News and Information from December 2021
A Message from the Executive Director
Happy Holidays to all of you and yours! I hope everyone is blessed with a season to remember and enjoy. I'll be spending the holiday with my immediate family watching three children ages 5 to 14 discover what magical items were left for them. I sympathize with Santa and all the gift givers that need to stay up to date with the plethora of evolving wish lists out there. This year, all I asked for was a Cleveland Browns playoff birth. But I feel as if I will again need to remind myself of the true reason for the season.
During December, we made quiet yet important progress on our EV Readiness Plan as our Steering Committee is working to establish a Stakeholders Outreach List. We also approved an Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) amendment to include the City of Cape's Traffic Engineering Assistance Program grant received from MoDOT for the Broadway Street Light Operations Study. Finally, I would be remise not to mention the MoDOT Needs List Public Meeting held on December 2 at the Osage Centre. I provide more detail below as to what information was shared, but I was impressed with the public turnout for the meeting and heard many others echo the same sentiment. It is a testament to our region's engagement and interest into transportation initiatives within our area; and I am proud to be a part of it.
FHWA Policy Memo on Federal Infrastructure Legislation
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a policy memo on December 16, 2021 entitled “FHWA Build a Better America”. The memo “serves as an overarching framework to prioritize the use of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) resources on projects” according to Stephanie Pollack, FHWA Deputy Director. [As a side, the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) is also being referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The terms may be used interchangeably until one is given a rose.] The memo goes on to outline investments and projects that align with the BIL and encourages localities to identify projects that coalesce with the following goals and principles:
- Improve the condition, resilience and safety of road and bridge assets consistent with asset management plans (including investing in preservation of those assets);
- Promote and improve safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable users;
- Make streets and other transportation facilities accessible to all users and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- Address environmental impacts ranging from stormwater runoff to greenhouse gas emissions;
- Prioritize infrastructure that is less vulnerable and more resilient to a changing climate;
- Future-proof our transportation infrastructure by accommodating new and emerging technologies like electric vehicle charging stations, renewable energy generation, and broadband deployment in transportation rights-of-way;
- Reconnect communities and reflect the inclusion of disadvantaged and under-represented groups in the planning, project selection and design process; and
- Direct Federal funds to their most efficient and effective use, consistent with these objectives.
National Electric Highway Coalition Formed
More than 50 electric companies and Ameren Missouri have joined the new National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC), which wants to make sure that fast-charging ports are available to drivers of electric vehicles along major roadways by 2023. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, reports that to date, member companies have invested more than $3 billion in customer programs and projects to deploy EV charging infrastructure and to accelerate electric transportation. The organization estimates that more than 100,000 EV fast-charging ports will be needed to support the projected 22 million EVs that will be on US roads in 2030.
“With the formation of the National Electric Highway Coalition, we are committed to investing in and providing the charging infrastructure necessary to facilitate electric vehicle growth and to helping alleviate any remaining customer range anxiety,” says Edison Electric Institute President, Tom Kuhn.
Unfunded Needs - MoDOT Public Meeting Held
Who is the staff photographer for this newsletter? Were they even trained in basic photography? Great questions, I'll look into it.
Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) leadership visited the Osage Centre on December 2, 2021, to discuss and review the needs list for the Southeast District. Patrick McKenna, Director of MoDOT, was the lead orator for the Public Meeting where he shared a presentation to the attendees reviewing the current 2022 - 2026 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The current STIP represents $5.044 billion in statewide transportation investments. Key to the presentation was the analysis of the potential revenue generation from the recently approved gas tax (SB262 - legislatively approved measure to increase the gas tax 2.5-cents per year for 5-years) along with the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); or as I am hearing it may now be referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) . I prefer the latter. It is due to these additional funding streams that MoDOT is in the process of refining the unfunded needs throughout the state to ensure local preference for projects is represented.
Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan
In December, the EV Readiness Plan Steering Committee worked to finalize the Stakeholder Outreach list of individuals and entities to solicit feedback and information pertinent to the plan. So far, 45 individuals and entities have been identified as Stakeholders spanning nine targeted groups including: Power Providers, EV Dealers, EV Service Providers (repairs, conversions, etc.), EV Charging Station Providers, Host Commercial and Organizational Property Owners (gas stations, hotels, airport, health care facilities, etc.), Fleet Operators, Transit and Transit Oriented, Special Interest Groups, and the General Public. The Steering Committee will be working on finalizing interview questions and survey questionnaires to assist in the outreach process. This outreach effort is expected to take place during December and January. We are still looking at a September 2022 completion date for the EV Readiness Plan.
Roadway Fatalities Update
The Southeast District has experienced 127 fatalities on the roadways in 2021 as of December 12. This number is up from 116 fatalities reported from November 14. Of these 127 fatalities, 65 occupants were not buckled and 111 were in rural locations. Statewide fatalities are up almost 2.5% from 2020. In 2021 we have seen 962 lives lost on our roadways compared to a previous record high of 939 in 2020.
The new Cape City Hall, located at 44 North Lorimier Street, now has an Electric Vehicle Charger installed (pictured below). The charger is a Level 2 Leviton charger with dual charging ports capable of charging 2 vehicles at once. The City was able to leverage the Ameren incentive program for EV charging stations which covered half of the cost of the project. The total project cost was $16,800 which will be offset by $8,400 received through the Ameren incentive program. The charging station is open to the public and located at the northeast corner of the upper parking deck. City staff plans to list the unit on ChargePoint's network of station locations so community members and the traveling public may more easily find its location and details.
SEMPO Trivia
What is the total distance around the planet Santa would need to travel if he were to begin in one spot and end up in the same spot. And no, this does not account for the planet's oblate spheroid shape (you know who you are).
a. 24,901 miles
b. 25,460 miles
c. 40,075 miles
d. 28,702 miles
e. 35,632 miles
f. 22,984 miles
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.
Top 10 Christmas Travels
It may be too late to change your Holiday destination plans, but here are some ideas for future holiday getaways.
Transportation Quote
“Cousin Eddie says Twitter's full, put down the phone!”
– Tennessee Highway Department
