FAQs
What is a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
It is a strategic, long-term planning document that outlines the future of a region's transportation system, typically covering a 20- to 25-year planning horizon. The plan outlines the region’s transportation goals, engages with the public, reviews data to understand regional transportation needs and priorities, and puts forward a cost-constrained set of projects to implement by the horizon year, in this case 2050.
The LRTP plans and aligns transportation investments with future population, employment growth, and safety.
Federal regulations generally require updates every five years to reflect changing conditions, data, and funding availability. GPATS conducts a small review and update of the LRTP every five years and a major update every ten years. The Horizon2050 LRTP is a major 10-year update.
It means the LRTP should include only projects for which there is a reasonable expectation of available funding, thereby ensuring it is realistic. Any projects that cannot fit within existing funding constraints will be added to a Vision List of projects recognized as important to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) but that lack funding for implementation at this time.
Yes, LRTPs are multimodal, covering roads, transit, walking, bicycling, and freight.
GPATS projects are identified during the LRTP’s needs assessment process. This needs assessment includes the existing regional transportation conditions and identifies areas of concern, such as extreme congestion, safety issues, and infrastructure gaps. This process involves robust public engagement, including an interactive comment map, in-person and digital stakeholder and public meetings, and a call for projects from GPATS member jurisdictions.
GPATS projects are prioritized through a competitive process aligned with the SCDOT-standardized process known as SC Act 114. This Act requires that projects be ranked under a competitive process that considers the following criteria:
- Financial viability
- Public safety
- Potential for economic development
- Traffic volume and congestion
- Truck traffic
- The pavement quality index
- Environmental impact
- Alternative transportation solutions
- Consistency with local land use plans
Projects are screened using an evaluation matrix that takes these criteria into account and are ranked according to how well they align with the criteria and GPATS’ goals and objectives. Projects should then be implemented in order of rank, though this order can be deviated from under limited circumstances, such as cost efficiencies, significant barriers to completion, or due to local and regional collaboration.
GPATS projects are funded through a combination of federal, state, and local funds. Most of the funding for GPATS projects comes from the Regional Mobility Program (RMP), previously known as Guideshare. The GPATS MPO has approximately $29.2 million available under the RMP annually. This funding is allocated to projects identified in the GPATS LRTP and GPATS Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The projects that rank highest in the LRTP’s prioritization process are identified in the final fiscally constrained LRTP, and the list of projects for which there is a reasonable expectation of available funding. As funding becomes available, projects roll off the LRTP and onto the TIP, which identifies near-term projects scheduled to begin implementation within the next six plus years.
Any projects that cannot fit within existing funding constraints will be added to a Vision List of projects that are recognized as important to the MPO but lack funding for implementation at this time
Projects funded through the Regional Mobility Program (RMP) and included in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) must have been identified in the LRTP prior to inclusion in the TIP. The LRTP is reviewed by both the Study Team and the Policy Committee prior to adoption. As funding becomes available, projects roll off the LRTP and onto the TIP, which identifies the near-term projects that are scheduled to begin implementation within the next six plus years. The TIP identifies funding allocations by fiscal year and phase, including the planning, preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction phases. As this document is amended over time to allocate funding for new phases or to reflect cost estimate changes, the Policy Committee reviews and approves these changes. Records of amendments to the TIP can be found on the TIP Program Page on the GPATS website, along with annual Federally Obligated Project Lists.
If RMP funding has been allocated to a specific mode of transportation, this will be honored to the best of the MPO’s ability.
How can I be involved?
During the LRTP process, there will be several opportunities for the public to provide feedback. Visit the “Get Involved” page to see when in-person public meetings will be held. A comment map is available on the site's home page to collect feedback on specific locations and issues. General comments can be submitted through the comment form on the “Contact Us” page.
The times, dates, and locations of confirmed meetings are listed below. For more information on regional public meetings, visit the “Get Involved” page.
