SPRINGFIELD, MO - The Missouri Department of Transportation today announced the public comment period for the list of regional and community transportation projects that will accompany the transportation measure on the August ballot. The official public comment period will begin at 12 p.m., June 13 and will close at 5 p.m., June 20.
This August, Missouri voters will be asked to decide on a ballot measure (Amendment 7) to temporarily raise the sales tax by ¾ of a cent with all proceeds going toward needed transportation improvements statewide. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on their regional and community project lists through a series of forums this June. A final schedule of open house meetings and a project website where Missourians can provide feedback will be announced in the coming days.
"The development of these regional and community priority lists is a culmination of significant outreach and feedback from Missourians all across the state," said Dave Nichols, Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation. "Through our annual Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, the Blue Ribbon Citizen's Committee on Missouri's Transportation Needs and last year's On the Move long range planning effort, we have been listening to Missourians wants and needs for several years. The regional priority lists are truly a reflection of the feedback that has been received during that timeframe."
Jason Hay, Community and Regional Planner and Transportation Specialist with the Harry S Truman Coordinating Council stated, "Over the last six months we mapped out how the process would go, gathered public feedback on that process, made appropriate changes, and implemented it with the help of our Planning Partners, Community & County leaders, transportation providers, businesses, and citizens which resulted in a list of over 250 projects for the HSTCC and Joplin region. Many of the projects identified will generate significant economic development in our region that will preserve jobs we have and attract new business and industry."
Sara Fields, Executive Director of the Ozarks Transportation Organization stated, "The Ozarks Transportation Organization began the Transportation Input Initiative in February with giveusyourinput.org, a website specifically designed to gain public input on regional transportation issues. Along with the website, six public meetings were held to better understand the region's priorities. When the initiative wrapped up in April, there were over 5000 votes cast for transportation projects within Green and Christian County."
Missourians will now be asked to provide final public comment on the regional priorities. MoDOT engineers and members of the local transportation planning commission will be available to solicit feedback on the potential projects and answer any questions members of the public may have about the projects. The final list of regional priorities and the public comments received will be submitted to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) for approval on Wednesday, June 25.
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