Article source for : On the Move 2007-2035 Transportation Plan
TMACOG Web site: http://www.tmacog.org
* "On the Move":http://www.toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/lewiki.pl/articleform/On_the_Move_2007-2035_Transportation_Plan (PDF files at TMACOG Web site)
** "Projects":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/Febuary%2007%20Materials/Draft_Plan_Projects.pdf
** "Initiatives":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/Febuary%2007%20Materials/Initiatives.pdf
** "Policies":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/2007_policies.pdf
** "Proposed core projects map":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/Comments%20Winter%202006/Update%2012-21/Projects_map_1.pdf
** "Additional priority projects map":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/Comments%20Winter%202006/Update%2012-21/Projects_map_2.pdf
Also on the TMACOG Web site:
* "Traffic Count Database":http://gis.midwesternconsulting.com/tcds/?loc=tmacog_all - Enter a location and time of day to get traffic volume.
* "2005 Traffic Flow Map":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/Traffic%20Flow/Flow%20map%2005.pdf (8mb PDF file)
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h2. 2007 public meetings
Where the plan will be introduced and citizens can comment and ask questions. Copies of the projects, initiatives, and policies PDF files are distributed to meeting attendees, along with a couple of maps and the "introduction" page that is listed below.
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<table border="0" width="640" cellspacing="10">
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<th>Date</th> <th>Time</th> <th>Location</th>
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<td valign="top">Friday, March 2</td><td valign="top">Doors open 11:30 a.m.<br />Meeting at noon</td><td valign="top">Main Library<br /> Toledo-Lucas County Public Library<br />325 North Michigan St., Toledo,<br />SkyBank Room</td>
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<td valign="top">Monday, March 5</td><td valign="top">Doors open 6:30 p.m.<br />Meeting at 7 p.m.</td><td valign="top">Sanger Branch<br >Toledo-Lucas County Public Library<br />3030 West Central Ave., Toledo</td>
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<td valign="top">Tuesday, March 6</td><td valign="top">Doors open 5:30 p.m.<br />Meeting at 6 p.m.</td><td valign="top">Bedford Township Hall<br />8100 Jackman Rd., Temperance, MI</td>
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<td valign="top">Tuesday, March 6</td><td valign="top">Doors open 7 p.m.<br />Meeting at 7:30 p.m.</td><td valign="top">Wood County Public Library<br /> 251 North Main St., Bowling Green</td>
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<td valign="top">Wednesday, March 7</td><td valign="top">Doors open 6:30 p.m.<br />Meeting at 7 p.m.</td><td valign="top">Northwood Municipal Center<br /> 6000 Wales Rd., Northwood</td>
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<td valign="top">Monday, March 12</td><td valign="top">Doors open 6:30 p.m.<br />Meeting at 7 p.m.</td><td valign="top">Maumee Branch<br />Toledo-Lucas County Public Library<br />501 River Rd., Maumee</td>
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Friday, March 2, 2007 meeting:
!http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/411208885_b3e5b3334c.jpg?v=0!
More "photos":http://www.flickr.com/photos/toledotalk/tags/tmacog/ are uploaded at flickr.com.
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h2. Introduction
_(From a handout distributed at the meeting)_
What will the Toledo metropolitan area look like in 30 years? Over the next three decades, what improvements in transportation do we need for better freight movement, personal mobility, and regional strength?
These are the core questions for TMACOG and the people of our region (Lucas and Wood counties in northwest Ohio, plus southern Monroe County, Michigan). The answers will be found in the "On the Move: 2007-2035 Regional Transportation Plan."
A broad-based leadership team is working with TMACOG staff. The plan task force has heard from the public, looked at technical analysis, brainstormed solutions, and made tough decisions on priorities. The result is a draft list of major projects addressing needs and opportunities, plus a list of regional initiatives.
The draft list of _projects_ :
* addresses regional goals
* includes multiple modes of transportation (cars, trains, buses, bicycles, etc.)
* is fiscally constrained based on expected federal, state, and local resources
In addition to these projects, the plan will include:
* _initiatives_ (major studies, other strategic actions)
* _policies_ (to guide future action in the region)
* _system preservation projects_ (to reconstruct deficient bridges and road pavements)
* a time line for implementation beginning in fiscal year 2008 (July 2007)
To finalize the plan, the task force invites public review and comment. The plan is posted on the TMACOG website, http://www.tmacog.org. A series of six public meetings is slated for March 2nd through 12th. In addition, displays have been placed at all public libraries in the region.
