Plans and Documents

Planning Documents

BATS develops and maintains four (4) major planning documents in accordance with the continuous, cooperative and comprehensive planning process detailed in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law No. 114-94. The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and the Public Participation Plan (PPP). These documents are needed to meet federal, and state standards for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs).

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)

The MTP is the single most important document produced by the MPO. It governs the expenditures of Federal and State highway dollars, including priority based transportation investments to address current and long range needs.

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is adopted annually by the Brunswick Area Transportation Study (BATS) and identifies the major transportation planning activities to be undertaken for the coming year. An important element of the UPWP is the continuing update and maintenance of land use, demographic, and travel data needed to apply the regional travel demand model, which forecasts travel demands based on population and employment projections along with transportation facilities and services.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a comprehensive transportation planning document that lists all Federal, State, and locally funded transportation projects within the MPO’s planning area which, for the BATS, encompasses all of Glynn County and the City of Brunswick. All modes of transportation and transportation infrastructure are contained within the TIP, including roadways, bicycle

and pedestrian facilities, bridges, and public transit, among others. The TIP is a short-range plan, required by federal regulation to be updated a minimum of every four years. The development of the TIP is coordinated with the GDOT, and projects funded within the TIP must also be included in the MTP.

Public Participation Plan (PPP)

The Public Participation Plan provides clear directive for agency and public involvement activities relating to BATS. The PPP must comply with federal regulations as outlined in 23 C.F.R. 450 and U.S.C. 134, with Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.