The Boone County Transportation Study was initiated to develop a new comprehensive transportation plan for Boone County. The project updates a previous plan that was developed in 1996. The update was needed in response to the impacts of rapid growth and development in Boone County on the transportation system. Going through this comprehensive planning process enables the County to be proactive in dealing with continued growth and development.
The goals of the study were:
- Develop a transportation system plan that is compatible with existing and future land uses;
- Improve the existing system through safety and operational improvements;
- Identify funding shortfalls and develop strategies to address these shortfalls; and
- Recommend policy changes that will better enable the County to respond to development pressures.
The planning process, funded by Boone County and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, began on April 1, 2004 and was concluded in late 2005. Several major activities were undertaken: Data Collection; Existing Conditions Analyses; Future Conditions Analyses; Identification of Environmental Constraints; Development of Recommended Improvements; and a Financial Assessment.
The Boone County Transportation Plan has two components: 1) a short-term Operational Improvement Plan that involves relatively low-cost, easily-implemented safety and operational improvements; and 2) a prioritized long-range transportation plan consisting of major projects and strategies. The project was administered by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments on behalf of the Boone County Fiscal Court and the Boone County Planning Commission. A consultant, Balke American, was contracted to perform the study. The consultant's efforts were guided by a Project Management Team that included the Boone County Judge/Executive, the County Administrator, the County Engineer, the Executive Director of the Boone County Planning Commission, a representative of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and OKI staff.
A 39-member stakeholder group provided coordination and additional input to the study. The stakeholder group included representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport; the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK); the cities of Florence, Union and Walton; the Sierra Club; citizens; and others. Four stakeholder group meetings were held at key points during the planning process.
In addition to 21 recommended operational improvements, the plan identified 29 major projects, including eight new roads and 15 that need major improvements, costing $338 million. While those major projects are to be completed in 20 years and don't have funding, the plan also calls for roads to connect existing roads as development occurs. Some of the connectors would be stub streets that would be continued when the land develops, while others would be new, required when building takes place.
The Boone County Transportation Plan has been adopted by the Boone County Planning Commission, the Boone County Fiscal Court and the OKI Executive Committee.
Email comments or questions to Travis Miller or call OKI at (513) 621-6300.
Project Documents
