Forest Hill Road  

Macon, Ga

Bibb County's - "Roads Improvement Program"

1999 Situation Review with Dr Tsai

Letter from:

Stella Tsai  389 Mulberry St. (200)   Macon, Ga. 31201   31 August 1999

TO:

Macon Area Transportation Committee

and Macon/Bibb County Road Project Commission

c/o Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission Southern Trust Bldg

682 Cherry St.  Macon, Ga. 31201

Dear Sir/Madam:

RE: Forest Hill Rd. project - STP 3213 (1,3), PI#350520, 351130

I am writing about the above cited project. If I have not provided sufficient identifying information about the subject or if I have not sent this letter to the correct authority, please contact me by phone, FAX, or mail. As you well know, there are many interlocking committees, commissions, and authorities involved. Consequently I may not be contacting the correct public agency, etc. since the appropriate designation of responsibility is not always clear.

As you are probably aware, C.A.U.T.I.O.N.Macon has established a web site for information regarding the area road projects. I have been asked to comment on the above cited project. I plan to submit the outline of my presentation given earlier this year during C.A.U.T.I.O.N.Macon's meeting with the US and State of Georgia Department of Transportation. If there are any changes, amendments, or revisions to the 3/98 Transportation Improvements Program (Fiscal Years 1999-2000) booklet/brochure publication regarding this project, I would like you to provide me with a copy of these changes so I may be accurate in my information provided to the C.A.U.T.I.O.N.Macon web site. I anticipate that four weeks will be sufficient for at least a preliminary reply from you if any is needed. This letter will be sent by certified mail and a copy of this letter will be included in the web site on the Forest Hill Rd. project information.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Stella Tsai

   Forest Hill Rd. Project: STP 3213 (1,3); PI#350520, 351130 - Citizens Concern report for CAUTION committee  

1. Negative impact on adjacent areas:

a. Forest Hill Road is fronted by owner-occupied single family housing units for most of its length between Northside and Vineville. The Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission's 2015 Comprehensive Plan recognizes the desirability of even distribution of housing throughout the city and county (1). Significantly widening Forest Hill Rd. as is currently planned would lead to abandonment and/or downgrading of homes in a currently stable residential environment (2), contributing to urban blight and deterioration of vibrant neighborhoods in the Forest Hill Rd. corridor (3).

b. The residential neighborhood served by Forest Hill Rd. includes Rosa Taylor and McKibben Lane Elementary Schools. Increasing the traffic volume through this area and converting what is essentially a residential collector to a high-speed traffic route (4) poses a serious threat to the safety of children served by these schools.

c. Forest Hill Rd. is currently classified as a minor arterial; that classification is inappropriate given the conditions cited in 1 a and 1 b above. Alternatives that would effectively reduce the future traffic load on Forest Hill Rd. are clearly available, but were apparently not examined.

2. Lack of cost effectiveness:

a. Because this area has been a stable and developed residential zone and represents effective land use, the efforts to bring greater traffic into the area is irrelevant, counterproductive, and a waste of money (5).

b. Since the periphery of the city and county are the areas under development and since a significant portion of sales tax (41%) is generated by commuters into Macon (6), efforts should be concentrated on facilitating access from these areas to areas of business, rather than to residential areas. This over-design fails to provide effective and reasonable traffic flow patterns (7).

c. Because of poor planning, there has been failure to examine alternative routes to achieve east-west roadways, which would effectively reduce traffic loads on Forest Hill Dr.

d. "(T)here are difficult grade situations in that (i.e., east Forest Hill Rd.) area and there (is) only a limited space available for realignment," even though this realignment is a main purpose of the project (8). This again reflects poor planning.

e. The proposed 6m. grassy median reflects the over-design, poor planning, and lack of cost effectiveness of this project since this will further encroach on housing frontage and requiring city funding for maintenance for this road which has "difficult grade situations" and only "limited space for realignment." (9) In addition, although the Project Concept Report indicates that the median could be used to control traffic flow, there will have to be a median cut at Ridge Ave. because of the dense traffic flow there (10).

3. Poor traffic flow:

a. The primary impediment to traffic flow on Forest Hill Rd. is the severe bottle-necking at its intersection with Vineville/Forsyth. This bottle-neck will be exacerbated, not alleviated, by increasing traffic flow on Forest Hill.

b. Because of the poor traffic flow that is expected to be created by this project, further expenses will be incurred by the need to alter the current entrances of Overlook Ave., the Prado, Ridge Ave. (onto Forest Hill Rd.), and Northminster Dr. (onto Wimbish at its intersection with Forest Hill Rd.).

4. Needs:

a. The Project Concept Report cites high traffic accident rates to defend the need to widen Forest Hill Rd.. But the traffic accident count report itself notes that such counts for short segments are invalid (11).

b. The Project Concept Report cites anticipated increase in traffic volume as justification for widening Forest Hill Rd.. However, in the "Transportation Improvements Program, Fiscal Years 1999-2001 for the Macon Area Transportation Study" of 3/98, the traffic volumes for Forest Hill Rd. between Northside and Wimbish are not available. Moreover, it is unclear whether the traffic flow increase projected for Forest Hill between Wimbish and Forsyth is based on having a road that has been widened, vs. actual need.

5. Failure to adhere to commitments:

a. The failure to hold a public hearing violates the condition under which the project can proceed (12).

b. This project violates the official land development resolution of the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission - #4,5,6,9,11, and 12 (13). c. This project fails to meet the requirements of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 - #1,3,4,6,9,13 (14).

