PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

March MPO Meetings and Proposed Amendment to Metropolitan Planning Organization Bylaws

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board will meet on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 10:00 AM at Daphne City Hall in the Council Chambers at 1705 Main St, Daphne, AL 36526. During this meeting the Policy Board will consider amending the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization Bylaws. The proposed amendment would add a representative from the Baldwin County Board of Education to the Technical Advisory Committee. A copy of the proposed amendment and comment forms are available on the MPO website. Comments must be received on or before Monday, March 17, 2014.

The Technical Advisory Committee will meet on March 19, 2014, at 10:00 AM in the Baldwin County Highway Department Conference Room on the 3^rd floor of the Regions Bank building; 22070 Hwy 59, Robertsdale, AL 36567.

The Citizens Advisory Committee will meet on March 18, 2014, at 1:00 PM in the Daphne City Hall Executive Meeting Room at 1705 Main St, Daphne, AL 36526.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet on March 18, 2014, at 10:00 AM in the Daphne City Hall Executive Meeting Room at 1705 Main St, Daphne, AL 36526.

The proposed combined agenda for each meeting may be viewed on the Eastern Shore MPO website: (http://www.easternshorempo.org/) fourteen days prior to the meeting.  For more information regarding any of the information above, please contact the Eastern Shore MPO at 251-990-4640.

Click here to view the Agenda

PRESS RELEASE

EASTERN SHORE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE EASTERN SHORE – January 23, 2014 – The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board held a meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2014, in the City of Fairhope Council Chambers in Fairhope, Alabama. The Policy Board is the governing body of the MPO.

The first item of business for the MPO Policy Board was consideration of a proposed resolution to amend the MPO planning area to include the causeway and I-10 bayway up to the Baldwin County line. The MPO planning area represents the geographic area(s) likely to become urbanized within the next twenty years. Because the bayway and causeway are important components of the Eastern Shore MPO’s transportation network, adding these thoroughfares to the planning area allows the Policy Board to consider the bayway and causeway in the MPO’s long range transportation plans. The Policy Board followed the recommendations of the MPO Advisory Committees and unanimously adopted Resolution 2014-01 amending the planning area to include the causeway and bayway.

The Policy Board discussed whether the MPO member governments should be required to have a resolution from their governing councils before submitting a project to be included on an MPO project list.[1] After considering the different pros and cons of various options the Policy Board unanimously elected to follow the recommendation of the Citizens Advisory Committee and allow a project to be submitted onto the visionary/needs project list without a resolution but require the affirmative vote of the Policy Board members (or their proxies) representing the local government who is sponsoring the project.

The Policy Board considered fourteen projects submitted to be added to the visionary/needs project list. The visionary list is a list of unfunded projects that are recognized needs within the planning area. After considering each of the submitted projects and hearing the recommendation of the MPO Advisory Committees, the Policy Board adopted Resolution 2014-03 adding the fourteen projects to the MPO visionary list.

With the added projects the visionary list now contains twenty one projects: one in the City of Spanish Fort, seven in the City of Daphne, seven in the City of Fairhope, and six Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) projects. Projects can be viewed on the MPO interactive project map available on the MPO website (http://easternshorempo.org/interactive-map/).

MPO staff provided an update to the Policy Board regarding the travel model development for the MPO planning area. The MPO is currently building a computer model that will help identify traffic congestion issues that the Eastern Shore is likely to face in the next 25-30 years. The model will help the MPO Policy Board and the Advisory Committees evaluate the needs and possible solutions throughout the planning area.

The travel model divides the MPO planning area into 275 zones and then calculates the estimated number of trips from each zone to every other zone based on households, employment, and school enrollment in each zone. The MPO collected the following 2010 data for the MPO planning area:

• 2010 Population: 98,178
• 2010 Occupied Households: 38,898
• 2010 Avg. Persons per Household: 2.54
• 2010 Businesses: 5737 (Retail: 1268; Nonretail: 4473)
• 2010 Employees: 41,067 (Retail: 12,947; Nonretail: 28,120)
• 2010 Students: 20,207

The MPO developed 2040 projections from three independent third-party sources. Based on these projections, MPO staff anticipate the planning area population to increase from 98,178 to approximately 164,262 (a 66,000+ increase). The Policy Board members agreed that the coming population will require the local governments to work together to find creative solutions for our transportation needs, especially as funding for transportation projects continues to dry up.

