Nancy,
Thank you for offering the Metropolitan Planning Organization staff the
opportunity to comment on the University's Transportation and Parking Plan.
In general we would comment that the Plan demonstrates a strong commitment
to alternative forms of transportation which is in agreement with the MPO's
goals in the Long Range Transportation Plan. We would however, note that the
provision of a subsidy to those in single occupant vehicles is
counterproductive to the goals expressed by our organization and in the Plan
itself.
In general the Plan moves to create more mobility throughout the area by
maximizing the alternatives available to the University's population. The
MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan strongly supports this effort. As you
may be aware, the MPO is committed to improving the highway network and
encouraging alternative transportation. We have been developing a
Transportation Demand Management Program including an effort to create van
pools in cooperation with the University, Mountain Line and other major
employers in the area. We look forward to expanding those efforts.
It is opportune that this plan is being reviewed as the University is
presenting the planned redevelopment of the Evansdale campus to the
Community. In general the Evansdale Plan's goal of creating a walk-able
campus appears to be in agreement with the WVU Transportation and Parking
Plan and with the goals of the MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan. It
should be noted that designing proposed development and the transportation
facilities that serve them together can lead to cost savings for the
proposed buildings, the transportation facilities, and for those working at
and providing services to the facilities. This comprehensive approach would
also benefit the general public. Unfortunately, it appears that this
approach was not taken during the development of the Evansdale plan and we
cannot positively comment on the transportation impacts of the proposal. We
do have a concern that the proposed signal and closing of Evansdale Drive
may have a negative impact on the area. We are also concerned that the large
scale of the Campus may encourage persons to drive from one parking lot to
another to attend classes rather than walking across campus. Assessing
pedestrian access issues in the area is also a concern. The MPO's regional
traffic model as well as the work being performed by the Division of
Highway's consultant looking at traffic operations on the 705 Corridor can
provide an assessment of the Evansdale Plan. We would be happy to assist in
this matter.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these matters. We will provide
some very minor comments on some of the wording of the Transportation and
Parking Plan shortly. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we may be of
any assistance.
Sincerely,
Bill Austin, AICP
Executive Director
Morgantown Monongalia MPO
82 Hart Field Road Ste. 105
Morgantown, WVA 26505
304-291-9571
304-692-7225 Mobile
"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the
better designedly." ~Francis Bacon
"Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is
no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof." ~John Kenneth
Galbraith
-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Lohmann [mailto:nlohmann@wvu.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 8:12 AM
To: Tom Arnold; Morgantown Parking Authority; Morgantown City Council;
Terrence Moore; Chris Fletcher; Asel Kennedy; Bill Austin; Roy Nutter; Frank
Gmeindl; Christiaan Abildso; David Bruffy
Cc: Narvel Weese; Randal Hudak; Hugh Kierig
Subject: Draft WVU Transportation and Parking Plan
Good morning.
West Virginia University is in the process of revising its Transportation
and Parking Plan, which was last revised in 2007. I wanted to share a copy
of the draft plan with you and also invite your comments on it. A copy is
enclosed. Today or tomorrow the Plan will also be accesible through
http://transportation.wvu.edu/ <
http://transportation.wvu.edu/>
We are inviting comments until NOVEMBER 18. After that date, the
Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee will begin to modify the plan
considering the feedback received.
Comments may be forwarded to
TransParkPlan@mail.WVU.edu<
mailto:TransParkPlan@mail.WVU.edu> or TransPark Plan, P. O. Box 6205, WVU,
Morgantown, WV 26506-6205.
I know this is a busy time of the year but we would welcome any advice that
you may be able to offer. Thanks.
Nancy
Nancy Lohmann, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor to the Vice President
for Administration and Finance
Professor of Social Work
101 Stewart Hall
P.O. Box 6205
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26506-6205
Phone: 304-293-9200
Fax: 304-293-3493
-----
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