Greer: City of Greer, Events Hall
- Time: May 11, 5-7 PM
- Location: 301 East Poinsett Street, Greer, SC 29651
Greenville: Hughes Main Library
- Time: May 13, 5-7 PM
- Location: 25 Heritage Green Pl, Greenville, SC 29601
Travelers Rest: City Hall
- Time: May 14, 5-7 PM
- Location: 125 Trailblazer Drive, Travelers Rest, SC 29690
Simpsonville: Simpsonville Library
- Time: May 19, 5-7 PM
- Location: 626 NE Main St, Simpsonville, SC 29681
Easley: Kimberley Hampton Memorial Library
- Time: May 20, 5-7 PM
- Location: 304 Biltmore Road, Easley, SC 29640
Powdersville: Bethesda United Church
- Time: May 21, 5-7 PM
- Location: 516 Piedmont Road, Easley, SC 29642
Yes, please take a few minues to complete our survey.
No, the public is always welcome at GPATS! The Policy Committee takes public comments at their meetings, the Study Team meetings are great for coordinating with transportation professionals from around the region, and GPATS staff are always available for contact and assistance. Please visit https://gpats.org for more information and sign up for our mailing lists.
What is GPATS?
Federal law requires that any urbanized area with a population of over 50,000 people have a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) that conducts multimodal transportation planning, such as a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS) is the official MPO that serves as the formal transportation planning body for the Greenville-Pickens area, which consists of the Greenville and Mauldin-Simpsonville urbanized areas.
Additionally, GPATS is a Transportation Management Area (TMA), meaning it has a population of 200,000 or greater. As a TMA, the MPO receives direct attributable funds under certain programs, such as the Transportation Alternatives Program, and can prioritize projects for funding under these programs. This ability comes with additional responsibilities, such as quadrennial reviews and establishing Congestion Management Processes.
As the formal transportation planning body for the Greenville and Mauldin-Simpsonville urbanized areas, GPATS assists the region in setting priorities for multimodal projects, including roadway, bicycle, pedestrian, and public transportation projects, and manages about $29.2 million in annual funding. GPATS develops important planning documents that prioritize and fund transportation projects within the urbanized area and areas that could become urban in the next 25 years. These documents include the Horizon2050 LRTP, the Congestion Management Process, which identifies a strategy to address traffic congestion in the region over the next 25 years, and the Transportation Improvement Plan, which identifies committed projects to be implemented over approximately the next six years.
GPATS coordinates closely with the region’s transit agencies, such as GTA (Greenlink), on their operations and capital projects, and participates as a stakeholder in local planning initiatives, including community and regional plans, corridor studies, transportation plans, and other projects.
The GPATS MPO consists of a Policy Committee, a technical committee called the Study Team, and several sub-committees focusing on specific modes of transportation.
The Policy Committee consists of elected and appointed officials, including mayors, county council members, state senators and representatives, SCDOT commissioners, and transit providers. It has 28 voting members and seven non-voting members.
The Study Team consists of administrators, planners, engineers, public works staff, other city and county representatives, and representatives from SCDOT, Federal Highway Administration, Appalachian Council of Governments, and transit providers. There are over 70 participants on this committee.
Several Study Team members have volunteered to serve on subcommittees designated for specific modes of transportation. These subcommittees include:
- Transit Coordinating Committee: The Transit Coordinating Committee brings together transit providers, human service agencies, and local governments to improve coordination of public transportation services, enhance efficiency, and address the mobility needs of vulnerable populations, such as seniors and individuals with disabilities. The committee reviews proposed projects and brings recommendations for further discussion to the Study Team before each Policy Committee.
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinating Committee: The Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinating Committee concentrates on non-motorized transportation, advising infrastructure and policies that support walking and biking. This committee reviews plans for sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails, promotes safety and encourages alternative modes of transportation. Their recommendations are presented to the Study Team for further discussion before Policy Committee meetings.
For more information about the GPATS MPO, visit the GPATS Website and GPATS 101 page. General comments and questions about the Horizon 2050 LRTP update can be submitted through the comment form on the “Contact Us” page.