6. Failure to provide Need & Purpose Statement for STP 3213 (3).

Respectfully submitted,

Stella Tsai

494 Northminster Dr., Macon, Ga.

12/10/98 

   References for Forest Hill Rd. Project (STP 3213-1,3; PI#350520,351130)  

 (1) 2015 Comprehensive Plan, prepared by Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission - Chapter Five, Housing: 5-24.

(2) Ibid. Chapter Five, Housing: 5-25.

(3) Dept. of Transportation, State of Georgia, interdepartment correspondence from M.G. Waters,III, State Traffic Operations Engineer to Wayne Hutto, Assistant Director of Preconstruction, 3/10/98: "Currently Forest Hill Rd. is a two-lane facility on a rural typical section design...The proposed will be a four lane divided HIGHWAY (emphasis added)." This is the proposed consequence of the project; in contrast to the purpose, which is only vaguely alluded to in the "Need and Purpose Statement Project #STP3213": "realigned to improve two substandard horizontal curves .... and the upgrade of the existing traffic signals...the proposed sidewalks will increase safety for pedestrians" (These are the only statements referring to need, vs. the intended actions.) (Also, please note, there is minimal pedestrian traffic in this location.).

(4) Ibid.. The report states that "this project serves residential areas" but constantly refers to its use as a "corridor" and "connector;" that is, to take traffic through_h the area rather for use by the residents in the area.

(5) see (2) and (4).

(6) 2015 Comprehensive Plan - Chapter Two, Economics: 2-22.

(7) Ibid. - Chapter Eight, Implementation Strategy 8-8.

(8) Need and Purpose Statement Project #STP-3213(1). (my copy not dated)

(9) Minutes of Meeting 1/27/98 at GDOT with Joe Palladi (GDOT), Angela Alexander (Project description), and Joe Johnson (MAII), among others.

(10) Ibid.

(11) Traffic Accident Summary, Macon-Bibb Count, Traffic Engineering Dept.. Forest Hill Rd. (from Wimbish Rd. to Vineville Ave.).

(12) GDOT Interdepartment Correspondence, 3/20/98 from W.W. Scott, Jr., Director of Preconstruction, to Wayne Shackelford, Commissioner; 2/23/98 Project Concept Report, Project Number: STP- 3212 ( 1 ).

(13) The Comprehensive Land Development Resolution for the City of Macon and Bibb County, Georgia, Adopted: 12/26/81, Effective 10/26/81.

(14)

PURPOSE AND ENACTMENT

The Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission, for the purposes set out below, hereby adopts and establishes an official land development resolution for the City of Macon and the unincorporated areas of Bibb County, Georgia::

[1] To prevent flooding of improved property;

{2] To prevent overcrowding of schools or other public facilities;

[3] To achieve such timing, density, and distribution of land development and use as will prevent overloading systems for providing water supply, sewage disposal, drainage, sanitation, police and fire protection, and other public services;

[4] To achieve such density, distribution and design of land development and use as will protect and preserve the design capacity of the streets and roads within the city and county and prevent traffic congestion and traffic hazards;

[5] To encourage such distribution of population, land development and use as will facilitate the efficient and adequate provision of public services and facilities;

[6] To achieve such density, design, and distribution of housing, as will protect and enhance residential property values;

[7] To secure such accessibility, design and density of land development and use as will reduce fire hazards and fire losses;

[8] To promote .the continued and safe operation of general purpose airports within the county;

[9] To promote the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity, and welfare of the present and future inhabitants of Macon and Bibb County, Georgia;

[10] To encourage greater efficiency and economy of land development;

[11] To preserve the city's and county's natural beauty and encourage architecturally Pleasing development; and

[12] To improve the quality of life through protection of the city's and county's total environment including, but not limited to, the prevention of soil erosion and air, water, and noise pollution.

(Amended November 23, 1987, ZA87-11-02)

SHORT TITLE

These regulations shall be known as the "The Comprehensive Land Development Resolution for the City of Macon and Bibb County, Georgia."

Supp. No. 7

(MATS) has been officially recognized and supported through joint resolution and adopted bylaws by the following local governments: Bibb County, the City of Macon, Jones County and Payne City. 'The planning process is conducted by a Policy Committee consisting of local and state officials, a Technical Coordinating Committee consisting of government department heads and technical staff involved in transportation, and a Citizens Advisory Committee consisting of 'interested citizens.

Citizen input is encouraged not only through the Citizen's Advisory Committee but, also, through participation of the general public in the Public Involvement Process. The Public Involvement Process provides opportunities for the general public to comment on various planning documents such as the Transportation Plan Update and The Transportation Improvement Program. All planning documents are readily available to the public.

The actual preparation and completion of the Unified Planning Work Program are the responsibility of the MPO, the Metropolitan Planning Organization. In Macon's case, the MPO is the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission staff. The Commission staff works at the direction of the Macon Area Transportation Study Committee structure.

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 requires that the Macon Area Transportation Study consider the following areas in developing its transportation plans and programs:

1. Preservation and use of existing facilities.

2. Consistency of planning with energy conservation.

3. Congestion relief and prevention.

4. Effect on land use and consistency with land use plans.

5. Transportation enhancement activities.

6. Effects of all projects, funded or not.

7. Access to special generators:

8. Connectivity with the network outside the metro area.

9. Needs identified through the management systems.

10. Corridor and rights-of-way preservation.

11. Efficient freight movement.

12. Use of life-cycle costs for bridges, tunnels, & pavement.

13. Overall social, economic and environmental effects.

14. Expand and enhance transit services.

15. Investments to increase transit security systems·

16. Recreation travel and tourism.

The MATS 2015 Transportation Plan was completed in December 1994. A requirement of the ISTEA legislation is that the Plan is financially constrained. This means that projects listed as part of the official plan must have a funding source and have a reasonable chance of being funded.