, project future needs, and identify overlapping issues and opportunities. To learn more, please visit our THA Toolkit Page.

Transportation Tomorrow Workshop Presentation now Available.

Early survey results from an FTA funded project were presented to the public at the Transportation Tomorrow workshop on May 21st. Data presented was taken from a random phone survey of 300 residents in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area. The results will be combined with results from related surveys to create a Regional Transit Assessment Toolkit. The online survey portion of the project was open through May 31st at www.transportationtomorrow.com. Click here to view the presentation. For more information on this project, contact Lisa Horanyi at lhoranyi@tjpdc.org.

MPO Approves the FY10 United Planning and Work Program (UPWP) and the 2009-2011 Public Participation Policy (PPP)

The MPO Policy Board approved both documents at the April 22, 2009 meeting. The FY10 UPWP will take effect on July 1, 2009 and specifies the activities and funding streams for the MPO for the coming fiscal year. The PPP has been revised and is easier to reference. It will next be reviwed in 2011.
Click here to view the FY10 UPWP
Click here to view the 2009-2011 PPP

Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Effort Continues - Enabling Legislation Passed in General Assembly Session

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and the Charlottesville City Council received enabling legislation authorizing the formation of an RTA from the General Assembly during the 2009 session. This legislation does not form the Authority, but grants the City and the County permission to form the Authority when deemed appropriate by both bodies. A second piece of legislation that would have granted enabling authority for the County and City to ask voters if they would approve of an increase to the local sales tax by up to one-cent in each locality did not pass. Revenues that might be generated by the tax would be used to fund the operations of the new RTA and remaining funds would be used for other priority transportation projects.

Beginning in April 2009, the RTA Joint Working Group (JWG) will be reconvening at the direction of the Board and Council to discuss the next steps for the RTA. For more information, visit our RTA page.

Achieving Goals

Achieving our goals involves the input of many community agencies and resources. Through various committees and partnerships, our community benefits from the careful planning and implementation of a balanced plan that includes roadway, bikeway, pedestrian, and transit projects. The transportation planning programs are funded and supported by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Association (FTA), and our member jurisdictions.

The TJPDC staff work alongside City, County, and State staff on a variety of projects that benefit our region. The TJPDC provides staff support and is active on the following committees: MPO Policy Board, MPO Technical, CHART Citizens, Rural Transportation, Bike and Walk, Park and Ride, Community Mobility, and Commuter Information Team. This opportunity allows the seamless coordination of comprehensive work plans that rely on regional cooperation.