Feb 17, 2005

WILLOW SPRINGS --–– District 9 will hold an informational work-shop for anyone interested in ap-plying for Transportation En-hancement grant funds. Trans-portation Enhancement funds are available to develop a variety of project types, in both rural and ur-ban communities. The projects help create more travel choices by providing funding to construct sidewalks, bike lanes, and to con-vert abandoned railroad rights of way to trails. Communities may also use the Transportation En-hancement Program to revitalize local regional economies by re-storing historic buildings, renovat-ing streetscapes, or providing transportation museums and visitor centers. The 2005 application process differs from past years in that 75 percent of statewide funds will be distributed for local com-petitive projects. The remaining 25 percent will be allocated to the Statewide Competitive process, focusing mainly on the funding of Missouri Welcome Centers. District 9 will receive approxi-mately $1.04 million for local dis-tribution. The workshop will be held Thursday, March 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salem Commons in Salem, Mo. We strongly encour-age all interested parties to attend this workshop, as we will be cov-ering vital information about the revised application process. If you are interested in attending, contact Katie Montgomery at the Missouri Department of Transportation (417) 469-6230, or email Katie.Montgomery@modot.mo.gov to register and request other necessary information.