A major component of any metropolitan area is its regional transportation system, which has a basic purpose of providing the means to accommodate local area travel demand. At the same time, this system must provide for logical development within the region, satisfy requirements for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods, and be accomplished with the most cost effective use of available resources. Long range strategies must emphasize the transportation system's effects within the area's physical, demographic, social and economic environment. A LRTP is required in order to maintain this system as a viable part of the metropolitan environment, capable of accommodating present and anticipated demands.
As the designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), Eastgate is recognized as the official transportation planning agency for Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Urban areas with a population of more than 50,000 must have an MPO to implement planning and programming. However, in order for the region to be eligible for federal funding consideration, the region must also have a federally approved long range transportation plan developed according to specific federal laws and requirements. Eastgate, as the MPO, meets those federal requirements and thereby continues the region's eligibility to receive federal funds for use on highway, transit, non-motorized, and multimodel systems. Federal and State transportation funds flow through Eastgate each year and are made available to the region. Future transportation projects utilizing Federal transportation funds must be identified in the LRTP and in the Transportation Improvement Program.
According to the FHWA and FTA CFRs, the statewide planning rule also states the metropolitan transportation plan shall be reviewed and updated at least triennially in nonattainment and maintenance areas. Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Air Quality Conformity requirements, Eastgate must update the LRTP every three years. The planning process for the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) was originally reviewed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and approved for air quality by U.S. EPA on July 31, 2002. Eastgate recently completed the extensive process of reassessing and appraising the 2030 LRTP to meet the next triennial approval date of June 15, 2005. On June 14, 2005, Eastgate was notified by the U.S. EPA and the FHWA, that Eastgate's Air Quality Conformity documentation, and 2030 LRTP Update, were approved.
The plan update has been prepared in two volumes; Volume I contains the Introduction and Need for the Plan Update, Reassessment Approach and Format, Fulfilling Federal Requirements, Plan Changes Resulting from the Reassessment, Plan Reassessment Conclusion, and Chapter Reassessment Results; Volume II contains the Technical Appendices (available on request.)
Public Comment
This section of our webpage is just one of the ways we plan on gathering public input into the 2030 LRTP update. Public input and community outreach has been an ongoing part of the creation of previous plans, as well as all agency programs.
Presentations and Public meetings on the plan update review were held as follows: Presentation - Monday, May 5, 2003 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Fernando's Wedgewood Community Meeting Room; Presentation - Tuesday, December 14, 2004 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, and on Thursday, December 16, 2004, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. We thank those of you who took the time to review and make comments on transportation projects, programs, and transit related issues. Public comments submitted during the public review period are included in the final Long Range Transportation Plan. If you are not currently on our mailing list, and would like to receive our quarterly newsletter, please give us a call, or click here.
To view the Eastgate LRTP click on the links below.
