The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published June 14, 2017

LOCLG meetings to address lake area transportation issues

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – The Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments (LOCLG) in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will be hosting a series of meetings to share information and gather input on transportation-related issues within the four-county region of Camden, Laclede, Miller and Morgan.

All residents are encouraged to attend and participate.

“Our goal is to identify the transportation needs within the region. We will also review the current transportation providers, look for gaps or unmet needs, and identify barriers to providing those needed services,” a spokesman said. “The Human Services Transportation Coordination Plan is a five-year plan; this will be an update to our existing plan originally approved in 2013.”

The completed plan is due to MoDOT by February 1, 2018. The planning process is estimated to take approximately 10 months to collect the data and develop the final plan. There will be time for public review and comments on the draft plan in January 2018.

“This plan is important to the many organizations within our region that offer transportation options to the elderly, disabled and low-income populations,” said the spokesman.

With the approved and adopted plan in place eligible organizations can apply for grant funding to improve and support their transportation efforts.

Federal transit law requires that projects selected for funding under the Enhanced Mobility for Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) Program be “included in a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan,” and that the plan be “developed and approved through a process that included participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, representatives of public, private, and nonprofit transportation and human services providers and other members of the public” utilizing transportation services.

These coordinated plans identify the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and people with low incomes, provide strategies for meeting these needs, and prioritize transportation services for funding and implementation.

US Department of Transportation-Federal Transit Administration Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments will host four public meetings throughout the region.

Meeting Schedule:
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
Camden County
Camden County Historical Society
206 S. Locust Street Linn Creek, MO 65052

Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
Laclede County
Laclede County Library
915 S. Jefferson Avenue Lebanon, MO 65536

Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
Miller County
Eldon Community Center
309 E. 2nd Street Eldon, MO 65026

Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.
Morgan County
Laurie Care Center
610 Hwy O Laurie, MO 65038

“This is your opportunity for you to share your experiences with any transportation challenges that the region may have and help develop strategies to improve these conditions,” the spokesman said.

Planning Project Objectives:
• Assessment of available services, including current transportation providers, public, private, and not-for-profits, identifying the service area and hours of operation.
• Assessment of transportation needs of the elderly, disabled and low incomes.
• Identify gaps in transportation needs and the currently available services.
• Develop strategies and activities that would address the transportation needs within the region.
• Identify funding opportunities for implementation of the plan.

The public is invited to join LOCLG at the public engagement meetings and offer their insight to the transportation needs within the region.

If anyone needs special accommodations for the meeting, please contact them at 573-346-5692.