BASTROP COUNTY TO HOST PUBLIC WORKSHOPS TO KICK OFF COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Bastrop County is pleased to invite the public to participate in a series of three visioning workshops to be held this fall to gather information on and provide input to the development of the Bastrop County Transportation Plan. Scheduled to be completed in June 2016, the plan will serve as a roadmap for creating a safe and efficient county transportation system that serves the mobility needs of area residents and allows the county to remain economically competitive in Central Texas now and in the future.
County officials have emphasized how important it is to have residents actively participate throughout the planning process, from the initial goal setting, through the assessment of transportation system alternatives, to the creation of the final plan.
"County residents will play a crucial role in the development of the Bastrop County Transportation Plan," said Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape. "We feel that it is very important to have the input of the residents of Bastrop County to help us better understand the diverse needs of our community and to help us craft a vision of how our transportation system will serve us in the future.”
For the plan to truly represent community needs and visions for the future, participation from all segments of the community is important. To this end, the public is invited to attend three public visioning workshops this September and October to provide input on a vision and goals for a future transportation system and to help the project team identify transportation system needs in the county.
The Public Visioning Workshops will be held:
- September 29th, 2015 – Elgin Public Library from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
404 N Main Street, Elgin, TX 78621
- September 30, 2015 – Smithville Rec Center from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
106 Gazley Street, Smithville, TX 78957
- October 7th, 2015 – Bastrop Public Library from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
1100 Church Street, Bastrop, TX 78602
A major goal of the plan is to identify strategies that balance preservation and wise use of existing assets with strategies for achieving a vision of growth and economic vitality, while maintaining quality of place for existing residents and business owners. Assisted by a team of professional planning and engineering firms, the County will rely heavily on public input in the development of the plan. However, the only way that a citizen’s voice can be heard is to participate in the process.
Citizens are invited to go to the project website or Facebook page, or email the planning team, to provide their contact information for notices concerning opportunities to participate and provide their input into the plan. Public notices of meetings and opportunities for input will also be published on the county website and in the local media, but the best way to find out more is to put your name on the county mailing list for this project. To do so please send an email to:
BastropCountyTransportationPlan@emailatg.com
The plan will allow County leaders and staff to:
· Identify critical transportation infrastructure and operational deficiencies for all modes of travel – auto; freight and commercial trucks; transit buses; bicycles and pedestrians
· Better maintain the existing County transportation system
· Identify the need for new or expanded facilities to meet the needs of the growing County economy
· Develop a transportation system that supports County goals and objectives to provide safe and efficient travel to all travelers by whatever mode they choose
· Select the most appropriate solutions to efficiently move people and goods to their intended destinations in the most fiscally responsible manner.
The final plan, scheduled for completion in June of 2016, will define a vision, assess current conditions, and identify potential improvements to enhance the transportation system.
More information on the Bastrop County Transportation Plan can be found on the project website: http://www.co.bastrop.tx.us/default.aspx?name=dspl.long_range
Or on the project Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BastropCountyTransportationPlan
