Planning News


News

Columbus-Phenix City Metroplitan Planning Organization | Updates of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Horizon Year 2050

The Columbus-Phenix City Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization (C-PCTS MPO) has developed the draft update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for C-PCTS MPO region. The C-PCTS MPO study area includes all of the City of Columbus/Muscogee County, Chattahoochee County, Fort Moore, and a portion of Harris County in Georgia plus the City of Phenix City, the City of Smiths Station, and parts of Lee and Russell Counties in Alabama.

For more information you may view the announcement here »

You may also view the draft and final documents directly here »

Final 2025 Unified Planning Work Program

Tuesday July 09, 2024

The Final 2025 UPWP (Unified Planning Work Program) for the Columbus-Phenix City Metropolitan Organization has been approved and is available for review at the link below

Final 2025 UPWP

GDOT Request for Feedback For P.I. No. 0015690 (Macon Road/Beaver Run Road Roundabout)

Tuesday June 25, 2024

The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) is requesting review and feedback on the proposed project. We appreciate your participation in this process.

This project proposes to install a multi-lane roundabout at the intersection of State Route (SR) 22/US 80/Beaver Run Road at SR 22 Spur/Macon Road (SR 22 Spur). The proposed project is anticipated to reduce crash frequency and severity.

Georgia DOT has placed information about the proposed project at http://www.dot.ga.gov/AboutGDOT/PublicOutreach. The information on the website is provided in place of an in-person meeting, allowing the public to review the proposed project, provide feedback, or write in with questions.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information:
To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities contact the district planning and programming liaison, Harland Smith, at hasmith@dot.ga.gov or 706-741-3613.

Comments will be accepted concerning this project until Friday, July 19, 2024. Written statements may be submitted to:

Mr. Eric Duff
State Environmental Administrator
Georgia Department of Transportation
600 West Peachtree Street, NW – 16th Floor
Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Fall Line Trace Trail Improvements | Public Comment Period

Thursday June 20, 2024

The Fall Line Trace Trail Improvements project is a signage and amenities enhancement plan to bring the decade-old Fall Line Trace rail trail up to modern day trail standards and match the adopted Dragonfly Trails brand. The RTP grant will provide funding support for updated signage, surface markings, trailhead enhancements, and infrastructure improvements that will make the 10.5-mile Fall Line Trace safer and improve user experience for the 170,000+ annual trail users.

For more information and to see the proposed plan click here.

Please direct all comments to CPCMPO@Columbusga.org

2050 Columbus-Phenix City MPO MTP Update

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is developed by CPCTS MPO every five years to provide a comprehensive framework for transportation planning and investment in the Columbus-Phenix City region. The MTP will address all modes of transportation, including walking, biking, transit, freight, and driving, to determine how to achieve the region’s goals over a planning horizon of 20 years or more. This process will result in a prioritized list of projects that improves mobility and access for people and goods.

For more information visit https://planningatpond.com/columbus-phenix-city-mtp

Fall Line Trace Extension STBG Y230 Application Comment Period

The Columbus-Phenix City Metropolitan Planning Organization is now accepting comments regarding an application for a Fall Line Trace Trail extension using Y230 (urban attributable) Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds; this comment period will last 30 days. View the application with more information ». Please send all comments to CPCMPO@Columbusga.org

Federally Funded Projects authorized by GDOT for Fiscal Year 2022

The Georgia Department of Transportation has authorized a number of federally funded transportation projects for Fiscal Year 2022. For more information and a list of these projects, please click here.

Alabama Authorized Projects FY2022 - Alabama

The Columbus-Phenix City Metropolitan Planning Organization has announced a number of TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) projects for Fiscal Year 2022 for the Alabama portion of the metropolitan area. You may view a list of the projects with additional information here

Revised Annual Listing of Obligated Project

The Columbus-Phenix City Metropolitan Planning Organization has published a revised annual listing of obligated projects. The purpose of this report is to provide a list of federal highway and transit funded projects obligated in the previous fiscal year. A project is considered obligated when a funding contract has been completed, or a grant has been awarded. The report includes all projects in Alabama within the City of Phenix City, the City of Smiths Station, and parts of Lee and Russell Counties obligated in fiscal year 2022, which ran from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022.

CPC-MPO Annual Listing of Obligated Projects | FY 2022

Draft 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program - 30 Day Public Comment Period

The Draft 2024-2027 Transportation Improvment Program is now available for review and comment. Please submit any comments to Ltemples@columbusga.org within the next 30 days.

2023-2026 Public Participation Plan Comment Period Open

The CPC-MPO 2023-2026 Public Participation Plan is now available for review and comment. Please submit any comments to mixen.michael@columbusga.org within the next 30 days.

2038 Comprehensive Plan Update | Planning Advisory Commission Public Meeting

The process of updating the 5-year community work program of the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Columbus has begun, and this is your invitation to have input! The City has held three public meetings in three various areas of Columbus. The fourth meeting will be held at the Planning Advisory Commission on September 20, 2023, at 9 AM in the Council Chamber of the Citizen Service Center. This will be the first meeting presenting the new Community Work Program.

South Columbus River District | TAD #8

The proposed Tax Allocation District #8 is intended to support the development of two vital projects for the South Columbus River District: the River District Resort and Elliott's Walk. The River District Resort is proposed on two large vacant parcels consisting of approximately 144 acres located to the east of the Chattahoochee River and the west of Bull Creek. Elliott's Walk is proposed as an affordable housing development on approximately 38 acres. The proposed TAD #8 will support the development of the River District Resort into a major mixed-use commercial and residential development and the Elliott's Walk development will create approximately 100 affordable housing units.