Making this plan a reality will call for focused effort and effective partnering. We invite _you_ to support the On the Move Plan -- because great things happen when we work together!
_For more information or to comment on the draft Plan,_ visit http://www.tmacog.org, or contact:
Diane Reamer-Evans
Transportation Project Manager
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG)
300 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
P.O. Box 9508, Toledo OH 43697
419-241-9155 ext 117; fax 419-241-9116
evans@tmacog.org
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h2. Goals
From the "policies file":http://www.tmacog.org/Transportation/2035/2007_policies.pdf (access file for details about each goal) :
* *Passenger Goal:* Our region will be a top quality multi-modal passenger transportation hub.
* *Freight Goal:* Our region will be a world-class multi-modal freight transportation hub
* *Research Goal Statement:* Our region will be a center of transportation research and innovation.
* *Environment Goal:* Our region and its transportation system will protect and sustain community and natural environments.
* *System Preservation Goal:* We will protect the region's investment by maintaining and preserving the existing system.
* *Safety & Efficiency Goal:* Our transportation system will be designed and operated to promote safe and efficient travel across all modes.
* *Funding Goal:* Our region will be successful in obtaining adequate funding for transportation facilities.
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h2. Pics of slides
The Power Point presentation given at the meeting is not available for download on the TMACOG Web site. A few of the slides were enlarged and displayed in the meeting room.
Click to enlarge:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411208892&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/411208892_9e1d87cb35.jpg"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411208900&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/411208900_d4a1606912.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411208902&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/411208902_3cd9adc38f.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411208897&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/411208897_19f610bcce.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411208905&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/411208905_f39238d24d.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411211518&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/411211518_e121ddf8af.jpg?v=0"></a>
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h2. Pics of maps
Several maps were on display in the meeting room. I took pictures of a few of the maps, but not all because I was told they were available on the TMACOG Web site, but I haven't been able to find them all. A couple of these pictures are of maps given to meeting attendees.
Click to enlarge:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411313656&size=l"><img border="0"src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/411313656_48ddf1bbf5.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411313651&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/175/411313651_9fa4fad9a2.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411284094&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/411284094_70790b4a02.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411284088&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/411284088_82c4e4b087.jpg?v=0"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=411211521&size=l"><img border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/411211521_34c53a8eb5.jpg?v=0"></a>
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h2. Roundabouts
At the meeting, a video was shown of the roundabout in "Howard, Wisconsin":http://www.villageofhoward.com/, but I don't see this video on the TMACOG Web site, but you can view an "excerpt":http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/roaddesign/roundabout-works.htm of the video on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Web site.
Playing time: 2:08
* "Video clip- high bandwidth":http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/av/roundabouts-high.wmv (9 MB, WMV file)
* "Video clip - low bandwidth":http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/av/roundabouts-low.wmv (2 MB, WMV file)
* "Transcript":http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/roaddesign/roundabout-transcript.htm
From the meeting:
* Roundabouts greatly reduce head-on and t-bone collisions, which reduces the number of serious injuries. The crashes that do occur are mostly side-swipes.
Additional "info":http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/roaddesign/roundabout.htm :
Roundabouts move traffic safely through an intersection because of:
* Slower speeds
* Fewer conflict points
* Easier decision-making
Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that roundabouts provide a:
* 90% reduction in fatal crashes
* 76% reduction in injury crashes
* 30-40% reduction in pedestrian crashes
* 10% reduction in bicycle crashes
Roundabouts are planned for the following intersections:
* Douglas/Laskey/Tremainsville
* Detroit/Telegraph/Laskey
* Heatherdowns/Garden Rd.
Although not listed in the projects file, it was mentioned at the meeting that a roundabout is planned in 2008 for the Nebraska/King intersection, unless I heard that wrong.
Related Web site: http://www.roundaboutsusa.com
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h2. Toledo Express Airport
A couple things mentioned at the meeting:
* Airport Master Plan
** expanding runways
** constructing a new air traffic control tower in 2009 (they think)
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h2. Light rail
During the question and answer period, an attendee wondered why more of the region would not have light rail.
Answer from TMACOG:
* It's not feasible to cover the entire region with light rail due to our land use practices. No changes in the Ohio legislature are expected that will govern how we use or development land. In other words, we're continuing to spread further and further outward. No containment borders are expected that would control how we expand.
