Historic Cherokee County, Georgia, is dotted with rural farms, new businesses, and busy roadways. This fast-growing area of North Georgia is located “where metro meets the mountains” and includes significant freight movement on high-volume roadways like I-575. The County was established in 1831 and has more than 266,000 residents with large population centers like Woodstock and Canton—showing over 24 percent growth since 2010.
Cherokee County asked VHB to help create a data-informed transportation plan that would meet the needs of both rural and metropolitan areas. The 2022 Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) Update includes short- and long-term goals that consider all forms of transportation, including automobiles, transit, walking, biking, freight, and emerging transportation technologies.
“People and companies are moving to Cherokee County in record numbers, and transportation systems will have to keep up and anticipate future needs, like connecting residents to regional transit systems,” said David Pickworth, PE, Transportation Engineering Manager. “Our prior work with the County on projects like the Ball Ground Bypass and intersection improvements at Univeter Road and SR 140 meant we could hit the ground running and help prioritize and recommend policies and funding for key projects.”
The project prioritization process scores future projects based on the CTP goals and coordinated performance measures around five key areas defined by public input:
- Improve connectivity and mobility
- Maintain community health, safety, and environment
- Align transportation and land use planning
- Preserve infrastructure
- Increase Modal Options
The CTP study included a look into how well the County residents are served by regional transit services to help connect commuters into job centers like Midtown and Downtown Atlanta. The CTP also resulted in County-wide recommendations for technology-enabled improvements powered by intelligent transportation systems (ITS). These technologies encompass a broad range of data-informed communication equipment to monitor and control traffic as well as transmit information to drivers about travel options. ITS includes real-time signal coordination, cameras, sensors, and dynamic message signs. The technologies can enhance traffic flow and reduce congestion during peak travel times.
The CTP also recommends Cherokee County explore Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV), Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and smart streetlights.
Active transportation is an important part of a community’s overall transportation vision. VHB’s transportation planners with comprehensive transit, bicycle and pedestrian safety planning experience contributed to the CTP Trails Master Plan and Transit Service Plan updates. Preliminary recommendations include 28 trail/sidewalk priorities, digital walking maps, awareness days, new bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees, and pedestrian crossing improvements.
Transit Service priority improvements also contribute to a robust CTP that elevates equity and opportunity. The CTP recommendations include bus stop amenity improvements, priority corridors for fixed-route bus expansions, new fare policies, and microtransit services as first-mile/last-mile connections.
Robust stakeholder engagement incorporated feedback from residents and public groups via meetings, an interactive project website, virtual rooms, an online survey, and other engagement tactics.
“This is a great project for VHB Atlanta. It incorporates insight gained from our experience with Comprehensive Transportation Plans across the State of Georgia,” said Fabricio Ponce, Managing Director. “It also reflects lessons learned and best practices from our work with the Atlanta Regional Commission on the Regional Safety Strategy.”
VHB’s work on the Cherokee County CTP has led to additional projects with the Cherokee Area Transit System on an expanded analysis of ridership, as well as a bus operations facilities site plan. For more information about CTPs contact David.
