FUTURE OF STATE TRANSPORTATION MEETING FOCUS

The future of Missouri transportation will be the focus of a public meeting in Cape Girardeau on Sept. 3.

The meeting is one of five meetings that officials of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department have scheduled around the state.

One meeting was held in Chillicothe in northern Missouri Aug. 13, and others have been scheduled in Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City.

The Cape Girardeau meeting will be held at the Drury Lodge, Interstate 55 and Route K, beginning at 9 a.m.

Freeman McCullah Jr., District 10 engineer with the highway department's regional office in Sikeston, said a transportation plan is being developed for the state's transportation needs into the 21st century.

"We have a consultant who has done a preliminary study of a total transportation plan for the state of Missouri," McCullah said Thursday.

He added that the plan has been circulated among interested groups and organizations. "This report is the springboard for this," McCullah said of the public meetings.

The report makes 34 recommendations. One recommendation, he said, is that state funding be provided to finance airport improvements, and public transit and rail rehabilitation programs.

The report also suggests some restructuring of the highway department and discusses the use of tolls and other means to finance transportation projects, McCullah said.

He added that it's also proposed that a committee be established to develop a strategy for future funding for transportation projects in Missouri.

Currently, highway funding is generated from a state fuel tax.

"Twenty years ago, gasoline use was increasing yearly. The economy and inflation were increasing at a rather even rate," said McCullah. "Our funding was not particularly affected."

But then the Arab oil embargo occurred, which led to higher fuel prices and prompted the development of more fuel-efficient cars, he explained. "What that means is that people are driving more but paying less tax to keep the road up."

McCullah said it's now time to look at whether other revenue sources should be considered instead of relying just on the gas tax.

McCullah said he expects the Sept. 3 meeting will attract representatives from chambers of commerce, the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, and transportation-related businesses in the region.

The meeting will offer such groups and interested individuals an opportunity to make recommendations and comments about the future of Missouri transportation.

"It's not (being held) for specific projects as much as it is for ideas on where we should be going," said McCullah.

Wayne Muri, the state's chief highway engineer, also emphasized that point.

In a prepared statement, Muri said: "We're looking at the broad spectrum, the general areas we should concentrate on in the future.

"Although comments on specific local projects and needs are always important to us, this meeting will focus on them only if they point to trends or are symptomatic of statewide concerns," said Muri.

Muri said the consultant's plan is "a good start" in the transportation planning process. He said the public meetings will allow for "more public involvement" in the planning process.

Written comments may be sent to: Transportation Plan, Public Affairs Division, Highway and Transportation Department, P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, 65102. Copies of the plan are available from the department.