Transportation group accepting applications for Citizen Advisory Committee

SPRINGFIELD — Local officials are inviting area residents who want to weigh in on transportation projects to join an advisory group.

The Clark County-Springfield Transportation Coordinating Committee is accepting applications for its soon-to-be-formed Citizen Advisory Committee until Aug. 31.

An informational meeting for the committee will be held 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, in room 151 of Springview Government Center, 3130 E. Main St.

“The whole idea for the (CAC) came from some suggestions from our board about needing additional participation from the public,” TCC Director Scott Schmid said.

The committee would be able to give input on a range of topics, such as the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that oversees all federal dollars that comes into the county and the long-range transportation plan that includes what area projects need to be done in the next 25 years, Schmid explained.

“That’s a big piece,” he added, referring to the long-range transportation plan. “As far as what needs to happen for the next 25 years, it would be a big help to get a little more help on the public on those issues.”

Schmid said TCC meetings are public and public hearings are always held on such matters, but the agency sees little participation.

There aren’t any current guidelines set on how many members the CAC would have, when it would meet or how often meetings would be; officials want to leave that completely open.

Schmid is encouraging residents from all areas of the county to apply in an effort to ensure that there’s diverse representation.

“We’d just to like get the input,” Schmid said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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