The Policy Board adopted Resolution 2014-04 amending the MPO Bylaws to change the title of the Baldwin County Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) representative and to clarify the quorum requirements for the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

A transcript of the meeting minutes for the Policy Board meeting is expected to be available on the MPO website in approximately two weeks. Meeting minutes for Advisory Committee meetings are currently available on the MPO website.

The next meeting of the Eastern Shore MPO Policy Board is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 10:00 AM in the Council Chambers at Daphne City Hall. For more information regarding the Eastern Shore MPO please visit www.easternshorempo.org or email coordinator@easternshorempo.org.

 

Click the link below to view the Agenda Action Taken for the January 22, 2014 Policy Board meeting. Meeting Minutes are anticipated February 5, 2014.

Agenda Action Report

PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

January MPO Meetings and Proposed Amendment to Metropolitan Planning Organization Bylaws

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board will meet on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the Fairhope Municipal Complex in the Council Chambers at 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, Alabama 36532. During this meeting the Policy Board will consider amending the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization Bylaws. The proposed amendments would change the Baldwin County representative on the Technical Advisory Committee from “County Engineer” to “Baldwin County Highway Department Representative” as well as clarify the quorum requirements for the Citizens Advisory Committee and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. A copy of the proposed amendment and comment forms are available on the MPO website. Comments must be received on or before Tuesday, January 14, 2014.

The Technical Advisory Committee will meet on January 15, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse in the Commission Conference room at 1100 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope, Alabama 36532.

The Citizens Advisory Committee will meet on January 14, 2014 at 1:00 PM at the Fairhope Municipal Complex in the Council Chambers at 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, Alabama 36532.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet on January 14, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the Fairhope Municipal Complex in the Council Chambers at 161 North Section Street, Fairhope, Alabama 36532.

The proposed combined agenda for each meeting may be viewed on the Eastern Shore MPO website: (http://www.easternshorempo.org/) fourteen days prior to the meeting.  For more information regarding any of the information above, please contact the Eastern Shore MPO at 251-990-4640.

Click Here to View the Bylaws with Proposed Amendments

Click Here to View the Policy Board Agenda

Click Here to View the Technical Advisory Committee Agenda

Click Here to View the Citizens Advisory Committee Agenda

Click Here to View the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Agenda

PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS REGARDING THE AMENDMENT TO METROPOLITAN PLANNING AREA BOUNDARIES

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board will consider amending the MPO Bylaws at its January 22, 2014 meeting. The amendment would expand the Metropolitan Planning Area boundaries to include the causeway and the bayway in Spanish Fort up to the Baldwin County/Mobile County line.

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization will conduct a public meeting to receive comments on the expansion of the Metropolitan Planning Area:

MEETING INFORMATION:

• Date: January 10^th,  2014
• Time: 3-4 PM
• Location:

Spanish Fort United Methodist Church

The Gathering Place

6530 Spanish Fort Boulevard, Suite D

Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability or family status.  Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or those requiring language translation services should contact the Eastern Shore MPO at 251-990-4643.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS REGARDING THE Goals and Strategies of the Long Range Transportation Plan

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (ESMPO) has begun working on its Draft 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and is seeking input from members of the public on the proposed Goals and Strategies of the LRTP.

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization will conduct two public meetings to receive comments on the Goals and Strategies of the Long Range Transportation Plan:

MEETING 1:

Date: November 18^th, 2013

Time: 6-8 PM

Location:

Baldwin County (Fairhope) Satellite Courthouse

Commission Conference Room

1100   Fairhope Avenue

Fairhope, Alabama36532

 

MEETING 2:

Date: November 19^th,  2013

Time: 6-8 PM

Location:

Spanish Fort United Methodist Church

The Gathering Place

6530 Spanish Fort Boulevard, Suite D

Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527

 

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability or family status.  Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or those requiring language translation services should contact the Eastern Shore MPO at 251-990-4643.

Press Release

EASTERN SHORE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE EASTERN SHORE – October 23, 2013 – The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board held a meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, in the meeting room at Bass Pro Shops in Spanish Fort, Alabama. The Policy Board is the governing body of the MPO.

