All indications are that 2010 will be an important year in regional planning.  The current economic instability that our nation is experiencing necessitates a renewed focus on maintaining our existing infrastructure. It also requires us to take a fresh look at public transportation and land use planning.   The Obama administration and Congress are currently re-examining these issues as they develop the new federal transportation bill.

AMATS will be working closely with state and federal officials to help craft the important pieces of legislation that will affect transportation policy in our region.  The two most important transportation issues confronting us today are: 1) ensuring that adequate funding continues to be available to maintain our aging roads and bridges; and 2) establishing a sustainable source of operating revenue for public transportation at both the federal and state level.

Our agency web site is an excellent source of information to stay abreast of the many upcoming changes that will be shaping transportation and urban planning policies in the Greater Akron area. Be sure to visit our site’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Transportation Outlook pages, two key sources of information regarding upcoming transportation improvements.

In the coming months, we will unveil a whole new AMATS web site. The new site will offer a host of unique features while presenting useful information in an attractive format. In addition to our other public outreach efforts, we plan to increase our use of the site as a conduit to receive comments and feedback.

We hope that you decide to become an active participant in the planning process. We would like to hear from you in 2010. If you have questions, please call us at 330-375-2436.