A local transportation planning organization is asking the public to attend the first of a series of meetings to learn more about the group and contribute to a long-term transportation plan for the region.

The Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization, or SEMPO, covers the Cape Girardeau/Jackson urbanized area that includes portions of Cape Girardeau and Scott counties, as well as portions of East Cape Girardeau and Alexander County in Illinois. It's federally mandated and funded.

One requirement for SEMPO is to prepare a metropolitan transportation plan, said Molly Hood, who serves as Cape Girardeau's assistant city manager as well as SEMPO's executive director.

"It's a very long-range planning document that will assess our existing transportation system within the region, including all different modes of transportation: streets, trails, rail, port, airport, etc.," she said. "The plan is supposed to give a forecast of future conditions, so there's some modeling involved. Then, we'll develop visioning and goal statements, and that's really where we'll be looking for the public to provide input on what they would like to see in the future."

The coming meeting is the first step in that process, Hood explained. The transportation plan likely will not be completed until spring 2016.

Primarily, the first meeting is about making the public familiar with SEMPO and the concept of the long-range plan. The organization hopes to engage members of the public and generate interest early in the process.

Before any real discussion begins on the transportation plan, Hood said it's important people have a clear idea of what SEMPO is. It's independent of the Cape Girardeau and Jackson city governments, as well as Cape Girardeau County government, although representatives from each municipality serve as members of the organization.

"Our goal is more regional-focused," Hood said.

According to SEMPO's website, the organization's top priority is addressing the challenges of expanding and maintaining transportation systems -- including highways, railways, ports, airports and public transport -- to meet the needs of a growing region.

Hood said the organization has tried to work with groups that have different transportation needs to get feedback, but the public meetings will offer an opportunity to engage with more people about the community's needs.

Two meetings will be Wednesday at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau -- the first from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and the second from 6 to 7:30 p.m. More information about SEMPO is available at southeastmpo.org.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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Want to go?

• Who: Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization
• What: Information sessions
• When: From 3 to 4:30 p.m. and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
• Where: Osage Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau MO 63701