The Bristol MPO seeks to complete its Multimodal Transportation Plan (MMTP), the first of its kind for the region, to guide the planning and development of its multimodal transportation infrastructure network. The plan will provide guidance for local officials and agencies to plan for and seek funding to develop projects that expand upon and enhance many aspects of the multimodal transportation network, including sidewalks along all appropriate functionally classified roadways; identification of the region's future bicycle path and trail network as well as existing facilities; capital and operational improvements to enhance connectivity between the region's transit providers; safety and street design improvements at locations throughout the region posing high risks to active transportation users; integration of local and state ADA Transition Plans into the development of all planning priorities and proposed projects; and local policy recommendations to improve the safety and mobility of active transportation users. The new document, once complete, will be incorporated into the public outreach campaign and project listings considered for the Bristol MPO's 2050 update to its fiscally constrained long-range transportation plan (LRTP) as well as the appropriate planning efforts of participating agencies within the Bristol Metropolitan Planning Area.

The MMTP will serve as a 25-year vision and guide for the implementation of the Bristol region's multimodal transportation network. The plan will outline the potential challenges to the development of projects that construct new multimodal infrastructure while identifying implementation strategies and supporting policies.

KEY PLAN FEATURES

• Pedestrian Network Connectivity: Inventory and analysis of existing pedestrian infrastructure and gaps in the network, prioritization of projects based upon identified community needs, commuter patterns and active transportation activity generators, and funding strategy development based upon local, state, and federal funding available to implement projects. The analysis should include a condition assessment of existing facilities and cross-referencing with each jurisdiction's ADA Transition Plan to identify whether existing infrastructure must be rehabilitated to meet ADA compliance as described in the Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG).
• Regional Bike Path and Trail Network: Inventory and analysis of existing bicycle infrastructure and gaps, estimation of proposed trail and path projects, and prioritization of projects based upon commuter patterns, propensity for walking/biking, and proximity to existing links and nodes in the network. The regional bike path and trail network should also include the identification of the most likely corridors for interregional connections, including but not limited to the Cities of Kingsport, Johnson City, Elizabethton, and Marion.
• Transit Capital and Operational Improvements: Identification of existing service deficits, survey of existing and potential riders, recommendations for interagency connectivity and cooperation, and data-driven, objective recommendations on critical transit development activities that emphasize safety, sustainability, equity, and mobility and access for transit-dependent populations. This element should also include a revisioning of the Bristol region's transit network for readiness to incorporate long-distance passenger rail service connecting to major destinations in Tennessee and Virginia. This element should include a review of best practices by other transit agencies in Tennessee and Virginia as well as comparable agencies on the national level. This element should incorporate a review of each agency's transit asset management plan and incorporate state of good repair principles to ensure existing infrastructure maintains its current purpose and capacity. Aside from recommendations on connections to long-haul bus routes, including the Virginia Breeze and a potential Tennessee equivalent; interregional connection recommendations (i.e., to Johnson City and Kingsport), while desirable, are not instrumental in the development of this element of the plan.
• Multimodal Safety: Analysis of historical pedestrian, bicycle, and transit-related crash records, identification of existing and potential safety risks, recommendation of potential countermeasures and strategies, and prioritization of each countermeasure based upon the greatest impact toward improving the safety of active transportation users. Countermeasures can include low-cost interventions to larger roadway and street redesign measures to promote safe motorist speeds and integrated user design. Development of safety-oriented initiatives and projects is to be consistent with statewide safety goals established in the State of Tennessee and the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as incorporate principles of the Safe System Approach.
• ADA Transition Plan Integration: Aggregation of existing ADA compliance data for all jurisdictions to incorporate the missions and projects of said plans into identified priorities within the MMTP.
• Policy Toolkit: Review of successful multimodal policies nationwide, compilation of such policies and strategies, and recommendations for individual jurisdictions given existing policies and assessed needs. Review of existing transportation assets within the right-of-way to project future capital needs and suggest policies to address any potential budgetary shortfalls.

For additional information, please visit https://tn-bristol2.civicplus.com/bids.aspx to view the full RFQ posting on the City of Bristol, Tennessee website.