2026 SAG Award Winners

Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Metropolitan Planning Organization

Project Goal

ESRI ArcGIS Online tools and applications were intended to engage the public more efficiently and effectively for the development of our 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. Past efforts garnered very little public response. We experienced low turnout for in-person meetings. Engagement with large static maps was poor because people found it difficult to digest the data or understand how it affected their day-to-day lives within only a couple of hours or less. Additionally, survey respondents were grouped by special interests, certain demographics, or seemingly higher-income neighborhoods. This resulted in less than desired representation across the MPO's planning boundary. Therefore, our goal was to increase participation, ensure broader representation, and provide evidence that people could access and review the information at their own time and pace. This would enable better digestion/understanding of the material, allowing for meaningful contributions to the plan outcomes.
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Business Problem Solved

Increased public participation which guided the Vision/Goals and the fiscally-constrained project outcomes of the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan.

Technology Implemented

ArcGIS online, Network Analyst, Hub, Story Maps, Survey123, Crowdsource Reporter, Dashboards, and Experiences.

Development Team Biography

Julia Billings, Director @ MMP LLC (ACIP, Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning). Keli Kemp, CEO @ MMP, LLC. (AICP, PTP, Master’s in Urban Planning), has 25+ years in transportation planning & received multiple awards. Yuen Lee (GISP), Director, has 30+ yrs in regional planning. Peyton Moran (AICP), Transportation Planner @ MMP LLC. Malavika Murali (AICP), Transportation Planner at MMP LLC. Randolph Pullen (GISP), Planning Analyst II, has over 10 yrs in GIS analysis, modeling, & Python toolboxes and scripting. Melissa Taylor, MPO Director (Master’s in Environmental Science) has 25+ yrs in regional planning & awards from AMPO, FHWA, & APA. Aleeta Zeller (GISP), Transportation Analyst has 26 years in GIS analysis, modeling, & complex data visualization. Formerly with the MPO: Caroline Daigle (Master’s of Community & Regional Planning). Cortney Geary (Master’s in Community & Regional Planning). Tabb Sanford (Master’s in Community Planning). Anne Welch (Master’s in City & Regional Planning

Company Overview

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North GA Metropolitan Planning Organization (CHCNGA MPO) hosted by the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, TN, represents 19 jurisdictions across Tennessee and Georgia. As a federally mandated organization, staff are responsible for regional transportation planning, project prioritization, and allocating federal funds according to Federal Transportation Legislation.

Return on Investment

ArcGIS Online allowed the team to collaborate simultaneously in a cloud workspace (like Google Suite) saving time and resources and more dedication to the creation of effective engagement methods through the integrated "Hub" project website. An array of publicly accessible GIS-oriented applications like Story Maps & Survey123 were easily launched from the Hub throughout the process. All files were accessible by everyone so no emails or third-party cloud storage. Data sets & accompanying maps rolled out to the public as they were completed with explanations and interactive viewing by user-defined geographic location & input opportunities. Automated ArcGIS views/visits tracking by page or map provided quantifiable evidence of participation & continued interest. These outcomes generated more public participation from start to finish and demonstrated clear connection to plan goals and the fiscally-constrained priorities such as safety, resilience, transit, and highway performance.