In support of the long-range planning programs, both statewide and regionally, the MTRPO shall compile data and input regarding transportation needs and shall coordinate any responses with the State’s Long Range Planning Division as appropriate to ensure adherence to guidance provided by TDOT’s 25-Year Long Range Transportation Policy Plan.
Urban Growth Boundaries and County Growth Plans
Created by Public Chapter 1101 in 1998, the purpose of Tennessee’s Growth Plan Act was to establish a comprehensive growth policy for the state, part of which was a requirement to designate urban growth boundaries, planned growth areas, and rural areas based on projections of growth over a 20-year period. With exception to counties with metropolitan government entities, all counties and municipalities were required to adopt a growth plan. To view the growth plans for each county in the MTRPO, please click here:
Functional
Classification System
Functional Classification is the process by which streets and highways are grouped into classes, or systems, according to the character of service they are intended to provide. Systems Section is responsible for the determination and classification of the individual roadways. TDOT is the administrator of the official Functional Classification Map for the State of Tennessee and all documentation pertaining to any and all changes to the system, including all changes in the Functional Classification System. Each county in the MTRPO has a functional classification system map, with the City of Dickson and Town of Burns in Dickson County having an additional map.
View Maps ➔MT communities Functional Classification maps
For more information, contact the Region 3 Office of Community Transportation supervisor: herman.wright@tn.gov
State Aid System
Program
The State Aid program provides funds to county governments for the improvement or rehabilitation of roads on the State Aid system. The State Aid system is a network of local selected county roads that require construction, planning, or paving projects. The Roadway Data office is responsible for processing county requests for additions/deletions of qualifying roads to the State Aid System.
The process involves the submission of documents to the Roadway Data Office through a designated TDOT Region State Aid office. There is also collaboration between the State Aid Engineer and personnel from the Region 3 Office.
Major Thoroughfare Plans/Maps
A Major Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) is a long-range road plan or map that shows a vision for the jurisdiction’s transportation network. Its intention is to provide guidance for future growth and is a regulatory plan for public investments and future improvements to roads, sidewalks, and multimodal facilities. Creating an MTP should include analysis of land use, population, employment characteristics, layout of the existing roadway network and proposed new roadways, estimated traffic volume, and even historical traffic crash data to identify areas of concern in terms of roadway capacity and traffic safety for the community.
Each county and municipality are required by statute to adopt and record a major thoroughfare map. The link provided is a collection of many current and historic major thoroughfare maps—MTRPO Major Thoroughfare Plans: Cheatham County, Dickson County, Houston County, Humphreys County, and Stewart County. Please check with your county register of deeds office for an official copy, the Greater Nashville Regional Council, https://www.gnrc.org/254/Comprehensive-Planning or the jurisdiction’s local planning and codes office.
Long-Range Plans and Studies
As outlined in TCA 13-3-302, the objective of any plan for a community is to accomplish “a coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious development which will, in accordance with existing and future needs, best promote public health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare as well as efficiency and economy in the process of development.” A land use and transportation policy plan is an essential planning instrument for a community with the primary purpose of producing an overall development plan and identifying strategies for implementing the plan which involves future development of land and transportation facilities. Such plans are intended to be used as frameworks to guide municipal and County officials, community leaders, business entrepreneurs, industrialists, and others as they make decisions which will affect the future growth and development in their respective communities.
Although not mandated by statute, many communities over the years have invested in creating long-range plans and studies to guide their respective development policies which in turn have fulfilled grant funding success for public improvements. The link provided is a collection of many current and historic long-range plans and studies in the MTRPO communities—MT area Long Range Plans & Studies: Cheatham County & here—2043 Dickson County Comp Plan Part 1 Part 2, Dickson County & here—Houston County—Humphreys County—Stewart County. Other area plans/studies here. Please check with your local jurisdiction’s local planning and codes office, or the Greater Nashville Regional Council https://www.gnrc.org/254/Comprehensive-Planning.