News and Information from November 2023

A Message from the Executive Director

Welcome back, everyone, from your Thanksgiving break. I hope it provided the rest and rejuvenation you needed. Throughout November, significant strides were made on our scheduled planning projects for the year.

Right after the break, our kickoff meeting for the 621 & Perryville Road intersection study marked a pivotal start. Engaging stakeholders and consultants, we delved into the issues plaguing the existing intersection. Following a fruitful discussion, we conducted an on-site observation to gain firsthand insights into traffic interactions.

Looking ahead, we're gearing up for another significant milestone: the kickoff meeting for the Route D corridor study in Jackson next Monday. Furthermore, on December 7th we will host the kickoff meeting of the Roadway Safety Action Plan, where our Safety Oversight Committee and project team will convene.

Simultaneously, we've released Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for crucial projects—the Online TIP Tool management system and the Regional Trail Connection Study. Proposals for these projects are due back on December 1st and December 8th, respectively.

With all projects scheduled for this fiscal year now underway and progressing at varying stages, I'd like to delve a bit deeper into some of these initiatives below. Despite the busyness, it's been an enjoyable and rewarding planning year thus far. Let's maintain this momentum as we move forward together!

TAP Grant - Cape LaCroix Trail

The City of Cape successfully obtained a grant from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) aimed at improving the Cape LaCroix Trail. This trail stands as the chief off-road network within Cape's city boundaries, providing a paved pathway catering to activities such as walking, jogging, biking, rollerblading, and skateboarding. Enhancements include widening the existing trail from 8-feet to 12-feet, resurfacing, root control & mitigation, and section realignment. The enhancements funded by the grant will further elevate the trail's accessibility and recreational value, promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle for the community.

Roadway Safety Action Plan

We have finalized our Project Timeline and Public Engagement Plan for the project since our initial kickoff meeting in early October. We will be hosting our first meeting with the Safety Oversight Committee on December 7 with plans to schedule the first Public Open House sometime in January. 

2023 Regional Trail Connection Study

The picture above is taken from our 2018 Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Continuing the momentum from this document, we are excited to announce the launch of a Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at conducting an in-depth study focused on establishing trail connections within the SEMPO region. All interested consultants may submit their proposals by the December 1st deadline. The primary objective of this project is to identify optimal trail connections that will enhance pedestrian accessibility to various community destinations situated within the SEMPO planning area.

Intersection Analysis

During this fiscal year, SEMPO has allocated funds for a pilot project involving up to two intersection studies. These studies will focus on intersections situated at Rte. 621 & Perryville Road and Rte. D (Independence Street), adjacent to Jackson Middle School, extending between Broadridge and Rosebud and further south on Broadridge to the Middle School Entrance, just south of Lewis Drive. A meeting with our consultant for the project and local stakeholders for the 621 & Perryville Road study is scheduled for 11/27. A similar meeting  for the Route D Intersection Study is planned for early December.   

Interactive Map Development

The landing page is complete and we are now live with our first set of interactive maps for public consumption. These maps are intended to assist SEMPO member entities, local officials, and the public at-large. Now that we have our first tranche of maps established, take a look and let us know what other types of maps would be beneficial. 

United We Work

This meeting had a good sized audience in the Healthy Blue conference room within Lorimont Place... where McAlister's is. And it happened to be for an excellent initiative. On November 16, a new program was unveiled by the United Way of Southeast Missouri (UWSEMO) in partnership with the Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority (CTA), local employers, social service organizations, and banking institutions. Identified as a significant barrier by job seekers, employers, and workers alike, the lack of dependable transportation has prompted the creation of the United We Work program. This initiative, backed by substantial support from Healthy Blue Missouri with ongoing funding efforts underway, aims to assist entry-level workers in surmounting challenges to securing and sustaining employment while striving for self-reliance. Click the button below to learn more. 

US 61 Open House in Jackson

Three impressive studies are underway by the Missouri Department of Transportation focused on the Route 61 corridor in Jackson. These studies encompass a 4- mile stretch (as measured by Google) spanning from the northern interchange close to Fruitland to the Route 25 intersection in Jackson. Additionally, there are intersection improvement studies being conducted at Route 61/Shawnee Boulevard and Route 61/Donna Drive. Both being intersections I'm sure folks are familiar with. There was a lot of interest from our community about the studies and the options being contemplated. 

2024 Meeting Schedule

It seems crazy, but yea, it's time to distribute the 2024 meeting schedule. All SEMPO meetings are open to the public and we encourage anyone interested to come join us! The SEMPO Board meets every third Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm and the Technical Planning Committee meets every first Wednesday of the month at 11:00 am. Meetings are normally held at the Osage Centre, 1625 N Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, unless otherwise noted.

Roadway Fatalities Update

The 2023 calendar year has continued to deviate from the devastating trend of increased fatalities on our roadways from year-to-year. The Southeast District has experienced 119 fatalities on the roadways in 2023 as of November 19. This number is lower than the 120 fatalities which occurred in 2022 at this time. Statewide, we have experienced 876 fatalities, which represents a 5.60% reduction in fatalities than experienced in 2022 where 928 fatalities were recorded, 2021 (919 fatalities), 2020 (872 fatalities) , 2019 (783 fatalities), and 2018 (822 fatalities) at this point in the year. 

SEMPO Trivia

Held in 1896, which city hosted the first ever Turkey Trot?

a. Baltimore, Maryland   
b. Buffalo, New York   
c. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania   
d. Richmond, Virginia
e. Wilmington, North Carolina
f. Concord, New Hampshire 

Transportation Origins

Well, if you ever needed a hype video for transportation, this one is pretty fiery. It looks like a good series. I'll have to check a few of them out. 

Transportation Quote

“I think gas prices are a conspiracy.” 

— Tom Briadwood, conspiracy theorist known as The Lone Gunmen from the TV series The X-Files