The primary issue before the MPO Policy Board was whether the MPO should utilize available funding for regional projects or local projects. The Eastern Shore MPO was designated an urban area in 2013 after the 2010 Census indicated that the population on the Eastern Shore had surpassed the 50,000 threshold. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), through the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), allocates transportation project funds to urban areas based on the urban area’s population. In fiscal year 2013 FHWA allocated $1,207,212 to the Eastern Shore MPO urbanized area.

The Policy Board is responsible for identifying and prioritizing needed transportation projects within the MPO planning area and then allocating the FHWA project funds to the high-priority projects. FHWA project funds must be matched 20% with local funds. For every $1,200,000 of federal funds allocated to projects the local governments must contribute $300,000 of local funds to those projects. While $1,500,000 (federal + match) is not a large sum of money when it comes to transportation projects, the Policy Board discussed how these funds might be leveraged to tackle some of the regional transportation needs facing the local governments. MPO project funds can be spent on functionally classified roads within the MPO planning area.

The Policy Board considered seven projects submitted for consideration by the MPO. When reviewing a submitted project the Policy Board can add the proposed project to one of three MPO lists: 1) Visionary List (needed projects with no funding commitment); 2) Financially Constrained List (projects with foreseeable funding but not within the next four years); 3) Transportation Improvement Program List (projects funded in the next four years). Alternatively, the Policy Board can choose to exclude a project from any of the lists.

MPO staff recommended that the Policy Board freely add needed projects to the MPO Visionary List. Though some non-regional projects may not be funded by the Policy Board, having the projects on the Visionary List may open the door for individual municipalities to pursue other funding options for the project.

After considering each of the submitted projects and hearing the recommendation of three MPO Advisory Committees, the Policy Board adopted Resolution 2013-18 adding all seven projects to the MPO Visionary List. The Policy Board added the projects to the Visionary List with the understanding that more projects would likely be submitted by the remaining municipalities prior to the January Policy Board meeting.

The Policy Board adopted Resolution 2013-19 adding the following three Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) projects to the MPO 4-year funded project list:

• City of Daphne TAP Project – Turnout/Overlook/Drainage/Scenic Improvements of Gator Alley on North Main Street at D’Olive Creek; Estimated Cost: $400,094.33
• Baldwin County TAP Project – Construction of approximately 1.53 miles of an 8-foot-wide multi-modal path that will follow U.S. Highway 98 from County Road 13 to Alabama State Highway 181 in the Barnwell community. Estimated Cost: $385,405.00
• Spanish Fort TAP Project – Construction of approximately 1.2 miles of sidewalk along Blakeley Way (aka CR 72) from U.S. 31 to State Route 225. Estimated Cost: $439,576.09

TAP funds are available for multi-modal projects via a competitive grant application process administered by the Alabama Department of Transportation. The individual municipalities submitted TAP grant applications for the specific projects in June 2013 and were awarded the funds in September 2013.

Other items considered by the Policy Board included appointing new Citizens Advisory Committee members, Mr. Marcus Bowman (representing Daphne) and Mr. Richard Ullo (representing Spanish Fort); reviewing the Goals and Strategies for the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Public Transit Plan, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan; and discussing the schedule for LRTP development.

A transcript of the meeting minutes for the Policy Board meeting is expected to be available on the MPO website in approximately two weeks.

The next meeting of the Eastern Shore MPO Policy Board is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2013, at 10:00 AM at Fairhope City Hall. For more information regarding the Eastern Shore MPO please visit www.easternshorempo.org or email coordinator@easternshorempo.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

POLICY BOARD MEETING, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) MEETING, CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) MEETING, AND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (BPAC) MEETING                                                                         

The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (ESMPO) will be conducting the following meetings in October:

The Policy Board will meet on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. in the meeting room of the Bass Pro Shops at 20000 Bass Pro Drive, Spanish Fort, Alabama (proceed up the main stairway just inside the main entrance; walk to the far end of the building and cross the bridge into the camping department, proceed down the main isle, the meeting room is in the back left corner of the building). Please do not hesitate to request assistance from a Bass Pro associate if additional directions are needed. 

The Technical Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 16, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce (Scenic Overlook Visitors Center) in Daphne, Alabama.

The Citizens Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 15, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. at the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce (Scenic Overlook Visitors Center) in Daphne, Alabama.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 15, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce (Scenic Overlook Visitors Center) in Daphne, Alabama.

The proposed combined agenda for each meeting may be viewed on the Eastern Shore MPO website: (http://www.easternshorempo.org./) fourteen days prior to the meeting.  For more information regarding any of the information above, please contact the Eastern Shore MPO at 251-990-4643.

