What is now the Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study (MACORTS) was formed in 1969 to provide a transportation planning mechanism for the urbanized area. Through the years, the area included in MACORTS has been expanded to include the northern half of Oconee County and the southernmost portion of Madison County, as well as all of Athens-Clarke County. Small portions of Oglethorpe and Jackson Counties were added in 2013, though they opted not to participate in the planning process.
As one of 16 federally mandated metropolitan planning organizations in Georgia, MACORTS is the conduit through which federal transportation funds come to the urbanized area. The Governor of Georgia designated the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department as the home of the administrative office of MACORTS.
MACORTS Staff:
Bruce Lonnee, Interim Director
Robert Walker, Transportation Planner
Contact Information:
Athens-Clarke County Planning Department
120 W. Dougherty Street
Athens, Georgia 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3515
Fax: (706) 613-3844
Email: macorts@accgov.com
Office Hours:
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday
ABOUT MACORTS
MACORTS was formed in 1969 and included all of Athens-Clarke County. In 1980 the northern half of Oconee County was added. The southern portion of Madison County was added in 2003. Small portions of Oglethorpe and Jackson Counties were added in 2013, though they opted not to participate in the planning process. MACORTS is responsible for implementing the 3-C (comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing) transportation planning process. The organization is composed of a Policy Committee and a Technical Coordinating Committee. MACORTS is one of 16 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in Georgia.
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The Policy Committee consists of 8 Voting Members (2 non-voting members). The voting members consist of representatives from Madison County, Clarke County, Oconee County, University of Georgia, and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The MACORTS Chairmanship is rotated between Madison County, Oconee County and Athens-Clarke County Chief Elected Officials. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, on an as-needed basis.
The Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) is composed of staff from Madison County, Athens-Clarke County, Oconee County, University of Georgia, and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The A-CC Planning Department Director is permanent Chairman of the TCC. The TCC is a recommending body to the MACORTS Policy Committee. TCC meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month on an as needed basis.
** All meetings are recorded . Audio/Visual recordings of these meetings are available upon request. In order to attend or participate in the scheduled TCC/PC meetings, please contact MACORTS staff at 706-613-3515 or macorts@accgov.com for the password or to request a recording. **
Athens-Clarke County Planning Department is designated as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) by the Governor of Georgia. The Planning Department, in conjunction with GDOT, is responsible for carrying out the transportation planning process as mandated under federal legislation.
Transportation Planning Process is required by federal law for all urban areas over 50,000 in population. All transportation projects in this area which utilize federal funds must go through a process in which they are adopted into a regional transportation plan / Long Range Transportation Plan. The projects that are in this plan are, over time, put into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for implementation.
Title VI Information
Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act requires that "No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
MACORTS TITLE VI PLAN
Title VI Plan Policy Statement
Notice of Public Rights Under Title Vl
ATHENS PLANNING DEPARTMENT /
MADISON ATHENS-CLARKE OCONEE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY (MACORTS)
The Athens-Clarke County Planning Department and, by extension, the Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, and / or national origin, in accordance with Title Vl of the Civil Rights Act. Any person who believes she, he, or they has been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice under Title Vl may file a complaint with the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Title VI Coordinator (Inclusion Officer) in the Athens-Clarke County Inclusion Office.
For more information on Athens-Clarke County Planning Department / Madison Athens-Clarke Oconee Regional Transportation Study’s civil rights program, and the procedures to file a complaint, contact:
Phone: 706-613-3015 (TTY:706-613-3114)
Athens-Clarke County Human Resources Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Email: inclusionoffice@accgov.com or
Visit the Inclusion Office at 301 College Avenue, Suite 202, Athens, GA 30601.
A complainant may file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Adminisration or Federal Highway Admistration by filing a complaint with:
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights Federal Highway Administration-USDOT
Attention: Title Vl Program Coordinator Office of Civil Rights
East Building, 5th Floor-TCR 8th Floor E81-105
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590
Washington, DC 20590 Phone/Fax:202-366-0693/202-366-1599
If information is needed in another language, please contact 706-613-3015.
MACORTS is committed to providing equal access to all participants. If you need alternative formats or services because of a disability, please feel free to contact us at 706-613-3515 or via email at macorts@accgov.com.