ARTS / Metropolitan Planning Organization

Study Overview

The Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) was established as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in 1970. The mission of ARTS is to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process as a "Continuous, Comprehensive, and Cooperative (3C) Process." ARTS works in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Department of Transportation to achieve its mission.

ARTS is arranged in a four (4) committee organizational structure; the Policy Committee is responsible for overall direction and conclusions of the Study; the South Carolina Subcommittee of the Policy Committee representing electing officials in Aiken and Edgefield Counties in South Carolina; Citizens Advisory Committee designed to provide the Study process with a general citizen input; and a Technical Coordinating Committee made up of individuals possessing the technical capabilities of carrying out the in-depth analysis necessary for ARTS to achieve its mission.

The ARTS planning area covers an approximate land area of 793 square miles with population of 511,686 (US Census 2010) and includes: Richmond County, and the Cities of Hephzibah and Blythe in Georgia; the Fort Gordon Military Reservation; parts of Columbia County, including the City of Grovetown; and, parts of Aiken and Edgefield Counties in South Carolina, including the Cities of Aiken, North Augusta, New Ellenton and Burnettown.