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS 

THE EASTERN SHORE – September 26, 2013 – The Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy Board, Technical Advisory Committee, Citizens Advisory Committee, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee held a year-end joint meeting on September, 25, 2013, in the Daphne City Hall Council Chambers in Daphne, Alabama. The Policy Board is the governing body of the MPO. The Advisory Committees make recommendations to the Policy regarding transportation issues within the planning area.

The year-end joint meeting provided the Policy Board and Committee members with an opportunity to review the MPO’s first year of formal operation. MPO staff delivered a year-end presentation outlining the MPO’s accomplishments for fiscal year 2013. In 2010 the Federal Highway Administration designated twenty-three urban areas where new MPO’s would be formed. Of those twenty-three areas, the Eastern Shore is one of only four that has made considerable progress in establishing its MPO. MPO staff reported that the MPO’s success is the product of the strong participation, teamwork, and interest from elected officials and citizens throughout the planning area.

The MPO Policy Board and Committees held elections for the fiscal year 2014 officers. The Policy Board re-elected Baldwin County Commissioner Bob James as Chairperson and Fairhope Mayor Timothy Kant as Vice Chairperson. The Technical Advisory Committee re-elected Daphne Public Works Director Richard Johnson as Chairperson and City of Fairhope Public Works Director Jennifer Fidler as Vice Chairperson. The Citizens Advisory Committee re-elected Mr. Andrew James as Chairperson and Mr. Tedson Meyers as Vice Chairperson. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee re-elected Mr. Jeff Hudson as Chairperson and Mr. Phil Hooper as Vice Chairperson.

The only action item before the Policy Board was the adoption of Resolution 2013-17 approving the Final FY14 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP is the planning and administrative budget of the MPO. MPO staff explained that no substantive changes had been made to the document since the Draft version was unanimously approved by the Policy Board and all Committees in July. The Policy Board unanimously approved the Final FY14 UPWP.

The next meeting of the Eastern Shore MPO Policy Board is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at 10:00 AM in the meeting room of the Bass Pro Shops at 20000 Bass Pro Drive in Spanish Fort. The Policy Board will consider adding the first projects to the MPO’s project lists. For more information regarding the Eastern Shore MPO please visit www.easternshorempo.org or email coordinator@easternshorempo.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED FINAL 2014 UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM (UPWP)

The UPWP is the planning and administrative budget of the MPO and details the federally funded transportation planning activities to be undertaken in the Eastern Shore Urbanized Area in FY 2014 by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the Eastern Shore MPO.

The Final UPWP will be available for review at the locations listed below from September 10, 2013, to October 10, 2013.  The documents may also be viewed on the ESMPO website, www.easternshorempo.org.

The MPO would like input from the public and welcomes written comments during this time. Comment forms will be available at each location.

Daphne City Hall, Clerk’s Office, Daphne

Daphne Public Library, Daphne

Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, Fairhope

Fairhope City Hall, Clerk’s Office, Fairhope

Fairhope Public Library, Fairhope

Baldwin County Fairhope Satellite Courthouse, Commission Office, Fairhope

Baldwin Rural Area Transportation System (BRATS) Hub, Fairhope

Loxley Town Hall, Clerk’s Office, Loxley

Loxley Public Library, Loxley

Alabama DOT, Division Engineer, Mobile

BRATS Hub and Headquarters, Robertsdale

Baldwin County Central Annex II, Highway Department, Robertsdale

Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, Robertsdale

Baldwin County Central Annex Commission Office, Robertsdale

Robertsdale Public Library, Robertsdale

Baldwin County Central Annex, Baldwin County Library Cooperative, Robertsdale

Spanish Fort City Hall, Clerk’s Office, Spanish Fort

Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, Spanish Fort

Oscar Johnson Memorial Library, Silverhill

 

Written comments may be submitted as follows:

U.S. Mail or Hand Delivery:

Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization

c/o Baldwin County (Fairhope) Satellite Courthouse

1100 Fairhope Avenue

Fairhope, Alabama 36532

Email:

coordinator@easternshorempo.org

Facsimile:

(251) 580-2590

Additional information regarding the Public Participation Plan and Unified Planning Work Program may be obtained by contacting the MPO Coordinator, Matthew Brown, at (251) 990-4640 or msbrown@baldwincountyal.gov.