Planning & Development
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
One of the key roles of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments is our partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation, a working relationship that dates back to the early 1990s with the implementation of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, which expanded the transportation planning process to now include a broad range of voices including city and county elected officials, business and industry leaders as well as at-large members of the public. The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments (NWMO RCOG) is designated as a “Transportation Planning Partner” by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and is charged with the responsibility of identifying local and regional transportation needs, prioritizing transportation needs, educating the public and general transportation stakeholders about the transportation planning and investment process, and coordinating transportation improvements with local, regional, and state development activities. To fulfill this responsibility and engage regional leaders, the NWMO RCOG’s Board of Directors approved a policy that establishes the process for appointing representation for the region’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). The policy was developed to provide an equitable and established process for appointing members to the committee.
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Northwest Missouri Regional Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is composed of fifteen (15) members representing county government, city government, transportation corridor groups, other transportation partners, with ex officio members who are staff with the Missouri Department of Transportation. There are three (3) members in each county, and they are appointed by the resident County Commissioners.
The TAC incorporates local communities into the statewide transportation process by accepting responsibilities such as attending and participating in quarterly meetings; understanding the scope of work to be accomplished by the TAC and the NWMO RCOG; understanding the planning framework process and how the TAC’s involvement is incorporated into the process; providing input on transportation needs in our counties and communities; distributing information to communities and residents; prioritizing transportation needs for the region; prioritizing multi-modal transportation projects for the region; and as always by providing ideas to the NWMO RCOG staff on ways to improve the planning process and TAC meetings.
The TAC meets on a quarterly basis to provide direction regarding the local planning process; and, in addition, it provides a forum for communication between elected officials, state transportation staff and the public regarding planning activities. Year after year, NWMO RCOG relies upon the TAC to submit local transportation needs to the agency at TAC meetings which are then prioritized by the committee as a whole. This process is ever-changing. This list of needs is then submitted to our local MoDOT district office each fiscal year.
The NWMO RCOG TAC annually compiles a ranking list of transportation needs in the 5-county region which is submitted to MoDOT for consideration of the proposed projects when the transportation department builds the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) five-year plan for MoDOT construction projects. We then meet with our partners within MoDOT’s Northwest District to come up with district-wide priorities to be submitted to MoDOT’s Central Office.
Atchison County
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Curtis Livengood
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Jeff Meyer
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Vacant
Gentry County
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Gary Carlson
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Mike Sager
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Vacant
Holt County
Carla Acton
Tom Bullock
David Carroll
Nodaway County
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Brian Angle
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Chris Burns
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Matt Smith
Worth County
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Regan Nonneman
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Anthony Steinhauser
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Jubal Summers
TAC MEMBERS
MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION
NWMO RCOG’s role in planning for the transportation needs of its 5-county region does not stop with roads and bridges. Starting in FY25, the NWMO RCOG will be adding a Multimodal Subcommittee that will be comprised of multimodal stakeholders in the 5-county region and will report and report to the TAC.
Multimodal transportation encompasses freight movement, including over-the-road trucking, rail, air, and waterways. Airports, train stations, rail crossings, pipelines, river ports, and much more are at the center of the Show-Me State’s key role as a national logistics hub. These facilities also have active roles in the movement of people including passenger rail services and commercial and private air traffic. Multimodal also includes public transit options such as trains and buses, as well as bicycle and pedestrian travel routes such as trails and sidewalks.
Both freight logistics as well as the transit of passengers each must recognize the strengths as well as limitations of the wide variety of modes of transportation. By strategically connecting multiple options for conveyance, multimodal models can produce a plethora of benefits ranging from enhanced connectivity, supply chain efficiencies and reduced transportation costs while limiting congestion, improving safety and reducing environmental impacts.
