Topic 2: Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Services

Scenario 2-1:

Shepherdstown has been awarded a grant that will allow it to make a significant investment in the local road transportation network. The value of the grant will be matched to meet the needs of one project, regardless of cost. If you were given the responsibility of making the decision of selecting the project, what project would you choose to construct? How would the project address the needs of the community and its residents? How would the project affect traffic patterns? Would the project be oriented toward improving safety, relieving congestion, or making the local transportation network more efficient at moving traffic through or around town?

Potential improvements discussed included:
- A method to route trucks around town
- Extending the Highway 45 “bypass” from Morgans Grove to Highway 230 on the sourheast side of town.
- Adding a new crosssing over the Potomac upriver of Shepherdstown
- Extending University Drive to the west to link Shepherd Grade to Route 45 west of the developed portion of the corridor.
- Inmproving street lighting
- Expanding MARC service to the area
- More public transit options, including in-town shuttles

Scenario 2-2:

The Town Council has appointed you to a committee that is studying community needs for telecommunications services, including both wired and wireless services for voice and data transmission. How would you characterize the current level of service that is being provided in Shepherdstown today? Does this meet the needs of residents, businesses and other entities that rely on these services? What types of service improvements or expansions are needed? Is there a need / desire for expanded wireless telecommunication service? If new towers are necessary for wireless service expansion, what would be your concerns regarding the placement of new towers, and are there alternatives to erecting towers? What is the town’s role in fostering a more robust telecommunications environment? Who are some potential partners if expanding service was deemed to be a priority for the town?

Need to define what the community needs are to best determine how to meet them
The town and county need to plan together with Shepherd University to expand broadband access
Town should institute town-wide Wi-Fi service
Lack of service is a barrier to small business growth
Telecomm should be seen as an essential service

Scenario 2-3:

You are appointed to a committee that is tasked with evaluating the public services provided by the Town, and your ultimate responsibility is to make a recommendation for either improving a service that is currently provided or instituting a new service that the Town will provide to the community. Which service would you recommend that the Town improve or begin providing? Would you recommend that residents pay a fee for this service, should it be supported by taxes, or should a combination of the two financing methods be used? Which service that the town currently provides is most important to the quality of life in Shepherdstown? Do you think that areas outside of the corporate limits would benefit from receiving the same types of services that corporation residents receive? If the town annexes adjacent neighborhoods, how do you think that would impact its ability to provide its current level of service?

Ideas for new services included:
- Town Wi-Fi service
- Solar power generation
- Electric vehicle plug-ins
- Smart meters for electric service – sponsored by the town
- Composting
- Rainwater harvesting
The Services that were discussed as being most important to quality of life fo-cused primarily on police services and the public water system.

Scenario 2-4:

You and your friends enjoy walking and biking around Shepherdstown for recreation as well as a means of traveling for errands and other daily activities. Through your travels around town, you and your friends have noticed a number of gaps in the bike/pedestrian infrastructure, areas where it could be improved or expanded along new routes, as well as safety issues. Your group decides that they want to advance a plan to the Town Council that will address the issues that you have noticed. Using the provided map, meet with your group of like-minded bike and pedestrian enthusiasts and map out where these improvements or expansions to the bike and pedestrian infrastructure should be made. Include routes both inside of Town as well as the surrounding area. What are the primary origin and destination points/areas? What are the top priorities for improvements?

The following bicycle and pedestrian facility improve-ments were identifed as part of his discussion:
- A greenway trail along Town Run from the river to Mor-gans Grove Park
- A pedestrian connection along the Potomac from the Rumsey Monument to Shepherd University
Dedicated bicycle facilities along:
- Kearneysville Pike to Morgans Grove
- Shepherd Grade Road
- Across the Potomac to the C&O Canal Tow Path
- Martinsburg Pike to Maddex Farm.
- Potomac Farms Drive
- High Street
- German Street
- Washington Street
Improved pedestrian facilities from town to Morgans Grove Park on Kearneysville Pike and along Martinsburg Pike to Maddex Farm.
The top priorities were
- Improved pedestrian and bike facilities to Morgans Grove
- An improved pedestrian crossing at Maddex Farm
- Safety improvements at the rail crossing on Washing-ton Street