Transportation Planning Process

The position of director of planning was legislatively created in 2009 (2009 Ga. Laws, p. 340). The director of planning works with many planning partners to develop the state transportation plan and priorities. GDOT helps to develop projects to take into consideration for inclusion in the STIP GDOT evaluates projects to determine the need and whether a project supports the state's Investing in Tomorrow's Transportation Today initiative. This initiative is an effort to bring a results-oriented, strategic direction to transportation planning and implementation. Once a need is established, a project is included in GDOT's program and subjected to GDOT's project prioritization process. Priority projects are included in the STIP, which is approved by the governor, the State Transportation Board and the U.S. DOT. GDOT also works with each MPO to develop a draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which must be approved by the MPO and the governor.

Legislative Role in Transportation Planning

The General Assembly is given the opportunity to comment on the draft STIP, which typically is developed annually. Senate Bill 200 (2009) gave the General Assembly the ability to allocate between 10 percent and 20 percent of the motor fuel revenues to a Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant program. The General Assembly annually appropriates funding to GDOT for intermodal programs and can choose to emphasize rail, airports, transit or other modes in a given year.