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h2. LEW Global Logistics Hub
From the policies file:
*Freight Goal:* Our region will be a world-class multi-modal freight transportation hub
*Policy 8:* To strengthen our role as a freight transportation hub, our region will work together to *implement Lake Erie West Global Logistics Hub* business plan. This plan comprises four major freight facilities: Toledo Express Global Logistics Park (see Policy 9), Trans-Pacific Inland Port (see Plan Project 1 and Policy 10), Golden Triangle Distribution Corridor, and the Toledo Seaport (see Policy 11). We will identify needed improvements/ resources; support public/private infrastructure investment for the sites, and connectivity between them (on public roads or off-road).
*Policy 9:* A regional priority is to *expand use of the air freight mode and use of air facilities as intermodal hubs.* This will include increasing airport capacity throughout the region and providing good road access. We will develop Toledo Express Airport as a major intermodal hub, to be known as the “Toledo Express Global Logistics Park,” with needed infrastructure improvements (including Plan Projects C-3, 4, 59 and 60) and creation of a “transportation opportunity district.”
*Policy 10:* To expand freight capacity, we will work to *increase use of and multi-modal access to rail freight.* This will include supporting development of a Trans-Pacific Inland Port (see Plan Project 1), a rail/truck container facility designed to capture major freight flows from Asia, for distribution to the Midwest and eastern U.S.
*Policy 11:* Our region has an opportunity to *expand waterborne freight movement*. To do so, we will work to increase rail access to the Toledo Seaport, and we will support maximized use of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes water system.
*Policy 12:* It is essential for our role as a freight hub to *improve road access and capacity for trucks, and reduce modal conflicts.* As part of this policy, we support:
# Making the Ohio Turnpike more truck-friendly with "Easy Pass" electronic toll collection and quantity discounts.
# Increasing the quality of township roads by requiring agri-business to meet same constraints as other industries, that is, eliminating exemptions that allow producers to use township roads without defraying costs of upgrades and maintenance.
# Providing real-time information on road congestion via ITS that is suitable to trucker needs.
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h2. UT ITI
Web site: "The University of Toledo Intermodal Transportation Institute":http://www.officeofresearch.utoledo.edu/ITI/ITI.htm
<q>
The purpose of the ITI is to work cooperatively with public and private sector partners in transportation, logistics, and supply chain management to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life. The ITI builds upon the unique features of the region, it offers the potential for sustained external funding, and it is a way to access and assemble resources from various disciplines at UT to address opportunities defined with the help of its public and private sector partners.
The University of Toledo has been designated a National University Transportation Center by the U.S. Department of Transportation. UT will be awarded $2 million over a four-year period to advance significantly state-of-the-art transportation research and expand the work force of transportation professionals. The University, and the UT Intermodal Transportation Institute specifically, will play a regional leadership role in developing improved intermodal supply-chain systems and alternative transportation methods and technologies such as hybrid-electric, fuel cell and bio-diesel technologies.
</q>
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From the policies file:
*Research Goal Statement:* Our region will be a center of transportation research and innovation.
*Policy 13:* We need to *diversify fuels* for transportation, to insure fuel will be available on a long-term basis, with reduced dependence on foreign sources. To do so, our region will:
# Support the work of a consortium of area universities to develop and commercialize hybrid vehicles.
# Analyze current state and federal policies to propose changes and/or take advantage of existing policies in order to enhance alternative fuels production and use in our region.
*Policy 14:* With the amount of transported freight expected to double in the next 15 years, we need *innovative ways to move goods more efficiently.* Therefore, it is our region’s policy that:
# Local jurisdictions and planning/development agencies should seek to locate industrial and distribution facilities near existing transportation terminals and interchanges.
# We encourage development of multi-trailer terminals at Ohio Turnpike interchanges.
# We should identify examples of trucking company collaboration on deliveries, and support implementation of such a system.
# We should research ways to improve efficiency of transfer of goods between transportation modes.
*Policy 15:* To build on regional strengths, we need to *support/expand transportation logistics and supply chain research* in the region. This research should include looking at the potential to coordinate transportation to common suppliers/locations.
*Policy 16:* To enhance economic and technical development, our region will work to establish the identity of the *Toledo Science and Technology corridor* and the movement of people and ideas within this corridor.
*Policy 17:* Our region supports creating *innovative traffic systems* to improve traffic flow, such as modern roundabouts (see Policy 19), coordinated signal timing on all major arterials, and freeway management systems and other Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
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"Search results":http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site%3Awww.tmacog.org+%22intermodal+transportation+institute%22&btnG=Google+Search from the TMACOG Web site for "Intermodal Transportation Institute."
