This week, the Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization, also known as SEMPO, had their last round of public engagement sessions for their Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan draft. On Tuesday, SEMPO hosted open houses in Cape and Jackson with over 30 people in attendance.
Cape Girardeau city planner, Ryan Shrimplin says many of those who came out were passionate cyclists particularly interested in recommended routes in the plan.
“They wanted to know about the trails and the on-street bicycle facilities, and they’re very excited about the fact that we’re doing this plan to begin with,” says Shrimplin.
Shrimplin says many of the questions they received were about funding and implementation, but stressed that the plan was not a program with a fixed budget or schedule. A consultant will now prepare the final version of the plan, which will be adopted by SEMPO, and used as a project planning reference for cities, counties, and sponsoring agencies in the area.
The proposed plan was created with input from SEMPO members, stakeholders, and the general public. An online survey was conducted for residents, in addition to community workshops. SEMPO held their first workshops last June, where they documented public input on needs and issues regarding biking and pedestrian facilities. Attendees initially expressed concerns for US Highway 61, which runs through Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau and Jackson Boulevard in Jackson.
For more information, visit their website at: http://southeastmpo.org/