News and Information from July 2022
A Message from the Executive Director
July was the first month of our 2023 fiscal year and we are already making significant strides. Our Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan will be issued for public review in the very near future with our Steering Committee, Technical Planning Committee, and Board of Directors all having had an opportunity to review and offer feedback. We will host a presentation of the plan at our August 17th Board meeting with the intent to consider approval in September. SEMPO also submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) competitive grant program. If awarded, SEMPO will receive 80% of total project costs in federal funds to develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The term means a plan aimed at preventing transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries in a specified locality. SEMPO would use these funds to analyze locations and severity of vehicle-involved crashes, analyze community input gathered through public outreach and education efforts, develop a data-driven approach to identify projects or strategies to prevent fatalities and serious injuries, and establish mechanisms for evaluating the outcomes and effectiveness of the strategies employed. Once SEMPO has this plan in place, SEMPO member entities would be eligible to apply for Implementation (capital construction) grants for issues identified by the document.
Dangerous by Design
In July, the National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America released their latest report on U.S. pedestrian fatalities and outlining what designs could mitigate these occurrences. The report states, "While the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic upended many aspects of daily life, including how people get around, one terrible, long-term trend was unchanged: the alarming increase in people being struck and killed while walking." Click the button below the map to review the report and learn about some of the ways we can address this devastating trend.
Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program
On July 14, the US Department of Transportation hosted a Reconnecting Communities informational webinar detailing an overview of prospective applicants and how to apply. The program's goal is to advance community-supported projects, with a priority on economically disadvantaged communities, to improve access to daily destinations such as jobs, schools, healthcare, grocery stores, and recreation, and to foster equitable development and restoration. Click the button below to view a recording of the presentation. Passcode: i6X7uTW&
Gas Tax Conundrum
If the future of transportation is electric (or eclectic, considering hydrogen powered vehicles) how are we going to address the decline in gas tax revenues? "The heavier the vehicle, the more damage it will do to roads, and many new EVs are heavy. For example, the Ford F-150 Lightning weighs in at about 6,500 pounds, making it more than 35% heavier than the traditional combustion version, while the GMC Hummer EV tips the scales at over 9,000 pounds with the battery itself weighing more than a Honda Civic." The below article contemplates this conundrum and offers a few potential avenues to explore, such as increased registration fees or mileage-based user fees.
MoDOT Hosts Public Meeting on I-55 Exit 93 Interchange
MoDOT hosted a public meeting on July 27 at the Cape Girardeau Career & Technology Center where they presented three alternate design reconfigurations of the interchange along with a stand alone bridge replacement option. The designs were provided a Level of Service (LOS) analysis given traffic projection within the interchange by 2045. The six LOS grades are defined as:
- A - Free Flow
- B - Reasonable Free Flow
- C - Stable Flow
- D - Approaching Unstable Flow
- E - unstable Flow
- F - Forced or Breakdown Flow
The existing interchange configuration would have a grade C Level of Service if remained in current design in 2045 with a predictive crash rate per year of 28.2. All three alternate designs enhanced this Level of Service grading and lowered the predictive crash rate per year.
Draft EV Readiness Plan
The second round of comments are being incorporated into the draft EV Readiness Plan. Once these comments have been addressed we will be releasing the plan for public review. At our August 17 Board meeting we will host a presentation of the EV Readiness Plan highlighting the document and guidance within. The presentation will be performed by the Olsson staff with Q&A time available once complete.
Roadway Fatalities Update
The Southeast District has experienced 77 fatalities on the roadways in 2022 as of July 24. This number is higher than the 68 fatalities which occurred in 2021 at this time. Statewide, we have experienced 524 fatalities, which is less than what we experienced in 2021 where 536 fatalities were recorded, yet higher than what was experienced in 2017 (496), 2018 (499), and 2019 (449) at this point in the year. Of these statewide fatalities, 58% of the occupants were not buckled.
SEMPO Trivia
Each additional cent of fuel tax results in approximately $28.5 million for MoDOT and how much for cities and counties?
a. $7.5 million
b. $8.5 million
c. $9.2 million
d. $10.2 million
e. $12.2 million
f. $15.5 million
Safer Streets Enhance the Quality of Your Community
Here is a brief video sharing the journey Louisville, KY has taken toward building safer streets for their community.
Transportation Quote
“I think that everyone in our city should have the ability to get around easily and access all of the great amenities that our city has to offer.”
– Louisville, KY Councilmember Cassie Chambers Armstrong
