North-central Alabama Rural Planning Organization

Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report

North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments

Positively Impacting People and Communities P.O. Box C

216 Jackson Street SE Decatur, AL 35602

256-355-4515 www.narcog.org

Jeffrey Pruitt, AICP – Executive Director

Joey Hester, AICP – Planning Director Robby Cantrell – Transportation Planner/GIS Coordinator

Michael Mills – Regional Planner/Revolving Loan Fund Coordinator

This report was financed in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and produced by the North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG). The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U. S. Department of Transportation.

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Introduction The North-central Alabama Rural Planning Organization was organized in order to conduct a rural transportation planning process in Cullman, Lawrence and Morgan counties in North-central Alabama. The planning process is sponsored by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG). The goals of the North-central Alabama Rural Planning Organization are to provide: 1) a well-managed rural transportation planning process; 2) an effective transportation committee structure; 3) a comprehensive data library and distribution source; 4) reports that are useful to the ALDOT and the local governments; and 5) a well-informed Rural Transportation Planning Organization Committee who actively participates in the rural transportation planning process. The work program was divided into five (5) tasks. The tasks outlined the rural transportation planning work to be performed by the staff at the North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments during Fiscal Year 2014. The information included in this document describes the work performed and products produced for each task as proposed in the Fiscal Year 2014 Work Program. The tasks are identified as: Task 1 – Administration and Management; Task 2 – Committee Service; Task 3 – Data Management; Task 4 – Reports; and Task 5 – Public Involvement.

Bridge Replacement on State Route 67 over Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River in Cullman County (ALDOT Rural Highway Planning Project Inventory)

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Task 1 – Administration and Management

Objective: To effectively manage the rural transportation planning process

Work: Completed all necessary administrative and

management tasks to ensure the planning process worked properly

Organized and developed FY 2014 RPO administrative files

Developed and completed monthly ALDOT Invoices

Completed RPO timesheets and Work Logs on a monthly basis

Completed and reviewed the NARCOG financial report on a monthly basis

Prepared RPO Budget for FY 2015 and reviewed the FY 2015 RPO Work Program

Created a Rural Transportation Survey to be completed by elected officials in the Region

Researched potential funding sources for transportation projects

Gathered information on TIGER Grant Application Process; viewed webinars; began researching feasibility of a project in the NARCOG Region

Met with Hillsboro Town Officials, Representatives from Norfolk Southern, and Senator Roger Bedford to discuss a Railroad Crossing and drainage issues at a Railroad Culvert

Met with Falkville Town Clerk to discuss transportation concerns Met with Cullman County Engineers to discuss the role of the RPO Met with Lawrence County officials to discuss possible data management via ArcGIS Online Prepared concurrence letters for two Section 5310 Applications Provided consultation to Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center Staff for potential

Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Pre-Application Provided consultation to Town of South Vinemont for NRCS Assessment for US-31 project Developed presentation and handouts for committee meetings; mailed out meeting notices Reviewed proposed rule changes to MAP-21 for the role of RTPOs; Revised the FY 2015

Work Program to reflect new language Viewed webinar for USDOT Proposed Rulemaking on Statewide, Nonmetropolitan, and

Metropolitan Planning Reviewed the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and Analysis of

Needs Data Reviewed the Rural Local Officials Consultation Assessment Guide for use as a tool to better

connect with local officials Began the process of marketing and branding for the NARCOG RPO

Cover Page – FY 2015 RPO Work Program

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Task 2 – Committee Service

Objective: To conduct RPO Committee meetings concerning the Rural Transportation Planning Process

Work: Updated the RPO Committee contact info and mailing list Worked on the RPO Committee Structure and Implementation Developed and updated materials for RPO meetings and presentations Provided information and RPO meeting notices on the agency website Updated the NARCOG website with information on Transportation Alternatives Program

(TAP) and Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funding opportunities Met with officials in the Town of Hillsboro in relation to transportation needs Met with Hartselle City Planner to discuss Rural Transportation Survey Met with ALDOT Representatives at Jesse Owens Memorial Park And Museum to discuss

signage on I-65 Met with Jim Felder, Executive Director of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, to discuss

partnership on potential projects Reviewed completed Rural Transportation Surveys - Eva, Falkville, Hillsboro, Colony,

Somerville, Baileyton, South Vinemont, Courtland, Hartselle, and Lawrence County Engineer Visited sites and gathered materials for potential road projects throughout the Region

