March 27, 2019 – Bi-State Regional Commission receives federal pass through funds to plan for short and long-range transportation needs. Planning areas are the Quad Cities and Region 9 for rural Scott County and Muscatine County, Iowa. Key travel issues in these areas include improving river crossing capacity; reducing congestion; maintaining good standing for air quality; and coordinating maintenance, operations, and improvements between the modes of transportation for an effective system to move people and goods.
The Quad Cities and Region 9 FY2020 Transportation Planning Work Programs (TPWPs) reflect Bi-State staff transportation work activities and budget funding to accomplish that work for July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020. Tasks and activities to be undertaken by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Region 9 in the coming fiscal year fall into four categories: program support and administration, general development and comprehensive planning, long-range transportation planning, and short-range transportation planning. While fulfilling core programmatic requirements, the funding supports technical assistance to aid local jurisdictions in implementing planned surface transportation projects – road improvements, transit services, trail and sidewalk extensions, and bridge work.
The transportation planning fund targets for FY2020 reflect relatively static funding levels for both the Quad Cities MPO and Region 9 Planning Area. The MPO effort in federal, state, and local funds is $907,844. The Region 9 effort amounts to $62,865. Federal funds are matched with 20% local member dues or state funds. The respective Technical and Policy Committees provide information and feedback on the program activities, while the Bi-State Regional Commission approves the budget and contracts. Transportation planning funds represent nearly 50% of the Bi-State Regional Commission budget.
