ATLANTA – State Representative Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville), chair of the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Health, congratulates the city of Thomasville on receiving $175,000 in federal RAISE grant funding to develop a multimodal transportation plan (MMTP).
“I want to extend heartfelt congratulations to the city of Thomasville and its leaders for their remarkable achievements in spearheading the transformative multimodal transportation plan project,” said Rep. Taylor. “This remarkable endeavor showcases the city’s unwavering commitment to enhancing mobility and connectivity for all residents. Securing the grant funding for this ambitious project is a testament to the city’s visionary leadership and dedication to creating safer, more accessible streets for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. I look forward to witnessing the positive impact this project will have on the lives of its residents and visitors, setting a shining example for small towns across Georgia.”
City officials also invited Rep. Taylor to attend a presentation of the city’s multimodal transportation plan on Wednesday, July 26 at the Thomasville Municipal Building. During the meeting, Rep. Taylor introduced Christopher Coes, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), who attended the meeting to discuss the RAISE discretionary grant program. Coes is responsible for recommending overall surface transportation policy initiatives to the U.S. DOT secretary. He coordinates multi-modal initiatives, environmental reviews and discretionary grant programs, including the development and the implementation of the federal Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
Thomasville will use this funding to develop a multimodal transportation plan to address many of the community’s concerns related to transportation, which are outlined in the city’s Blueprint 2028 Comprehensive Plan. The city plans to utilize robust public engagement around residents’ transportation needs to ensure inclusivity in the MMTP process.
Specifically, the MMTP project aims to provide a safety analysis of existing conditions and needs for all modes of transportation, including walking, biking and driving. The city will assess current policies, standards and guidelines to identify opportunities to prioritize safe streets. A comprehensive set of projects, impact assessments and strategies will also be determined to address the multimodal concerns of the community. The MMTP will identify funding sources for strategic street improvements and offer recommendations for routes and access for multiple modes of transportation to improve community-wide connectivity.
The U.S. DOT awarded more than $2.2 billion from the RAISE discretionary grant program to 162 different projects across the country. RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the state and local levels complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects that they may not have had the funding to carry out. The eligibility requirements of RAISE allow project sponsors to obtain funding for projects that are harder to support through other U.S. DOT grant programs.
Representative Darlene Taylor represents the citizens of District 173, which includes portions of Grady and Thomas counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and as Secretary of the Governmental Affairs Committee. She also serves on the Special Committee on Healthcare and the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Insurance, Public Health, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Reapportionment and Redistricting, Rules and Transportation committees.
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