Y230 Block Grant call for Projects

The Columbus-Phenix City Transportation Study – Metropolitan Planning Organization (C-PCTS-MPO) is conducting a competitive project selection process to award expected FY 2023-2024 Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program Urban Attributable (Y230) funds, provided through the act entitled Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Please refer to the Application's Call For Projects page for more information.

Midland Commons District #7 | TAD #7

The purpose of the proposed TAD #7 is to support development of the planned Midland Commons mixed use commercial development on the former site of the Swift denim plant and to leverage economic opportunities at the intersection of J.R. Allen Parkway (Highway 80) and Manchester Expressway (Alt 27) in Columbus, GA. The TAD district also includes Flat Rock Park and surrounding greenspace including a future bike trail.

Midland Commons District #7

Columbus Consolidated Government Redevelopment Plan

Attachments, comparisons, and concept drawing

Steam Mill Road Study | Public Information Open House

Steam Mill Road Improvements Project

Date: Monday, October 23, 2023

Time: 5:30-7:00 PM

Location: Columbus Baptist Association
3679 Steam Mill Road

View the options and provide feedback in person or on the project website:

https://www.steammillroadstudy.com/

Questions or Concerns? Donna Newman, Director of Engineering
706-225-4441
engineeringdept@columbusga.org

MidTown East and MidTown West | TAD #5 and #6

The redevelopment area described in this Plan includes nearly 8,500 properties covering roughly 3,250 acres (within individual tax parcels). The significant factors regarding this area are: (a) it contains more than 19.3 million SF of buildings with a total full market value of more than $1.25 billion; (b) the area as a whole includes more than 10% of the Consolidated Government’s total tax digest; (c) despite the fact that the redevelopment area is one of the most densely developed parts of Columbus, property values are relatively low, with full market values averaging $384,000 per developed acre; (d) residentially zoned properties in particular have very low average market values, averaging below $71,600 per parcel; and (e) general fund property tax collections from real estate within this area averages only $3,900 per acre. Substantial portions of the redevelopment area clearly exhibit several characteristics of disinvestment and under-utilization, which are prerequisite to the establishment of Tax Allocation Districts.

MidTown East and MidTown West

Columbus Consolidated Government Redevelopment Plan

Dragonfly Trail Phase I | EPA Watershed Protection Branch Notice

This notice is issued to inform the public of a receipt of an application for a variance submitted pursuant to a state environmental Law. The public is invited to comment during the 30-day period on the proposed activity. The application is for the proposed project involving construction of a multi-use trail (Dragonfly Trail Phase I) which aims to connect 16th Street with an existing trail in the city of Columbus, Muscogee County. Land disturbance within the buffer of Weracoba Creek consists of concrete path construction which totals 189 square feet along 35 linear feet. The project is located within the Middle Chattahoochee Watershed (03130003) and impacted areas will be restored to the extent practicable upon completion of the project. *For more information see complete notice here*

Fort Benning Technology Park | TAD #1

The purpose of the proposed TAD #1 is to support development of the planned Benning Technology Park, a proposed business park which is being designed to leverage economic opportunities created by the presence of Fort Benning in Muscogee County. The proposed 183-acre development site is located between 1-185 and Fort Benning and owned by the Development Authority of Columbus. Planned interchange improvements to 1-185 to the north and south of this property will, for the first time, make this area accessible for development. The TAD will enable the Technology Park's master developer to overcome deficient infrastructure, inadequate access, off-site costs and other impediments which have made development of this property economically unfeasible to date. By leveraging the City's redevelopment powers, the intent of this plan is to achieve a higher quality, density of development and resulting increased job creation in a much shorter timeline, than would be feasible absent of the proposed TAD #1.

Fort Benning Technology Park

Columbus Consolidated Government Redevelopment Plan

River District Development Plan

In total, the proposed three TADs contain 1,975 parcels totaling just under 846 acres, with a taxable real estate digest of $106 million. There are 1,056 existing structures with a combined 9 million square feet of building space in the three TADs with a median building age of nearly 93 years. This acreage estimate does not include streets, rights of way and other land for which no assessment records are available.

Together, the value of the properties in the TADs represents approximately 2.4% of the City's tax digest, well under the 10% maximum limit for all TADs in the City, as required by Georgia's Redevelopment Powers Law.

The City of Columbus River District Redevelopment Plan env1s1ons various potential redevelopment within the three TADs areas that reflect community objectives as the type of development they would like to see in the respective areas over the next decade.

River District Redevelopment Plan

Columbus Consolidated Government Redevelopment Plan

Liberty District Master Plan

Transportation Division

Will Johnson
Planning Director
wjohnson@columbusga.org
(706) 225-4116

Felton Grant
Right-of-Way Coordinator
fgrant@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3939

Bailey Borkat
Senior Transportation Planner
Borkat.Bailey@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3938

Michael Mixen
Senior Transportation Planner
mixen.michael@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3934

David Cooper
GIS Technician
dcooper@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3976

LaGranita Davis
Administration Assistant
davis.lagranita@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3935

Planning Division

John Renfroe
Assistant Planning Director
jrenfroe@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3937

Rex Wilkinson
Senior Planner
wilkinson.rex@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3928

Morgan Shepard
Principal Planner / Zoning Administrator
shepard.morgan@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3940

Claire Mitchell
Planner
mitchell.claire@columbusga.org
(706) 225-3941