Transit plan outlines microtransit zones, two mobility hubs and phased service options; public comment open through March 4

Victor Pope, director of transit planning, and Beth Hoffman of the transit planning team presented the draft 2025 evelopment Plan (TDP) at the February work session, saying the plan is a federally required, high-level guide for transit goals and service options for 2025 nd beyond.

"Please encourage your constituents to review the plan and comment," Pope said; the public comment period for the final draft was opened Feb. 4 and is scheduled to remain open through March 4.

Pope and Hoffman said the TDP reflects three years of analysis and engagement (public surveys, stakeholder meetings and commission input) and received more than 450 public comments. The plan's needs analysis combined a "transit propensity" measure (demographics associated with transit need) with population density and land-use trends; the consultants reported shifting concentrations of transit-propensity populations northward and toward the county border and emphasized that denser areas support higher-frequency fixed-route service while lower-density areas may be better served by on-demand microtransit.

Key recommendations in the draft plan include: a bus-network redesign to improve frequency and efficiency; a fare-policy review; coordination with the University of Georgia nd other providers to reduce overlap; a zero-emission vehicle fleet transition pathway; transit-oriented development planning; a first/last-mile study; and a multimodal…