Walkable places? Bikeable communities? Pipe dreams? Or inspiration for great work? For health? For wealth? For the kids? For their parents and grandparents? For fitness? For clean water, air, open lands? For great cities and towns and rural and natural places? For all of those reasons and more, yes, but mostly for the joy.
With experience in local government, private and non-profit sectors, John has developed expertise in the areas of planning and design for walking and bicycling; long range land use and transportation planning; Smart Growth policy, regulatory, and urban design standards; streetscape and roadway design principles for walkability/bikeability; regulatory and policy tools for parking management and transit station area planning; project management; group facilitation.
Recent Projects
- Carolina Thread Trail (CTT): Stanly County and Iredell County, NC
John is the Project Manager of several CTT projects. Alta recently completed a draft of the CTT network for Stanly County, which proposes over 100 miles of trails and blueways. Alta is also currently working with Iredell County, the northernmost county in the Carolina Thread Trail initiative. The County has already made progress in planning for trails: the proposed Lake Norman Regional Bicycle Plan includes several miles of biking/hiking trails within the County. - North Augusta "Greeneway" Master Plan, SC
Alta assisted the City of North Augusta, South Carolina in updating of the City's "Greene"way Master Plan. The existing North Augusta Greeneway was a public access multi-purpose trail, currently thirteen miles in length and initially developed as a "Rails-to-Trails" project on an unused railroad right of way. The existing Greeneway network included a number of extensions and connections to public facilities and neighborhoods. It also included a five mile section parallel to the recently completed Palmetto Parkway (1-520). The North Augusta Greeneway Master Plan Update recommended a comprehensive network of Greeneways and on-street bikeways with additional connections to neighborhoods, parks, schools, and existing facilities. Alta also provided implementation strategies, project prioritization, planning-level cost opinions, detailed cost estimates for individual projects, design guidelines, and funding sources for the North Augusta Greeneway Master Plan Update. John served as the Project Manager. - Spalding County Rail-with-Trail Master Plan, GA
The purpose of this study is to examine the former Southern Railway (Roosevelt Railroad) railroad corridor to identify corridor segments that are potentially suitable for a shared use off-road rail-with-trail facility. This study will also evaluate the mixed use development potential along the corridor and determine interconnectivity of this potential rail-trail corridor with existing and proposed local, regional and statewide economic development corridors, redevelopment areas, trail systems, greenways, and bicycle/pedestrian networks. The study shall result in the development of a detailed Master Plan for the rail corridor complete with conceptual elements, cost estimates and potential funding sources. The proposed study will assist Spalding County and the Atlanta Regional Commission efforts to accommodate the projected population and employment growth slated for the region. The study will explore urban design standards and improvements to roadway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Ultimately, the proposed study will facilitate smart growth by ensuring an integration of transportation and land use planning. John served as the Project Manager. - Georgia SRTS Infrastructure
Infrastructure and engineering implementation element of the statewide Georgia Safe Routes to School project. This project focused on developing, assessing, and designing Safe Routes infrastructure projects at school sites statewide. Alta provided conceptual design assistance for 13 selected projects ranging from sidewalk infill and pedestrian crossings to trail design. John was the Alta project manager for this project, which was led by Kimley-Horn and Associates. - Stanly County Park, Recreation, and Trails Master Plan, NC
Alta prepared a master plan in two parts for the County and its municipal partners. The first section evaluated, assessed, and made recommendations regarding parks and recreation needs in Stanly County for the 2010-2020 period. The second section of the plan was a stand-alone Carolina Thread Trail Greenway Master Plan. The plan put in place clear, logical, and precise guidelines that can be used for future development of parks and recreation facilities; recreation programs; and greenways and trails throughout the county. The plan effort solicited input from all municipalities within the county, as well as from citizens and organizations within rural areas and unincorporated communities. Citizen participation was fundamental in formulating the plan, utilizing public meetings, written and online surveys, interviews, advisory boards and focus groups. - Town Branch Trail, Lexington, KY
Alta conducted a trail feasibility study for a five-mile extension of the Town Branch Trail in Lexington, KY. Specific tasks included site investigation and review of preliminary alignments, design recommendations on trail cross sections and other recommendations associated with “rail with trail” and greenway components of the project, and development of materials and participation in public meetings. - Inverness Bicycle Master Plan, FL
Alta prepared a Bicycle Friendly Community Audit and completed the initial draft application for the Bicycle Friendly Community application for the City of Inverness. Based on existing conditions in Inverness, Alta made recommendations for improving infrastructure, programs, and policies to enhance the bicycling environment in the City. These recommendations were incorporated into a bicycle master plan completed for the City by Kimley-Horn and Associates. - Easley Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, SC
John is serving as project manager for this joint MPO/City-funded effort. The plan will reflect the City's desire to become a more fit and active community and is one of the City's first steps towards its goal of achieving the League of American Bicyclists’ “Bicycle Friendly Community” designation. An active community engagement process – including bicycling and walking audits, surveys, and workshops – is part of the plan effort.
Other Relevant Experience
- Albemarle Pedestrian Plan (2006) & Bicycle Plan (2009), NC
- Boone, NC Land Use Plan
- Beaufort, SC Comprehensive Plan
- Wendell Comprehensive Plan and UDO, Wendell, NC
- Mountain Landscapes Initiative: Region A Toolbox, Western North Carolina
- Audit of Pavement Standards in Spartanburg & Anderson Counties, SC
- Germantown Town Center Plan and Code, Germantown, TN
- Salisbury, NC Land Management Development Ordinance
- Spartanburg, SC Downtown Master Plan and Code
- South Corridor Light Rail Project – Assistant Land Use Planner, Charlotte, NC
- Walkable Communities Workshops for Charlotte-area MPOs
- Mecklenburg-Union MPO Staff Assistant (1999-2002)
- South Transit Corridor Infrastructure Program, Charlotte, NC
- Transit Oriented Development Zoning Regulations Development Team, Charlotte, NC
- Transportation Policy Development Team, Charlotte, NC
- Little Sugar Creek Greenway Advisory Team, Charlotte, NC
- City Boulevard Street Design Project, Charlotte, NC
- Decker Boulevard/Woodfield Park Corridor Plan, Columbia, SC
- Spartanburg Area Active Living Assessment, SC
Selected Presentations & Trainings
“Charlotte’s South Corridor Infrastructure Program,” ProWalk/ProBike, Seattle, WA (2008)
“Conducting an Active Living Assessment,” NCAPA State Planning Conference, Chapel Hill, NC (2007)
“Spartanburg, SC’s Active Living Assessment,” APA National Planning Conference, San Antonio, TX (2006)
North Carolina Bicycle Planning Initiatives, NCAPA State Planning Conference, Charlotte, NC (2001)
Professional/Civic Organizations
- Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals (1999 – present)
- American Institute of Certified Planners (2005 – present)
- APBP's Walk Friendly Communities Advisory Committee (2008-2009)
- Carolina Thread Trail Steering Committee for Mecklenburg County (2009-present)
- Davidson, NC Greenways, Bikeways, and Trails Commission (2006 – 2008)
- Davidson, NC Walks & Rolls SRTS Committee (2007 – present)
- Davidson Bike Plan Steering Committee (2008)
- Lake Norman Bike Route Advisory Committee (2005)
- Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance (formerly BIKES) Steering Committee (1999-2005)
- Charlotte Bicycle Commuter Challenge, Founder/Organizer (2005, 2006, 2007)
- Bike!Charlotte, founder/organizer (2000, 2001)
- Charlotte Bicycle Commuter Support Group/Bike Mentor Program, co-founder (1999-present)
