Community encouraged to give feedback on upcoming TxDot projects

The Texas Department of Transportation’s Atlanta District conducted an online virtual public meeting for the 2025 – 2028 Rural Transportation Improvement Program, also known as Rural TIP which was made available on June 12. The virtual meeting was pre-recorded and can be seen by anyone wanting more information.

The Atlanta district is composed of nine counties, including Bowie, Cass, Titus, Morris, Camp, Upshur, Marion, Harrison and Panola counties. However, the only county affected by the 2023‐2026 Rural TIP Revision is Harrison County.

The virtual meeting explained what TxDOT’s “Rural Tip” was, how projects were identified, and a list of upcoming projects for the Atlanta region. The ultimate “purpose of the meeting was to provide information and receive comments on which transportation projects may be coming to your area.” County feedback is essential since your feedback will help determine what Tx-Dot projects will happen in the future.

Adrian Walton, the Advance Planning Engineer for TxDOT’s Atlanta District hosted the event. On May 9, 2022, they presented their “original 4‐year program for the time period from 2023 to 2026. The presentation described their revision to the original program that included adding two projects and removing one in Harrison County.

Spoken frequently in the presentation was the term RTIP or Rural Transportation Improvement Program. Simply it “is a list of local projects within a TxDOT District to be funded over the next 4 years. This means that all projects included in the list are expected to be underway within 4 years following its approval.

“The program includes multimodal projects which are projects that may focus on highway improvements, pedestrian facilities, transit services, bicycle accommodations or freight mobility. Projects may also include the preliminary studies used to define these types of projects.

“The Rural TIP is meant to show regional agreement on the need and priority for transportation projects so that all parties involved can be sure they are making the best investment for their respective communities. It is also expected to be consistent with the projects and objectives included in the Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan, to ensure that all agencies are working towards the same goal.

“The Rural TIP is a part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program or (STIP). As a result of the program rules being established by Federal law, no project can receive federal funding unless it is listed in the Rural Transportation Improvement Program.”

According to the presentation “The Rural TIP process includes opportunities to provide input on the priority of major projects. Local and small projects around your community dealing with safety and access also get funding through the Rural TIP.”

For example, the community can give their opinion on projects like Road expansions; sidewalks; pike lanes; pavement repair or maintenance; new or improved signals; and turn lanes.

The Rural TIP is a fiscally constrained list of projects that functions as a budgeting tool for our District.

· Federal Government - Through the Federal Highway and Transit Administrations · TxDOT - Through its Unified Transportation Program funding categories · Local governments - Who may be required to provide matching funds for federal monies The images posted show the upcoming projects: If you would like to view the meeting in its entirety you can go to: https:// www. t xdot . gov/ proj ects/hearings-meetings/at- lanta/2024/2025-2028-atlanta- rtip-050724.html.

All community members are encouraged to attend the virtual public meeting and provide comments on the proposed program. Community members who are unable to attend but are interested in providing feedback can mail it to: TxDOT Atlanta District, Attn: Rural TIP; Planning Office, 701 E. Main St., Atlanta, TX 75551; or by email to Adrian.Walton@txdot.gov, Attention: Rural TIP. The comment period ends on Monday, June 24, 2024. All comments must be postmarked or otherwise received by this date to be included in the summary.