Bootheel Region public meetings starting Thursday on planned $8 billion Missouri transportation funding plan

With the proposed $8 billion/10 year Missouri transportation funding plan taking shape right now, MoDOT's Regional Transportation Planning Partners are holding public meetings to decide their local transportation priorities for the statewide transportation funding.

Will bicycling, walking, and transit be included in those local priorities?  That is up to the local communities and their citizens.

And how is the time to weigh in--let your local transportation planners know how you feel.

Bootheel Region - Surveys and Public Meetings Starting Thursday

Over the next several days, the Bootheel region has the chance to weigh in during several public meetings in Dexter, Malden, Charleston, Sikeston, Caruthersville, and Kennett.

You can also take the Bootheel public surveys online.

They take only a few moments and are very important!

BOOTHEEL REGIONAL PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO HOST SIX PUBLIC MEETINGS TO ENGAGE GENERAL PUBLIC AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS
 
The Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission will host six public meetings to discuss transportation planning. Transportation stakeholders and the general public are invited to attend these meetings to share their ideas for needed transportation projects. Meeting attendees will have an opportunity to offer ideas to address Missouri's entire transportation system - roads and bridges, transit, aviation, rail, waterways, pedestrian and bicycle needs.
 
During the meeting, attendees will be provided with information on the planning process and given an opportunity to submit projects for consideration. Between March 10 and March 24, the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission website will have a link to an online survey allowing participants to complete a values survey to assist the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission in their evaluation of transportation projects. The website address is www.bootrpc.com.

Meeting times and locations are as follows:
 
* Thursday, March 13, 10:00 a.m. at the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission Conference Room located at 105 E. North Main, Dexter

* Thursday, March 13, 1:30 p.m. at the Malden Community Center Southeast Room located at 607 N. Douglas, Malden

* Monday, March 17, 2:30 p.m. at the Clara Drinkwater Library Public Meeting Roomlocated at 105 E. Marshall, Charleston

* Monday, March 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Sikeston City Hall Council Chambers located at 105 E. Center, Sikeston

* Tuesday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. at the Lady Luck Casino Otis Henry's Restaurant Conference Room located at 777 E. Third Street, Caruthersville

* Tuesday, March 18, 1:30 p.m. at the Three Rivers Community College Room 102 located at 1002 Great West Drive, Kennett

For additional information contact the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission at (573) 614-5178 or online at http://www.bootrpc.com/ 

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Duke by phone at : (573) 614-5178 or by email atsduke@newwavecomm.net

Meetings like this are being held all across Missouri this spring.  What should you ask for? Here is the list of recommendations that MoBikeFed and our allies and advisors across the state have developed:

Your list of bicycle, pedestrian, and trails project ideas

We have been working with our Statewide Advisory Commission and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails groups across the state to create a suggested list of bicycle, pedestrian, and trails projects that can and should be implemented in every MPO and RPC region in Missouri.  

Take this list and adapt it, refine it, and make it work for your part of Missouri.  Then, submit the final result to your MPO and/or RPC:

• First, think of every street that needs a sidewalk, every road that needs a shoulder, every intersection that needs a crosswalk--every other specific bicycle, pedestrian, or trails project you can. Ask that these project ideas be added to your regional project list. 
  

  MoDOT is working with its regional planning partners to program $8 billion in new transportation funding--including, for the first time, the opportunity to include bicycling, walking, and trails.
   
  
  Brainstorm with your friends, walking, running, and hiking buddies, neighbors, and others.  You know your area better than anyone--and you know what people who walk, bicycle, or use trails need the most to improve safety and access.
   
• Create a regional bicycle, pedestrian, and trails plan.  The region should have a plan and so should city and every county.  Right now, most don't.
   
• Incorporate routine accommodation of biking and walking in every transportation project built over the next ten years, wherever needed and as appropriate to the location and situation.
   
• Create a dedicated bicycle and pedestrian transportation fund for each regional planning commission and metropolitan planning organization in the state, to support much-needed bike, ped, transit, and shoulder projects.
   
• Create a Walk & Bike to School Safety & Connectivity Fund for each region and metropolitan area in the state, to support much-needed projects that help connect neighborhoods and communities to schools, so kids can walk and bike to school safely.
   
• Create a prioritized list of roads needing shoulders in every region of the state, and devote a percentage of new funds to systematically adding needed shoulders. 
   
• Incorporate safe bicycle and pedestrian access into every major river bridge that is built or reconstructed
   
• Refine, mark, and officially adopt into the U.S. National Bicycle Route System all current national bicycle routes in Missouri; consider creating and marking a regional on-road bicycle route system.

Photo credit: Waiting for MoDOT by Zaskem on FlickR; Creative Commons license