Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

a voluntary council of local governments
serving the missouri meramec area.

Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) works in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) on transportation planning activities for the region. The development and implementation of MoDOT’s Transportation Planning Framework made MRPC a partner at the decision-making table. With this responsibility, comes the recognition of the vast transportation needs that Missouri has both locally and statewide and the limited amount of funds available for addressing them. As MRPC works in partnership with MoDOT, it allows for the opportunity to offer new and different information as well as a local perspective that should be brought to bear on transportation decisions.

As a partner in the decision-making process, MRPC must also be willing to share the responsibility of the decision-making and support the final outcome. Decisions cannot be made in a vacuum. Since MRPC must represent the views of the local elected officials and their constituents, it is imperative that MRPC and the Transportation Advisory Committee have a strong connection to one another. As planners, MRPC must be able to identify – and bring to the forefront – the information that is necessary for local elected officials, transportation advisory members, and staff to make sound, prudent and defendable recommendations.

MRPC Transportation Priorities FY24

Transportation Priorities for FY24
Click the image for full size viewing

County Needs Lists


Regional Transportation Plan

The Regional Transportation Plan brings to the forefront all the information that is necessary for local elected officials, transportation advisory members and staff to make sound, prudent and defendable recommendations when it comes to transportation.

This plan will include results of all planning efforts of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, the Meramec Transportation Advisory Committee, local plans and any information about the region that supports formation of the plan and implementation of it. The information will be used to make recommendations and decisions that enable the wisest use of limited
resources.

The plan originally written in 2016 contains updates through 2024.

Region’s Funded TAP Projects

TAP is a federally funded program with the goal of expanding transportation choices and enhancing the transportation experience through categories of activities related to the surface transportation system. Funded through the FAST Act, TAP focuses on non-motorized transportation projects with an emphasis on bike and pedestrian facilities.

Region’s Funded TEAP Projects

The Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) allows local public agencies (LPAs) to receive engineering assistance for studying traffic engineering problems. Typical traffic engineering-related projects include corridor safety and/or operational analysis, intersection(s) safety and/or operational analysis, speed limit review, sign inventory, pedestrian/bike route analysis, parking issues, and other traffic studies, etc.

Region’s Funded FLAP Projects


Transportation Advisory Committee

The MRPC TAC is a volunteer advisory committee that encompasses all modes of transportation. This group identifies and prioritizes transportation issues as they impact the Meramec Region and advises the MRPC board, who it turn, provides information to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Each county has three representatives and meets every other month on the second Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

Crawford County
Jared Boast
Rob Cummings
Steve Black

Gasconade County
John Kamler
Jerry Lairmore
Randy Blaske

Osage County
Darryl Griffin
Ron Kempker
Larry Kliethermes

Pulaski County
Gene Newkirk
George Lauritson
Charles Bassett, Secretary

Dent County
Gary Larson
Robert Parsons
Sally Burbridge

Maries County
Steve Vogt, Chairman
Vic Stratman
Ray Schwartze

Phelps County
Darin Pryor
Joey Auxier
Rick Krawiecki

Washington County
John Casey
Dave Sansegraw
T.R. Dudley, Vice Chairman

Ex-Officio Members
Preston Kramer, MoDOT
Steve Engelbrecht, MoDOT
Oscar Powers, FLW Safety
Denny Ward, SMTS
Machelle Watkins, MoDOT


Completed Plans

Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Coordination Plan – Completed Feb. 9, 2023

SMTS Phelps County Deviated Fixed-Route Study – Completed 2022

Public Transit & Mobility Management in the Meramec Region – Completed 2018


Resources

Transportation Funding Opportunities
  • DRA – aimed at developing transportation infrastructure that supports economic development in the region; application procedure and timeline announced annually;
  • CDBG
    • General Infrastructure offers grants to Missouri communities to improve local facilities, address health and safety concerns, and develop a greater capacity for growth. Activities include, but not limited to streets, drainage, and bridges.
      Grant Amount: Up to $500,000 or $5,000 per household.
    • Industrial Infrastructure helps communities develop infrastructure that allows industries to locate new facilities, expand existing facilities, prevent the closing of a facility or the relocation of a facility outside the state. Funds can be used for public streets, water or sewer lines, engineering and other public facilities necessary to support the private sector project. A public entity must own the facilities to be funded.
      Grant Amount: Up to $2,000,000
      Max Per Job: $20,000
      Capital Investment: A minimum of one dollar of capital investment must be pledged for every dollar of grant funds requested.
  • EDA Public Works Program – provides economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded will lead to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment. EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support construction and non-construction activities that improve or expand public infrastructure including roads and bridges.
  • MoDOT Cost-Share – a partnership with local entities to pool efforts and resources to deliver state highway and bridge projects. MoDOT will match investments up to 50%. Applicants are required to deposit their share of project costs with MoDOT.
  • USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program – provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas — does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Rural areas are defined as less than 20,000 residents as of the U.S. Census Data. Examples of essential community facilities include: public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangers or street improvements.
  • Missouri Department Finance Board (MDFB)
    • Public Entity Loan Program – provides loans to local governments to finance general public infrastructure improvements and economic development projects.
      Loan Minimum: $1 million (no maximum amount)
    • Tax Credit for Contribution Program – a tax credit granted by MDFB equal to 50% on the value of any eligible contribution to the Board by a taxpayer. Applicants must be local political subdivision, a local governmental entity created on behalf of or for the benefit of the local political subdivision, or a state agency. Infrastructure facilities means: highways, streets, bridges, water supply and distribution systems, mass transportation facilities and equipment, telecommunication facilities, jails and prisons, sewers and sewage treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, airports, railroads, reservoirs, dams and waterways in this State, acquisition of blighted real estate and the improvement thereon, demolition of existing structures and preparation of sites in anticipation of development, public facilities and any other improvements provided by any form of government or development agency
  • Tax Increment Financing (TIF) – available to municipalities to encourage redevelopment of blighted areas.
  • Community Improvement District (CID) – a local special taxing district that collects revenue within its designated boundaries to pay for special public facilities, improvements or services.
  • Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) – a special taxing district that collects revenue within its designated boundaries to help pay for public infrastructure, facilities or other improvements that confer a benefit on property within the district, normally a residential area. NIDs are strictly a local initiative.
  • Transportation Development District (TDD) – created by the Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission if the project involves any of the states highway’s or transportation system to fund or operate one or more projects that would assist the promotion, design, construction, improvement or operations of the infrastructure. Funding is accomplished through an add-on sales or property tax and/or real property special assessments. Tolls may also be charged to users of certain infrastructure with the approval of a majority of qualified voters in the district.

MoDOT STIP – https://www.modot.org/statewide-transportation-improvement-program-stip
County GIS

Crawford: The Geographic Information System (GIS) site is available by a yearly subscription. Call or email the Assessor’s Office for details. Email: ccgis@misn.com

Dent: http://dentgis.countyportal.net/

Gasconade: http://gasconadegis.countyportal.net/

Maries: N/A

Osage: http://osagegis.countyportal.net/

MoDOT Maps

Average Annual Daily Traffic

Traveler Information map

Printable County Maps

Larger List of State System Maps