DAPHNE, Alabama— On April 30, the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization recommended approval of the Highway Functional Classification map. The ESMPO Policy Board formally approved the road map at its May 8 meeting yesterday.

That map is used to determine what roads are used for what purposes. Some classifications include “freeway,” “collector” and “arterial.” Each classification also speaks to the typical number of cars on that road.

“Individual roads and streets do not serve travel independently but as part of a network of roads through which the traffic moves,” the New York State Department of Transportation website states.

No definition could be found on the Alabama Department of Transportation’s website.

“Functional classification defines the nature of this movement by defining the part that any particular road or street should play in serving the flow of trips through a highway network and the type of access it provides to adjacent properties,” the NYDOT website explains. “Functional classification describes the importance of a particular road or network of roads to the overall system and, therefore, is critical in assigning priorities to projects and establishing the appropriate highway design standards to meet the needs of the traffic served.”

According to Matthew Brown, ESMPO coordinator, ALDOT reviewed and recommended changes to the map the MPO submitted.

“There were some roads we were hoping would be upgraded,” said Brown. “Some were and some weren’t. We discussed the changes with ALDOT and recommended the committee approve this map.”

The committee's recommendation to approve the map was unanimous. The ESMPO Policy Board  approved the map at its May 8 meeting yesterday. 

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

The Citizens Advisory Committee also approved an amendment to the MPO bylaws to add language concerning the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Nominations for that committee will come before the MPO Policy Board at its May 8 meeting.

Eastern Shore MPO

The ESMPO was formed last summer.

A metropolitan planning organization is a governing body that determines how roadway and transportation issues are handled.

In order to qualify as an MPO, an area must have an urbanized population of at least 50,000 with the required population density, which the Eastern Shore does have now, according to 2010 Census data.

The ESMPO Policy Board is made up of city leaders from Spanish Fort, Loxley, Daphne and Fairhope, two Baldwin County Commissioners and a representative from ALDOT.

There is a Technical Advisory Committee and a Citizens Advisory Committee in the MPO, both appointed by the Policy Board.

The Policy Board will meet May 8 at 10 a.m. at the Baldwin County Satellite Courthouse in Fairhope.