Transportation Planning

In conjunction with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the ADD Regional Transportation Program coordinates the public review and input process for the Statewide Transportation Planning Process. This process was established to identify, evaluate and prioritize transportation needs for possible implementation in the future. The result is the Six year Road Highway and Unscheduled Needs List.

Through the Regional Transportation Program, the Transportation Cabinet and the ADDs have increased the opportunities for citizens and local officials to participate in the transportation planning process. The process encourages local leaders to think regionally and envision the future of Kentucky. The incorporation of this local input into the planning process reduces the impact on communities and aids in improving the efficiency of the State’s transportation network. The plans produced provide the State and Local governments with information that allows them to better plan for development and spending of dollars and provides information that can be used to access other Federal dollars when available.

The ADDs plan to continue to seek ways to incorporate additional local input into the transportation planning process in order to assess the impact and benefits of each potential transportation project. The Transportation Cabinet can then use this information to safely improve the flow of freight and people throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The Regional Transportation Committee (RTC) plays a critical role in the prioritization process as new projects are developed and existing ones evaluated and prioritized using criteria of regional significance. The Regional Transportation Committee is composed of interested stakeholders in the regional who meet quarterly at the Kentucky River ADD office.

In addition to its prioritization and evaluation duties, the Committee is a forum to work together in solving regional transportation problems, act as an advocacy body on transportation issues, provide input for the Statewide Transportation Plan, and provide assistance to the ADD in its Annual Work Program.

The Regional Transportation Asset Inventory (RTAI) is utilized as a resource document for the entire region while developing goals and objectives for the transportation system, identifying and evaluating needs, reviewing and documenting projects, and throughout the prioritization/ranking process. The RTAI is the “umbrella” that houses data collection components relevant to regional transportation. The RTAI document consists of an introduction for each component detailing the reason for, location maps and what recommendations if any can be construed from existing data and research. It is designed to be multi-modal in nature and address all forms of transportation in the region to include highways, air, river, rail, transit, pedestrian and bicycle.

The purpose of the ADD Public Involvement Plan is to describe actions the ADD Regional Transportation Committee (RTC) shall take to provide opportunities for the public to be involved in the statewide transportation planning process. It serves as a guide for the ADD to follow in planning public involvement opportunities. True public involvement is central to good decision making. Without meaningful public involvement, there is a risk of making less than optimal decisions. With it, there can be a lasting contribution to the regional well-being of our neighborhoods, towns, cities, and counties. The best policy decisions by government are made in context of public participation.