GDOT seeks input on STIP

GAINESVILLE - The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announces open house meetings to solicit input on the Draft FY 2013 - 2016 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

STIP is Georgia s four-year transportation and capital improvements program. It is a listing of federally-funded transportation projects in the state that are anticipated to be funded during fiscal years 2013 through 2016. Projects include highway, bridge, public transit, bike, pedestrian, railroad, and other improvements. Projects listed in the STIP are identified through GDOT s ongoing planning processes in keeping with the Governor s strategic Goals for Georgia to provide a "lean and responsive" state government that allows communities, individuals, and businesses to prosper.

The STIP is developed in coordination with the people of the state, interested stakeholders, and in direct cooperation with local governments. The Draft FY 13-16 STIP IS available on the internet at www.dot.ga.gov/stip.

The Gainesville District Office will sponsor two Open House meetings where the public can view the Draft FY 13-16 STIP, view maps of projects in the local area, discuss project with GDOT staff, and formally offer comments.

One is scheduled for Thursday, October 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Helen City Hall. The other is is scheduled Thursday, November 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Jackson County Parks and Recreation Departments  Pat Bell Conference Center in Maysville.

The STIP and the open house information only includes projects planned in counties that are not designated as  metropolitan. These Northeast Georgia counties are included in the STIP: Banks, Dawson, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White.

Counties that are designated  metropolitan areas review all of their projects through their Metropolitan Planning Organization and will have their public review times then. The counties in Northeast Georgia included in Metropolitan Planning Organizations and not a part of the STIP are Clarke, Forsyth, Gwinnett and Hall.

These counties are partially in  metropolitan areas and partially in rural areas: Barrow, Madison, Oconee and Walton. The STIP includes projects only in the rural areas of these counties.