Intersection Improvements at Market Street (SR 33) and Walnut Street in the City of Moulton (ALDOT Rural Highway Planning Project Inventory)

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Task 3 – Data Management

Objective: To collect, maintain, and distribute data related to the Rural Transportation Planning Process

Work: Produced Base Maps of the region for

Transportation Planning purposes Updated and maintained maps of the

Functional Classification of roads in the RPO planning area for the GIS database

Updated and maintained municipal boundaries for the GIS database

Updated GIS Base Files with new Census Data (TIGER Files) from 2013 and 2014

Updated GIS Database to include unincorporated areas

Prepared maps for RPO committee meetings

Downloaded most recent USDA aerial imagery for the Region

Produced Census Tract Maps for planning and reference purposes

Working on a Regional Blue-ways Map Working on a Critical Asset Inventory

to include critical facilities located in all communities of the Region

Working on an ALDOT Project Inventory to include projects listed in the Rural Highway Planning project list and to track the progress of those projects

Working on a Photo Inventory to include ALDOT Rural Highway Projects and transportation concerns revealed in the NARCOG Rural Transportation Surveys

Working on a Right-of-Way Inventory to include items such as historic markers and directional signs that are found in right of ways throughout the Region

Provision of Traffic Count data and/or maps, as requested Provided mapping and GIS for potential road projects in the NARCOG Region Performed GIS work related to linear referencing of road data for the region including, but

not limited to, current ALDOT projects and potential future projects Updated base maps for meetings with town officials from Good Hope and Eva Produced an interchange project map for the City of Good Hope (I-65/CR 222) Working on transportation system maps and GIS for the towns of Eva, Somerville, Garden

City, Courtland, North Courtland, Baileyton, and Hillsboro Produced a Way-finding Map for South Vinemont Sports Complex (see above)

Way-finding map produced for the Town of South Vinemont

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Produced a sidewalk system map and project area map for the Town of Eva – TAP Application (Not submitted)

Provided technical assistance, in the form of mapping and imagery, to Jim Felder, Executive Director of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, in relation to RTP project.

Provided technical assistance, in the form of mapping and imagery, to Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center for potential RTP Pre-Application

Produced a Watershed Base Map of the Region for location of §303d streams and potential project areas

Produced a Traffic Direction Map for Good Hope Schools

Traffic Direction Map produced for the City of Good Hope

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Task 4 – Reports

Objective: To prepare Rural Transportation Planning Process reports and documents for the RPO committee and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)

Work: Completed the FY 2014 Semi-Annual Reports (First Half and Second Half) Completed the FY 2014 Annual Report Completed monthly RPO Work Logs Contributed to monthly NARCOG Board Reports Reviewed budget elements in order to develop FY 2015 Budget Prepared maps of ALDOT 2014-2019 Rural Highway Projects for use at committee meetings Prepared and Submitted the FY 2015 RPO Work Program to the ALDOT – Approved by the

ALDOT May 28; Adopted by the NARCOG Board of Directors July 23

Task 5 – Public Involvement

Objective: To inform the public about the Rural Transportation Planning Process and to actively seek public involvement

Work: The planning staff continues to meet with local chamber of commerce members and

elected officials concerning the rural transportation planning process Provision of RPO information and RPO meeting notices on the agency website

Construction at County Road 434 and U.S. Highway 72/State Route 20 in Lawrence County (Rural Transportation Project Photo Inventory)

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Meetings and Conferences Attended: November 14 - 15 - Attended the Alabama Transportation Planners Association (ATPA)

Annual Conference in Decatur Feb 27 – 28 - Attended the North Alabama Bike Summit in Huntsville March 12 - Attended the Main Street Alabama workshop in Decatur April 9 - Attended the Recreational Trails Program Grant Workshop in Guntersville May 6 - Attended Lawrence County Business Incubator Meeting to provide

transportation/infrastructure related input June 4 – Attended the NARCOG RPO Committee Meeting June 26 – Attended Public Involvement Meeting for proposed toll bridge in Decatur August 14 – Attended Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee

Meeting September 8-10 – Attended the Your Town Alabama Workshop September 25 – Attended the NARCOG RPO Committee Meeting

Beginning design work for the NARCOG Region Blue Way Map – Wheeler National Wildlife Reserve