MPO adopts long-range plans

MPO adopts long-range plans

Policy Committee elects officers, sets goals for 2017 and beyond

news@theeveningtimes.com

The West Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization elected officers for the year during its first quarterly Policy Board Committee meeting of 2014 on Feb. 14.

The local MPO develops a coordinated comprehensive transportation plan primarily covering West Memphis and Marion. Federal capital and operating funds and resources rely on the MPO forum being in place.

The MPO develops long range transportation plans through a continuous cooperative planning process.

MPO staff includes Study Director Eddie Brawley and Transportation Planner Bobby Williams.

The MPO meets in a variety of community forums, and holds quarterly citizen advisory meetings. Local elected officials, the two city mayors and county judge, meet with city, state a federal administrators four times a year in a decision making policy committee. The group forms an interagency consultation committee that keys state and federal resources for roads.

Mayor Bill Johnson and Mayor Frank Fogleman were re-elected Chairman and Vice-chairman respectively. The MPO elected West Memphis Economic Development Director Phillip Sorrell as Secretary– Treasurer. The seat had been held by his predecessor Ward Wimbish who resigned from the city late last year.

The MPO adopted its long range transportation plan and air quality conformity projections through the year 2040. The document was thicker than a big city phone book.

“The plan encompasses a lot of narrative,” said Brawley. “It’s on the web site for everybody to look at. We’ve made change due to comments.”

The plan, along with air quality, traffic and accident study reports, is available online at www.wmats.org.

By John Rech