Douglas County, Georgia, understood the need for a transportation framework to enhance mobility for all citizens, improve safety, elevate opportunities for economic vitality via land use, and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors. Through robust public engagement and research, VHB helped the County update its 2009 Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) to reflect a resilient vision for the future. The work included a detailed analysis of the existing condition of the county's transportation system, infrastructure, transportation facilities, and system operations to establish the current status of the system and forecast future travel demand. VHB identified existing deficiencies and current needs; and developed short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations, including cost estimates and action plans, to provide a more resilient transportation infrastructure for the region.
In addition, VHB conducted a transit service analysis to examine the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of Douglas Connect transit services, which implemented a new fixed-route service and supporting infrastructure in early 2019. VHB led the transit assessment activities and evaluated future demand for transit services accounting for demographic changes, market characteristics, planned growth, technology, and regional transit planning implications. The outcome of the transit services assessment identified short-term service improvement strategies and longer-term development and expansion recommendations. All strategies and recommendations focused on delivering the services and infrastructure projects efficiently and cost-effectively. Planning included public and stakeholder engagement, which was conducted virtually due to COVID-19 safety protocols, to identify the community's service needs and develop a comprehensive plan that addresses deficiencies, infrastructure, and service gaps and is supported by residents and decision-makers across the county.