YOUTH ROADWAY SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM
The NWMO RCOG also strives to work with area schools to promote roadway safety through educational materials, training and encouragement to make good choices when getting behind the wheel or electing to be a passenger. Coordination with local schools and communities, Northwest Missouri State University, and MoDOT was rejuvenated in the Fall of 2023 when we received a grant through MoDOT to allow us to hire a part-time staff person to revive our youth roadway safety educational efforts. Providing the community and local schools with adequate education is the foundation to reducing fatal and serious crashes on Missouri’s roadways, and the exact goal of this program.
The impact that the addition of a dedicated roadway safety individual will have on the driving culture in northwest Missouri is unlimited. Seeing how this program has thus far changed the safety culture in all five counties shows this. Alex Dandy is the Facilitator, and he works diligently exploring, researching, educating, and implementing many things related to roadway safety.
The program’s overarching goals include:
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Outreach programs to all the secondary schools in our 5 counties that will function on a two-year rotation. With last year’s participation, this upcoming year will see the inclusion of the schools that did not participate. To reach out to the following schools there will be inclusion of all the goals and objectives posted for this past year. This programming may include a seatbelt convincer, driving simulator, roll over simulator, impaired driving goggles, Docudrama’s, and other activities to provide a fun and educational experience.
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Increase seatbelt usage by at least 10% in our five counties.
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Create social media pages (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc.) dedicated to roadway safety in northwest Missouri to encourage safe behaviors while driving. This social media page will seek to increase engagement each month and post age-appropriate roadway safety content. This page will be run by the individual hired through this grant funding and will stay active through the duration of the position.
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Seek out and apply for funding to maintain and increase the things this position can do and services it is able to provide to change driving habits of young people in northwest Missouri and identify gaps in programming and outreach efforts pertaining to roadway safety in northwest Missouri.
SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL
The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments is thrilled to have been awarded a FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All Discretionary Grant Program (SS4A) grant, aiming to implement a 5-County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan within our region. With an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our residents, we recognize the urgent need for proactive measures to address safety concerns on all our streets and roads. This grant serves as a pivotal opportunity to forge a collaborative effort, bringing together community stakeholders, local authorities, and dedicated organizations to create a safer environment where all individuals can thrive.
Our comprehensive plan will encompass innovative strategies, community engagement initiatives, and evidence-based interventions, forming a strong foundation for lasting change. Together, we can ensure that our streets and roads become vibrant spaces everyone feels safe using, enabling the full potential of our region to flourish as we strive towards the goal of zero fatalities and serious crashes on our roadways.
The safety needs of rural communities such as those in our region are highlighted by the Governors Highway Safety Association report, America’s Rural Roads: Beautiful and Deadly, which revealed the risk of dying in a crash in 2020 was 62% higher on a rural road compared to an urban road for the same trip length. The report cites a lack of safety resources, and simpler roadway infrastructure as two main causes of this disparity. Roadway safety should always be a top priority, but in rural America it often falls to the backburner due to a myriad of reasons, like lack of funding or driving culture.
The NWMO RCOG is committed to bringing roadway safety up to the forefront and has been cultivating change through many avenues. In 2022 and 2023, we were awarded grants to develop Community Active Transportation Plans for communities in our area to enhance accessibility and address safety issues with alternative transportation methods. We received a Highway Safety Grant through the Missouri Department of Transportation that provided funds for a new, part-time staff member dedicated to roadway safety education and programming for school aged children in our five counties.
The NWMO RCOG is excited about these achievements and opportunities to grow our roadway safety efforts and improve the roadway safety culture in the region. The development of a 5-County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will drive the region’s efforts towards the goal of decreasing and eventually eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries in our five counties.
ROADWAY SAFETY ADVOCATES
As a member of the Northwest Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, the NWMO RCOG takes a role in the partnership as safety advocates throughout the state who have come together with the goal to end traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roadways.
Missouri’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Show-Me Zero, outlines the state’s plan for achieving success by implementing strategies most effective at mitigating the behaviors and issues most commonly associated with fatal and serious injury crashes in Missouri.
The NWMO RCOG is directly associated with the Save MO Lives Northwest Region.
For more information about the Northwest Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, please contact:
Jenna Keyes, Communication Manager
NW District/NWMCRS Coordinator
