The 2011 Regional Transportation Plan is a 25-year planning document that guides the development of the transportation system in Tulare County. This document is required by state and federal law, is comprehensively updated every four years and includes programs to better maintain, operate and expand transportation.
TCAG’s jurisdiction includes the cities of Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Woodlake and Tulare County. The Tule River Tribal Council is also consulted as part of the transportation planning process. TCAG coordinates with federal, state, regional governments and the Native American tribal government to develop strategies that address transportation issues. This effort promotes direct involvement by the government and interested groups in the transportation planning and project selection process.
The following is a brief summary of what is contained in each chapter:
Contents and Executive Summary
This section includes the Table Contents, a copy of the TCAG Board resolution of the adoption of the 2007 RTP and a summary of the chapters contained in the RTP.
Policy Element
The Policy Element identifies transportation goals, objectives and policies that meet the needs of the region. Goals, objectives, and policies are established to determine specific courses of action to guide Tulare County toward implementation of the RTP. This element includes a discussion of regional issues including population growth, commercial, industrial, and residential development, sources of funding, and mitigation impact techniques.
Action Element
The Action Element of the RTP consists of short-term and long-term projects that address regional transportation issues and needs. The transportation modes such as highways, mass transportation, railroad, bicycle, pedestrian and aviation facilities are addressed. The Action Element contains a discussion of existing needs assumptions and conclusions.
Financial Element
The purpose of the Financial Element will be to provide an assumption of the cost and revenues necessary to implement the RTP. These assumptions include revenue estimates for specific governmental funding programs, local contributions, license and fuel taxes, and development fees. Tulare County does not currently have a local sales tax for transportation purposes. The majority of available funds generated from federal and state gas taxes are distributed in a variety of grants and acts.
Goods Movement Chapter
A new addition to the 2011RTP, the Goods Movement Chapter addresses goods movement issues by mode of travel in and through Tulare County.
Valleywide Chapter
The Valleywide Chapter provides a regional perspective to transportation planning in the San Joaquin Valley. The chapter addresses several regional issues including air quality, highways, streets and roads, aviation, rail and goods movement.
References & Glossary
The Reference section contains a list of supporting documents and documents used in the development of the 2011 RTP. The Glossary contains a list of transportation related acronyms and definitions of frequently used transportation terms.
Appendix A – Comments
Appendix A contains all comments received during the development of the 2007 RTP and responses to the comments.
Appendix B – Regional Road System
Appendix B contains a description and the process used to develop the Tulare County Regional Road System. A map and tabular description of each road is also included.
Appendix C – Environmental Impact Report
The 2011 RTP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) evaluates potential significant impacts that may result from the planning and implementing of the 2011 RTP. This review is consistent with the CEQA and NEPA guidelines. The 2011 RTP EIR focuses on those impacts that are found to be potentially significant on a regional, system-wide level as a result of the Initial Study/Environmental Assessment and Impacts Checklist.
For the Draft EIR <click here>
For the Final EIR <click here>
Appendix D – Air Quality Conformity Findings
The Clean Air Act and federal transportation conformity rule requires that each new RTP and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) must be demonstrated to conform before the RTP/TIP is approved by the MPO or accepted by DOT. This analysis demonstrates that the criteria specified in the federal transportation conformity rule for a conformity determination are satisfied by the 2011 RTP.
Appendix E - Coordinated Transportation Plan
This plan is a SAFTEA-LU required document that addresses transit coordination issues in Tulare County.
Appendix F - Public Participation Plan
Public Participation process for the RTP, FTIP and OWP are addressed in this plan
Appendix G – Public Outreach Documents
This appendix documents TCAG’s outreach efforts for the 2011 RTP.
Appendix H - RTP Checklist
This checklist was developed to address fedeeral ans state requirements and the California Transportation Comission's RTP guidelines for the contenet of the RTP.
Click here to get your free copy of Acrobat Reader. The above guides are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).
