Officials
outline major
transportation
needs
Area county and city officials presented Congressman
Sam Graves with their entities' transportation needs at
Friday's transportation advisory committee meeting at
the county administration building.
Platte County Commissioner Steve Wegner, Clay County
Commissioner Craig Porter and Blue Springs City Administrator
Fred Siems spoke to Graves as well as nearly 20 other
individuals in attendance regarding their top transportation
priorities.
"By holding these meetings this will show a unified
front in Washington, D.C.," said Jacob DiPietre,
press secretary for Graves.
"They will allow us to have a good prioritized list
of transportation for projects in Clay and Platte County
that need the most attention."
Graves, who is the only person from Missouri to serve
on the transportation committee, will be able to hear
first hand of earmarked funds that would be available
for projects across the United States.
"Being the only person from Missouri on the committee,
as well as being from the 6th District is a benefit for
our district," stated Graves.
Wegner identified three safety issues as specific needs
for Platte County at Friday's meeting.
The first was the bridge at Brush Creek over Weatherby
Lake. With the construction of a new Park Hill School
located to the west of the bridge, Wegner underlined this
project as a "dangerous situation that poses traffic
hazards."
"With the opening of the Hawthorne Elementary School
next year and the economic development of that area, that
puts a lot of added pressure on that bridge," said
Wegner. "The bridge needs to be replaced."
Wegner also identified two intersections along 45 Highway
that pose extreme danger. The first is Union Chapel Road,
on which a 1998 Missouri Department of Transportation
study reported that 9,800 trips per day were made at that
intersection. ÊÊSince 1998, a major subdivision,
The National, was developed to the south causing an increase
in traffic congestion. In 2002, the estimated traffic
per day stands at between 13,000-14,000 trips per day.
The second intersection Wegner discussed was 45 Highway
and Brink-Myer Road.
"I'd love to see both these intersections improved
just for the safety factor," stated Wegner. "The
Brink-Myer Road intersection poses poor site and there
is also heavy cross traffic between Union Chapel and 45
Highway."
Finally, Wegner addressed Jones-Myer Road between N Highway
and 45 Highway. Jones-Myer, which is currently a gravel
road, has begun to pick-up extreme highway traffic from
Weston and Atchison, KS. Current figures show that 554
trips per day are made on the road, with 165 trips per
day made on the weekends.
"Currently we're in the midst of our traffic study,
but we're expecting Jones-Myer will probably be one of
our priority roads," stated Wegner.
Wegner ended his presentation to Graves with these words,
"This is our three wish lists we wanted to present
to Congressman Graves. Any help that could be received
for Platte County would be appreciated," said Wegner.
"We feel those three projects are the ones that would
make an immediate impact on Platte County."
Graves said: "There's no one who knows the needs
of Platte County more then the people of Platte County
and the representatives of Platte County."
Wegner admitted that the three presented to the Congressman
are not the only issues in Platte County.
"There are several critical transportation issues
in Platte County we have to look at. This is just one
of the mechanisms to curing our problems," said Wegner.
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