The origin

In 2005 the Chatham Urban Transportation Study/Metropolitan Planning Organization (CUTS/MPO) approved the Connecting Savannah Action Plan, outlining the recommendations from the community’s 6-month, consensus-building process for transportation planning. Two of the principal issues identified during the Connecting Savannah process were East-West Connectivity and DeRenne Avenue Congestion.

One of the recommendations in the Action Plan was for MPO staff to coordinate with the hospitals along DeRenne Avenue to encourage their employees to carpool or use public transit for their commutes. The MPO invites other employers in Chatham County to help inform their own employees about the new ride-matching system and to learn about some low-cost incentives to encourage carpooling, public transit, bicycling and walking. Examples of these incentives would be to provide preferential parking spots for carpoolers, provide bike racks, and sign-up for Commuter Choice federal tax benefit program.

CUTS/MPO is the decision-making body responsible transportation planning and expenditure of federal transportation funding throughout Chatham County.