Articles
Regional transit mulled at meeting
One major question was asked during Monday's regionalism meeting: How can North Florida move people yet keep the region's charm?
Held at the Gadsden Arts Center in Quincy, the meeting brought more than three dozen officials from across the Big Bend together to discuss transportation concerns as the area develops.
Because the Big Bend has not developed at the "breakneck" pace that other areas in the state have, Matt Doster, executive director for Our Region Tomorrow, said this region has an opportunity to address transportation — and other growth concerns — in a deliberate and well-developed manner.
Tallahassee Mayor John Marks told officials from Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson counties that transportation is an issue where "tremendous inroads" have been made; however, discussion about the issue needed to shift from moving vehicles and trucks to moving people.
Harry Reed, executive director of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency, said some of the transportation problems are because local transportation concerns are not considered when state and federal long-range plans are being developed.
Within the next month Reed said a study will be commissioned where the CRTPA will be able to see what deficiencies are in current transportation planning, by transportation type. This study will provide Reed's organization, and those in the regional partnership, additional information about the region's transportation future.
"We haven't looked at how the local network is designed so we can look at capacity," Reed said. "We're really focused on the commercial aspect and goods moving through here because that has a long-term impact as well."
The areas that will experience the most growth will be those with fewer congestion concerns, Reed said, noting that Gadsden County is in a prime position to take advantage because a major rail line, U.S. Highway 90 and the Interstate all run through the county.
« Back