Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When did the Mobility Matters Project begin?

A: The Mobility Matters Project began in June 2008.

Q: Who is the sponsor of the Mobility Matters Project?

A: The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) is the sponsor of the Mobility Matters Project.

Q: Who is paying for the Mobility Matters Project?

A: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing the majority of the funding for the Mobility Matters Project with local planning partners providing the remaining portion of the funding.

Q: What is the latest major milestone for the Mobility Matters Project?

A: The final Tier 2 Report was submitted in March 2011 and is available on the Mobility Matters Project website in the Project Collateral and Information page. The Tier 2 Report recommended the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes alternative as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the highway element of the corridor and also presented the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes that compose the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the transit element of the corridor.

Q: What is the next major milestone for the Mobility Matters Project?

A: The next major milestone for the Mobility Matters Project will be the completion of the environmental analysis and documentation for the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the highway and transit improvements. The submittal of the environmental documentation will mark the end of the Mobility Matters Project.

Q: Why has there been a delay in the completion of the Mobility Matters Project since the submittal of the Tier 2 Report?

A: The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB), the sponsor of the study, is currently coordinating with the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) concerning proposed improvements to the I-65 corridor in the vicinity of the UAB campus. UAB has recently completed a campus master plan and is currently reviewing it. RPCGB will continue to coordinate with UAB and plans to move forward with the environmental analysis for the Mobility Matters Project in early 2012.

Q: When will the Mobility Matters Project be completed?

A: The Mobility Matters Project is anticipated to be completed by Spring 2012.

Q: How can I make comments on the proposed improvements in the Mobility Matters Project corridor?

A: You can make comments using our Public Comment form or send us your comments and contact information via our Contact Us page. The next set of public information meetings will be in Spring 2012 and you can attend and provide comments at that time, as well.

Q: How has the public been able to make comments and learn about the proposed improvements in the Mobility Matters Project corridor in the past?

A: The opportunity to make comments using the Public Comment form and the Contact Us page has been available since the early stages of the project. Also, two series of public information meetings have been provided to allow for public review and input in September of 2008 and in March of 2009. In addition, steering committee meetings have been held in August and November of 2008, February and October of 2009 and in November of 2010 in order to brief local public officials on the progress of the study. Finally, several brief presentations have been given at Birmingham MPO meetings in 2008, 2009 and 2010 to update regional officials on the status of the Mobility Matters Project.

Q: How will proposed highway improvements be paid for?

A: Currently, HOV lanes on I-65 are included in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), but only as a "Visionary" project. In other words, the HOV lanes are not included in the financially constrained plan but are identified as an important improvement for the I-65 corridor and may receive funding in future RTP updates. However, the portion of the HOV lanes alternative that includes the additional auxiliary lanes between each interchange on I-65 in the study area and also improvements to the I-65 interchanges themselves in the study area is included in the financially constrained portion of the 2035 RTP and will be constructed within the next 25 years.

Q: How will proposed transit improvements be paid for?

A: Most people agree that transit is desirable and that improving transit is necessary to improve their community. Disagreement typically arises over how such improvements should be paid for. There are many ways to pay for transit improvements. Most transportation projects are funded by some combination of local, state, and federal dollars. Some projects are paid for by existing local revenues and federal grants. In some parts of our region, transit is funded almost exclusively by property taxes. Declining home values has led to declining revenues for these agencies, putting them in a position of trying to do more with less. In many cases, improving transit will require new revenue for the agencies. However, leaner times are leading many agencies to get creative and explore partnerships with the private sector to help fund projects. Funding for each project will be different, and as different efforts throughout the region continue to move forward, we will update this question as more information becomes available.

Q: Has space for law enforcement and emergency vehicles been taken into consideration for the proposed High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes?

A: Yes, sufficient room for enforcement and emergency vehicles will be incorporated into the design of the HOV lanes.

Q: Will the existing buses and new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses be able to use the proposed High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes?

A: Yes, we are proposing that existing and new BRT buses should be able to use the proposed HOV lanes on I-65 in order to reduce the amount of time it takes to travel their respective routes.

Q: Regarding the improvements along U.S. 31 and other non-interstate roads in the study area, are you just adding buses?

A: We don't anticipate taking any right-of-way for the proposed transit improvements along U.S. 31 or any other non-interstate roads in the study area. We are primarily adding buses, bus stops/stations and park-and-ride lots that would be entirely or substantially located within existing state or municipal owned right-of-way. Some proposed park-and-ride lots would utilize existing privately owned parking lots, but no new major construction would be required at these selected sites. We are also proposing "queue-jump" lanes for buses at selected intersections in order to reduce delay for the proposed new bus service. However, these special lanes would use existing pavement and would not require new right-of-way to be acquired.

Q: How did you estimate transit ridership for new transit service that doesn't exist?

A: We used the Birmingham transportation computer model to determine how many people will decide to take transit and how many people will decide to use an automobile. The computer model provides an estimate of future transit riders based on current travel behavior and future assumptions in the transit and highway transportation system.