MEMORANDUM

To: / Members, ACCG Economic Development and Transportation Committee
From: / Pete Liakakis, Chairman
Date: / June 11, 2008
Subject: / Upcoming Meeting and Joint Session with GMA

ACCG’s Economic Development and TransportationCommittee will conduct its first meeting on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 in the Athena Ballrooms G & H at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. This year, the committee will meet from 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The agenda is full and includes a review of the ACCG platform followed by a joint meeting on transportation policy with GMA members. See the enclosed draft agenda for more details. Information about overnight accommodations and directions to the meeting are also included.

This meeting will be a time to begin looking at policy directives for ACCG during the 2009 Session of the General Assembly. To help prepare you for the meeting, I have enclosed a copy of the Economic Development and Transportation2008 Policy Platform. Please look over this platform and be prepared to make suggestions for further corrections, deletions, and additions. Also, new economic development and transportation issues affecting your county should be brought up for discussion at this time. Each committee member should meet with the appropriate staff in their county beforehand to help determine what issues need to be addressed at the state or federal level of government.

Your participation is needed and vital to the success of this committee.

To help us prepare for the meeting, please return the enclosed form to Janna Abraham at ACCG by facsimile (404) 525-2477 or by email: no later than Friday, June 27.

AGENDA

ACCG Economic Development and Transportation Committee

2009 Policy Platform Planning Meeting I

Classic Center – Athens-Clarke County, Georgia

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

ACCG Meeting on Policy Platform Review

9:30 a.m.Welcome and Introductions

Honorable Pete LiakakisHonorable Patty Carson James

Committee ChairCommittee Vice-Chair

Chairman, ChathamCountyCommissioner, TaylorCounty

9:40 a.m.Meeting Purpose

9:50 a.m.Identify Needed Changes to the 2008 Platform

10:20a.m.Identify New Issues to Consider for the 2009 Policy Platform

10:50 a.m.Other Business and Closing Comments

Joint ACCG-GMA Meeting on Transportation Policy

11:00 a.m.Welcome, Introductions and Opening Remarks

11:10 a.m.The Honorable Dana Lemon, State Transportation Board Member

Update on GDOT Project Prioritization Process

11:40a.m.Terry Gable, State Aid Administrator, GDOT

The New State Aid Program

12:10 p.m.Lunch

12:30 p.m.Representative Vance Smith (invited), Chairman of House Transportation Committee

and Senator Doug Stoner (invited), Member of Joint Transportation Funding Study Committee

1:00 p.m.Discussion on Transportation Funding Policy

Facilitated by Gordon Maner, CVIOG

3:00 p.m.Adjournment

3:15 p.m.Optional Tour of Athens Multi-Modal Transportation Center

You are encouraged to stay for this one-hour tour and learn about Athens-Clarke County’s new multi-modal transportation facility.

Directions to the Classic Center

Athens-Clarke County Georgia
300 N Thomas Street
Athens, GA 30601
p 706.208.0900 | 1.800.918.6393
f 706.548.0870

From the West:

Take I-85 North to GA 316 east. Do not exit on the US 78E Business Athens-Monroe exit. Continue on GA 316 for 4.5 additional miles to Loop 10 Inner. (Home Depot will be within sight on the right.) Turn right onto Loop 10 Inner and travel to the Lexington Rd./Oconee St. (exit 8), Take US Highway 78 West into downtown Athens. At the traffic light at Oconee, Broad, and Thomas Streets (this will be a five way intersection) take a sharp right onto E. Broad Street. The orange and green building in the triangle will be on your right; travel one block; turn left on Foundry Street. The entrance to the parking deck will be on your left.

OR : Take I-85 North to GA 316 East into Athens. As you enter Athens, GA 316 will become Epps Bridge Parkway. Follow Epps Bridge Parkway and it will veer to the right onto US 78, Atlanta Highway. Continue on US 78 East, (also named Atlanta Highway and W. Broad Street) into downtown Athens. Pass the Varsity on your left at Milledge Avenue. Travel approximately 1 mile from the Varsity on Broad Street (through 7 traffic lights), at the five way intersection, stay in the middle lane and continue straight on E. Broad Street one block (the green and orange building in the triangle will be on your right); turn left on Foundry Street. The entrance to the parking deck will be on your left.

From the East:

Take US Highway 78 West into downtown Athens. At the traffic light at Oconee, Broad, and Thomas Streets (this will be a five way intersection) take a sharp right onto E. Broad Street. The orange and green building in the triangle will be on your right; travel one block; turn left on Foundry Street. The entrance to the parking deck will be on your left.

From the North:

Take US Highway 441 South into Athens. Continue straight at the intersection of US 441 and GA Loop 10. The street name will become ML King Jr. Parkway. Follow MLK Pky. Until you get to North Avenue. Turn right onto North Avenue. Stay to the left. At the light at Thomas and Dougherty the Athens Welcome Center will be on your right. Go one block on Thomas, turn left onto Strong Street. Travel to Foundry Street turn right. The parking deck will be ahead on your left.

OR: Take US Highway 129 South, as you enter Athens the name of the road will change to Jefferson Road, Prince Avenue, and then Dougherty Street. Continue straight on this road to the traffic light at Dougherty and Thomas Street (the Athens Welcome Center will be on your right). Turn right onto N. Thomas Street. Travel one block turn left onto Strong. Travel to Foundry Street and turn right. The parking deck will be straight ahead on the left.

From the South:

Take US 441, US 129, GA 15 North around Watkinsville and into Athens. After the traffic light at White Oak cross 2 bridges (sign for Clarke County Line and directional sign to UGA), turn right onto GA 10/US 441 US 129/GA 15. Exit at Lexington Rd./Oconee St. (exit 8), Take US Highway 78 West into downtown Athens. At the traffic light at Oconee, Broad, and Thomas Streets (this will be a five way intersection) take a sharp right onto E. Broad Street. The orange and green building in the triangle will be on your right; travel one block; turn left on Foundry Street. The entrance to the parking deck will be on your left.