 Carmitchel explained that about nine years ago Illinois changed the
way federal highway money is executed. Under direction of the
federal government, Illinois created 14 Metropolitan Planning
Organizations, or MPOs.
The majority of his job is to oversee his metro territory, which
includes Chicago and six counties in northeast Illinois.
Many rural areas in Illinois are not in an MPO, he said. The
state wanted rural planning also. Carmitchel was also given
oversight of all the state for a rural transportation program.
Last year there was no one to administer the $250,000 in
transportation funds. When he returned to the position of managing
this, those funds were added to the same amount provided this year,
and then divided for the qualifying entities.
As a rural area, Logan County's share is $14,225.
"IDOT put the caveat on it, that it has to be a transportation
planning project," Carmitchel said.
All he needs is an application that fits into a qualifying scope
of service. Of course, it should be for something that is really
needed. He gave some examples that included hiring a consultant to
do a study, design or planning for such things as looking at freight
traffic where that is an issue, road flooding or designing an entry
to a small airport.
Once the request is submitted, he would review it, and then the
funds are available immediately, he said. After the commission
receives the money, it has two years to spend it.
Carmitchel told the commission that there hasn't been much
response to the program this year. The funds were made available
last June. To date, 10 entities have not responded. The offer for
this year's funds would be open until the end of June.
If possible, Carmitchel said he would like any request that might
be made to be in sooner than that. This will give him time so that if there is
someone else who could use more money, it can be redistributed.
"If you can't use it, somebody else can," he said.
[to top of second column] |
As a stand-alone organization, it was believed that whatever is
decided by the regional planning commission would not require
approval by the county or other participating communities.
Derrick Crane proposed that a two-person committee be formed.
County highway engineer Bret Aukamp and GIS director and zoning
officer Will D'Andrea accepted the assignment.
Aukamp said they would reach out to the leaders of the
communities that participate with the commission, which are the city
of Lincoln, Mount Pulaski, Atlanta, Hartsburg and Emden, and the
Logan County Board.
Project ideas included:
-
Crane -- Ask
communities for their top five list, and we go from there.
-
Lincoln Mayor
Keith Snyder -- Suggested something with the Route 66 countywide
bike path planning. That has been discussed at planning
commission meetings previously.
-
Bill Martin -- Look at the
Comprehensive Plan, and see if there is anything in there.
Aukamp said he would look at the guidelines for what purposes the
money can be used and then likely send out correspondence to the
communities.
By next month's meeting, the committee plans to have a short list
of transportation-related concepts for planning.
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST]
 |
