AMATS hosted a successful virtual public meeting April 2 to present its Draft Transportation Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024 (TIP).
The evening meeting began at 6:30 p.m. on the AMATS Facebook page and attracted an audience that grew throughout the presentation. AMATS Director Curtis Baker noted that within 24 hours of the broadcast, the link to the presentation garnered more than 100 views.
The agency opted to host a virtual public meeting due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Baker says that the agency is determined to fulfill its mission as the Greater Akron area’s metropolitan planning organization, especially as the Draft TIP is one of the most important products for which AMATS is responsible.
The Draft TIP’s importance to the region stems from the fact that it contains $993 million in funding for transportation projects over the next four years. Highway, public transit, bike and pedestrian projects must be included in the program in order to receive federal funding.
The Draft TIP is available for public comment from March 30 through April 29 by clicking here and the AMATS Twitter and Facebook pages. We invite you to share your comments regarding our new program with our online TIP Comment Form. You may also submit comments via email to AMATS TIP Coordinator David Pulay at dpulay@akronohio.gov. (Please note that AMATS will not be accepting in-person public comments due to the COVID-19 outbreak.)
During the course of the meeting, AMATS also presented a proposed amendment to Transportation Outlook 2040, the area’s long-range transportation plan. The amendment concerned the addition of an auxiliary lane along State Route 8 to a major reconstruction project on Interstates 76 and 77 and SR 8. The project is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). To view the project corridor, please click here.
If you were unable to view the April 2 virtual meeting, you may view it in its entirety by clicking here.