In conjunction with the Virginia
Department of Transportation (VDOT), the West Piedmont Planning District
Commission established a Rural Transportation Program in 1993. VDOT allocated part of the Highway Planning
and Research money made available under the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) to provide transportation planning assistance
for non-urbanized portions of the State.
This program aids the state in fulfilling the requirements of the State
Planning Process to address the transportation needs of non-metropolitan
areas. This program was continued under
the new federal transportation legislation—the Transportation Equity Act for the
21st Century (TEA-21).
Commission staff provides rural transportation planning assistance for
the non-metropolitan portions of the Planning District (which includes all
areas except the City of Danville and portions of Pittsylvania County).
The Commission develops a
Rural
Transportation Planning Work Program annually. The Rural Work Program is developed in
January-February and then adopted thereafter.
Public involvement in transportation planning is an important element of
the planning process. Citizen and group
participation are needed to make sure that good projects, plans and decisions
are developed to meet the needs of the region.
On January 11, 2007, the WPPD Board of Commissioners adopted the
West
Piedmont Public Involvement/Participation Plan. A listing of Commission staff and related
Rural Transportation Planning Program committees which aid in implementing this
planning process follow:
WPPDC Regional
Rural Long-Range Transportation Planning Committee (TTAC)/Freight Committee
James E. Astin, Chairman, Pittsylvania County
Aaron Burdick, Franklin County
Planning Department
Michael Burnette, Patrick County Administrator
Clifford P. Burnette, Jr., VA Department of Aviation
Lee Clark, Henry County
Planning Director
David Cothran, Town of Chatham
Barbara Cousin,
Martinsville
Ralph Cypress, Pittsylvania County
Unwanna Dabney, Federal
Highway Administration, VA Division
Kenneth C. Gillie, Jr., Danville Planning
Director
Michael Gray, District Planner, VDOT, Salem District Office
Lee
Farmer, VA Department of Rail & Public Transportation
W.T. Fitzgerald,
Pittsylvania County
Lynn Frith, Town of Boones Mill
Randy Hamilton, VDOT
Resident Administrator, Danville-Pittsylvania County
Tony Handy, VDOT
Resident Administrator, Franklin County-Rocky Mount
Mary Hopkins, Franklin
County
Lisa Hughes, VDOT Resident Administrator, Martinsville-Henry
County-Patrick County
Jeffery B. Kessler, District Planner, VDOT, Lynchburg
District Office
Wayne Knox, City of Martinsville
Randolph Lester, Henry
County
David Lilly, Gretna Town Manager
Susie Lucado, Town of Hurt
Cecil Mason, Town of Rocky Mount
Tim Pace, Henry County
Ed Page,
Mayor, Town of Ridgeway
Steve Sandy, Franklin County Planning Department
Greg Sides, Pittsylvania County Planning Director
Paul Stockwell, Rocky Mount
Town Planner
John Tiggle, Franklin County
Terry Tilley, Stuart Town
Manager
Leon Towarnicki, Assistant Martinsville City Manager
Tiffani
Underwood, City of Martinsville
WPPDC Transportation Citizens Advisory Committee (TCAC)
James E. Astin, Jr., Chairman, Pittsylvania County
Michael Burnette, Patrick County
Barbara Cousin, Martinsville
Ralph B.
Cypress, Pittsylvania County
W.T. Fitzgerald, Pittsylvania County
Kenneth
C. Gillie, Jr., Danville
Mary G. Hopkins, Franklin County
Wayne Knox,
Martinsville
Randolph Lester, Henry County
Donna T. Martin, At-Large
Cecil Mason, Rocky Mount
Tim Pace, Henry County
John Tiggle, Franklin
County
WPPDC Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
James E. Astin, Jr., Chairman, Pittsylvania County
Michael Burnette, Patrick
County
Barbara Cousin, Martinsville
Ralph B. Cypress, Pittsylvania County
W.T. Fitzgerald, Pittsylvania County
Kenneth C. Gillie, Jr., Danville
Mary
G. Hopkins, Franklin County
Wayne Knox, Martinsville
Randolph Lester,
Henry County
Donna T. Martin, At-Large
Cecil Mason, Rocky Mount
Tim
Pace, Henry County
John Tiggle, Franklin County