Rural transportation systems offer critical connectivity to residents, visitors, and businesses needing to access destinations. However, rural transportation offers particular challenges, as well. Distances between origin and destination are often long, making it more difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to reach jobs, education, health care, social activities, and other quality of life services and activities.

WTI is leading a research program with the National Association of Development Organizations that will benefit communities around the nation by providing critical information and technical assistance to develop transportation projects that are expected to generate economic outcomes. The focus will be on project that support three strategies: improving quality of life, supporting a rural workforce, and bolstering economic development. The scope of work consists of overall project management and assistance to at least three regions or communities.

This project represents one of the individual community efforts. The purpose of this project is to provide technical assistance to the Buckeye Hills Regional Council in Ohio. The project team will assist rural transportation stakeholders with forming a mobility management program, inventorying transportation assets, identifying methods to conduct outreach to transportation disadvantaged stakeholders, and gathering feedback from employers and other economic development stakeholders. Because supporting substance abuse prevention and recovery is a significant concern in Meigs County, the work will also include consideration of mobility of residents with substance abuse issues to treatment, work, and other destinations.