RPO looks to assess transportation needs in Coffee County

The Southeast Alabama Rural Planning Organization discussed ongoing transportation projects in Coffee County and the Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan at a public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

According to Darrell Rigsby, regional manager for the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, RPO’s work with rural areas to find transportation issues in seven counties, including Coffee and Dale.

“We’re one of 12 RPOs in the state,” Rigsby said. “We basically cover all transportation needs outside the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). For our region, that is only the Dothan area.

“The RPO is basically a liaison between ALDOT (Alabama Department of Transportation) and the community. We try to pass information back and forth in whatever direction. For the most part, the focus is just on transportation, road networks and transit, whether that be safety, road issues or projects that ALDOT’s doing.”

The RPO develops the regional HSCT plan, which looks at identifying issues with public transportation and tries to find solutions to the problems.

“The focus of that plan is to look at the impediments and needs of the population of the region, and find how some of the services can provide potential solutions to some of those problems,” Rigsby said.

The populations most affected by public transportation issues are the elderly, low-to-moderate income makers and disabled individuals.

Rigsby and Scott Farmer, director of community development, are working to create a newly revised plan based on public commentary, information from elected officials and transit providers and users.

Surveys and questionnaires have been sent out to providers and users to provide feedback on the issue.

“Coffee and Dale don’t have a general transit provider,” Farmer said. “It’s difficult for people in those counties, unless you have different programs such as the (Section) 5310 programs at senior centers.”

Besides public commentary, Farmer and Rigsby are also using the demographics of all the counties to help find any possible transportation issues.

“The biggest thing with these plans are looking at the impediments for transportation,” Farmer said. “We utilize demographic data and census data. We look at where populations are a little bit higher proportion than others. Then, we also look at common destinations, things like medical facilities, government buildings, social service agencies, Walmarts and grocery stores, and dialysis centers, places like that a lot of these people have to go.”

The transportation resources available are also compiled in the plan.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Farmer said. “Things we found out four years ago are probably about the same now, but we’re trying to do a little bit different process in getting comments.”

Farmer said it’s important to know about local transportation issues.

“Transportation affects everybody, and there’s a lot of people with limitations that can’t just jump in a car to go to the doctor or the grocery store,” Farmer said. “There are certain limitations to the resources that are available to these people.”

For any information about RPOs, the HSCT plan or local transportation issues, contact the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission at (334) 794-4093.