Baird named committee chairman
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‘I’m honored the committee has chosen me to be chairman for the next two years,’ said Baird. ‘This is something I’ve had previous experience with and I’m hopeful I can help improve the transportation planning process in the state of Tennessee.’
Within days of being hired as McMinnville’s city planner, he became a member of the committee. After a short nine months, he is now the chairman.
Although he is fairly new to McMinnville, Baird has experience when it comes to Rural Planning Organization activities.
‘I worked in North Carolina for a year and a half with the RPO process,’ said Baird. ‘I was the RPO coordinator, which was a full-time position. Being chairman, I oversee the meetings and it doesn’t require my attention on a full-time basis.’
The RPO process is a consistent, transparent, structured method for involving local officials and the public in TDOT’s transportation planning and decision-making process.
RPO recently held a meeting, in conjunction with TDOT, to determine the road construction priorities for the seven-county district that it serves Warren, Cannon, Cumberland, DeKalb, Putnam, Van Buren and White counties.
During this meeting, the Nashville Highway widening project from McMinnville to Woodbury was given two of the three top priorities.
For the purpose of the road building planning process, the highway has been divided into three sections. Construction is currently taking place on the first section. Section two, from Spring Valley Road to Centertown, was voted the No. 1 regional priority. Section three, from Centertown to Woodbury, was voted No. 3.
According to Baird, there is a section of State Route 26 in the northwestern corner of DeKalb County that received the No. 2 regional priority.
Although the organization makes recommendations, TDOT makes the final decision as to what road construction projects are approved for funding.
TDOT considers recommended priorities for each of the projects, along with public support, environmental impacts and funding considerations to propose for the State Transportation Improvement Plan, which is then submitted to the Legislature for consideration and budgeting.