Regional News
Triumph gets attention as awards are named
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Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is a non-profit corporation organized to oversee the expenditure of 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages incurred in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The funds are to be used for the recovery, diversification, and enhancement of the eight Northwest Florida counties disproportionately affected by the oil spill: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla.
Attention is being given as meetings are happening across the region to identify collaborative efforts that will yield awards in the application process. Watch here for future developments regarding how Triumph funds may have a positive impact on transportation in the northwest Florida region.
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| The West Florida Regional Planning Council now operates the FDOT Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program in its seven-county region. The goal of SRTS is to provide tools for educators to make it safer for more children to walk and bicycle to school through teacher trainings and direct presentations to students. While teaching safe walking and biking habits should start at home, schools and other educational centers have an opportunity to reach all children with this valuable safety education that will benefit them throughout their lives.
SRTS Coordinators met on February 16 to review best practices, challenges, and opportunities for implementing bicycle and pedestrian curriculum in local schools. If your school or community is interested in learning more about this state program, please contact Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Caitlin Cerame at caitlin.cerame@wfrpc.org or 850-332-7976, ext. 203. |
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| Transportation Disadvantaged |
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To ensure that individuals have access to life-sustaining activities – regardless of their physical or mental ability, income, or age – the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) works to ensure the availability of efficient, cost-effective, an d quality transportation services to those who need assistance through Community Transportation Coordinators (CTC) and Local Coordinating Boards. Through the staffing of Transportation Planning Organizations, the West Florida Regional Planning Council also serves as staff to the Local Coordinating boards for each TD service area, providing valuable advice, guidance, and oversight for the CTC. WFRPC Planner and Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinator, Howard Vanselow, staffed board meetings for the Bay, Escambia, Holmes-Washington, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Transportation Disadvantaged programs in February. For information regarding the Transportation Disadvantaged program, please contact Howard Vanselow.
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| The Bay County TPO met on Wednesday, February 12 in Panama City, Fla. Items discussed included: Amendments to the 2018-2022 Transportation Improvement Program and Long Range Transportation Plan, adopting Targets for Safety Performance Measures, appointing a new member to the Citizens’ Advisory Committee, and more. |
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| rideOn and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce hosted a Rideshare Transportation Solutions Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, February 7 at the Sheraton Bay Point Resort, in Panama City Beach. Representatives from Enterprise Rideshare, Bay Town Trolley, and West Florida Regional Planning Council’s rideOn team introduced employers and community members from Bay County to commuter rideshare programs available in the area. Ridesharing is a structured program used to support carpooling, vanpooling, and other sustainable transportation options. Used as a simple and innovative HR strategy to improve workforce recruitment, retention and reliability, it produces cost-savings that benefit employees and employers alike. This Lunch and Learn opportunity demonstrated how to implement transportation solutions that benefit businesses and the communities they support. If you know of an employer needing transportation assistance for their employees, please contact the rideOn team. |
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| The Florida-Alabama TPO met on Wednesday, February 14 in Gulf Breeze, Fla.Topics discussed included: amending the Florida-Alabama 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan, appointing an alternate to the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization, and more. |
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| Safe Routes to School – Escambia |
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| The West Florida Regional Planning Council hosted an FDOT Safe Routes to School (SRTS) bike rodeo on Thursday, February 22 in Pensacola, Fla. providing nine educators with the skills and information to train local students to be safe riders when bicycling to and from school. |
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| Community Transportation Education |
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| Public Involvement Coordinator, Brittany Ellers, and Transportation Program Coordinator Tiffany Bates, recently presented local transportation topics to the Seville and Pensacola North Rotary clubs. Pictured below are just a few of the many engaged participants at the Seville meeting. |
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| The Okaloosa-Walton TPO held a public meeting on Thursday, February 22 in DeFuniak Springs, Fla. Topics included: Adoption of Targets for Safety Performance Measures, amending the 2040 Okaloosa-Walton Long Range Transportation Needs Plan, appointing a Primary member to the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Council (RTPO), and more. |
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Beal Parkway
Corridor Management Plan |
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| The Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization held a Corridor Management Plan public meeting regarding Beal Parkway (from U.S. Highway 98 to Mary Esther Boulevard) on Thursday, February 1 at Fort Walton Beach Public Library. The meeting focused on proposed improvements along the corridor in response to the public input provided at the first public meeting in December. The recommended improvements focused on pedestrian and vehicular safety at major intersections, truck traffic at Industrial Street, and beautification. Staff held two additional workshops in Okaloosa and Walton counties. |
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| The staff of WFRPC is busy across its seven-county region, assisting municipalities in projects ranging from transportation, housing, and economic development, to environmental programs. Pictured here is Megan Polk, WFRPC Urban Planner, as she leads the Walton County Taxpayers Association in an interactive electronic survey as part of the public outreach process for the Walton County Economic Development Strategic Plan. |
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