News and Information from April 2022

A Message from the Executive Director

In the Month of April, we approved SEMPO's Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for fiscal year 2023, welcomed our new Board of Directors member Mayor Stacy Kinder, and received a presentation from MoDOT regarding the draft conceptual design solutions for a reconfiguration of Exit 93 along Interstate 55. The latter is a project SEMPO members had placed on Tier 1 of MoDOT's request for unfunded needs within our planning area. The scope of the project was to make capacity improvements to the interchange which had a cost estimate of $5 million. However,  SEMPO's Tier 2 ranking of projects included a reconfiguration of the interchange and allotted $17 million toward the project given the funding scenario provided by MoDOT. During the presentation, our Board members were shown designs that could cost upwards of $25 million. This will be a project we will need to continue to review as we embark on our next round of project prioritization starting in May. A copy of our previous project rankings can be downloaded by clicking the button below. I'll be sharing these projects and soliciting additional ideas with our Technical Planning Committee on the 4th. If you have any ideas you would like to share in the interim, please feel free to reach out to me at any point. 

Upcoming Notice of Funding Announcements

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently released a list of anticipated dates for Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for key Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs. The following link provides the most updated list, which they state is not comprehensive but will be updated periodically with new programs and dates. The list provides program NOFO release dates from May 2022 through September 2022. 

"Thou Shalt Not Have Squiggly Lines"

I attended a conference once where a city manager spoke about his experience attempting to address safety concerns with one of his streets within his community. The street had speeding issues and many feared for pedestrian safety. Speaking with his city engineers on how to address the concerns, he recommended painting the roadway lines in a wavy pattern along the areas with higher pedestrian traffic. He said this would alert the drivers that something was different and they should drive with caution. He said this was a much lower cost solution than what had previously been proposed. Responding to the idea, the city manager said one of his engineers (and I assume he was being slightly hyperbolic) held up his copy of the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways), placed his hand on it and stated "Thou Shalt Not Have Squiggly Lines. The Manual Forbids It".

While adhering to the MUTCD can certainly have its benefits, its okay to explore alternative approaches to safety. Below are three brief case studies of cities that have explored out of the box solutions to roadway safety. All three pilot projects were less than $9,000 and were said to have enhanced safety and sparked needed conversations about future changes.

Safe Streets For All

What do you know about SS4A? As confusing as federal acronyms can be, I kind of like this one.  The U.S. Department of Transportation is hosting informational webinars on preparing for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program. The pre-application webinar will feature information about the SS4A grant program, eligibility, and requirements. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for SS4A grants is not yet posted but is anticipated to be released in May.

Cities, Counties, Towns, Transit Agencies, and Other Special Districts are encouraged to attend the May 2nd webinar from 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm (CST).

Transportation Alternatives Program

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published new guidance for the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside from the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this announcement, MoDOT informed SEMPO members that they anticipate a new round of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) being issued in the near future. So now is a good time to get your projects ready! For more information on the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside program see the button below.

MoDOT Cost Share Program

MoDOT's next round of Cost Share Program applications are due July 22, 2022.  The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance for state highway and bridge projects which satisfy a transportation need. Recipients of the Cost Share program may receive up to 50% of the total project cost. Projects which serve an economic development purpose and are approved by the Missouri Department of Economic Development may receive up to 100% of the total project cost.

Proposed EV Charging Station Legislation

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment met on April 20th to hear HB 1584, sponsored by Representative Jim Murphy (R-St. Louis).  The legislation requires political subdivisions that require the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at certain businesses to pay the costs associated with the installation, maintenance, and operation of such stations. The Municipal League provided informational testimony and urged the committee to protect municipal authority to enact and enforce local regulations necessary to protect public health and safety in regard to the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. You can check the status of the bill by following the button below.

Roadway Fatalities Update

The Southeast District has experienced 36 fatalities on the roadways in 2022 as of April 17. This number is higher than the 27 fatalities which occurred in 2021 at this time. Of these 36 fatalities, 68% of the occupants were not buckled. Statewide, we have experienced 230 fatalities, which is less than what we experienced in 2021 where 244 fatalities were recorded, yet higher than what was experienced in 2018 (229), 2019 (200) , and 2020 (212) at this point in the year.

SEMPO Trivia

In 2019, which US airport had the most enplanements (boardings)?

a. Chicago O'Hare International, IL
b. New York John F Kennedy International, NY
c. Los Angeles International, CA
d. Atlanta Hartsfield / Jackson International, GA
e. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, MO
f. Las Vegas McCarran International, CO

Be the first one to respond to my email (amcelroy@cityofcape.org) with the correct answer and I'll bring the drink of your choice to our next meeting.

You Thought About Design, Right?

Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition unpacks why it’s  impossible to prioritize both safety and keeping cars moving quickly outside of limited pedestrian access roads like interstate and freeways. The video is just under 9 minutes and it highlights some persistent deficiencies with our designs while providing some solutions to enhance safety.

Transportation Quote

"I'm suspicious of any mode of transportation that requires a running start."

 - Alan Kotok

As someone who has helped push start my dad's car several times growing up, this one resonates with me.