On March 13-15, the Alabama Transportation Planners Association (ATPA) gathered in Gulf Shores for its annual conference. The mood was decidedly more cheerful this year, thanks to passage of the Rebuild Alabama Act, which will provide more money to fund transportation infrastructure needs in Alabama. In addition to celebrating the good news for funding, participants got to enjoy the facilities at the brand new Lodge at Gulf State Park.
The ATPA conference agenda included a mix of presentations on interesting projects from around the state as well as policy updates from ALDOT, Federal Highway Administration, USDOT, and Federal Transit Administration. The project spotlights focused on improving transportation for pedestrians, small towns, urban centers, and interstate commuters. Becky White and Paul Gilliam represented Sain at the conference and gave a presentation titled Traffic Planning for the Big and Small. They shared lessons learned and highlights from Sain’s recent projects, including plans to keep traffic moving in downtown Birmingham during the I-59/20 bridge reconstruction project and develop a transportation master plan for the City of Brewton, AL.
The annual ATPA conference provides an opportunity for planners from across the state to gather and share ideas for improving transportation services in Alabama. It’s always a great conference, and we enjoy the fellowship as much as the professional development.