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Project Overview
The Regional Rural Transportation Plan (RRTP) serves as a blueprint for maintaining and enhancing the region’s rural transportation system. Under a pilot project task handed down by District Three of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), staff at the Emerald Coast Regional Council (ECRC) brought the region's rural communities together for discussion and collaboration. Through this process, the Regional Rural Transportation Plan (RRTP) was established, outlining the transportation needs of these rural areas. This plan functions similarly to the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Long Range Transportation Plan process. It covers a 20-year planning horizon, prioritizes short- and long-range projects for consideration in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and meets the goals of the Florida Transportation Plan (FTP).
Project Area
The plan’s study area includes the rural portions of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties, and the entirety of Holmes and Washington Counties.
Interactive Map and Dashboard
Click one of the buttons below to access an interactive map and dashboard, including all Needs Plan, Project Priorities, and relevant data layers used throughout plan development.
Your Voice
This plan is made for you and with you. Rural transportation needs are growing, and we thank you for welcoming us to your table to solve problems. The RRTP seeks to elevate the voice of rural communities and ensure those transportation needs are captured in the more extensive STIP outlined above. With your help, the RRTP aims to maximize our conversations with you, the public, and local governments while documenting your needs when developing future transportation plans.
Your support is vital to the success of Florida’s Regional Rural Transportation Plan.
To ensure our lines of communication are open, you can be updated promptly and often in the planning process through various platforms.
Why make the RRTP?
In 2018, FDOT identified a need for Rural Transportation Planning by specifying the following: "TPOs are encouraged to plan for and coordinate with rural governmental entities both within their planning boundaries as well as those areas outside of the current boundaries that are impacted by transportation movements between regions."
Planning Progress
In 2020, the Emerald Coast Regional Council (ECRC) developed a Phase I plan to help inform rural communities of this new initiative. Phase I included collecting data about the rural populations, establishing and surveying stakeholders, and outlining priority areas. Throughout the first phase, we focused on transportation patterns between the rural regions and the Metropolitan Planning Areas for the three TPOs. Finally, phase I wrapped up with a compiled list of recommendations and conclusions.
Document Center
The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.