SEMPO plan calls for electric vehicle readiness

There aren't many of them on the streets and highways now, but as electric vehicles become more prevalent, the Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization wants this area to be ready.

The planning group, commonly known as SEMPO, unanimously adopted a work program and budget for fiscal year 2022 on Wednesday that includes funding for a study and consultant to develop an electric vehicle (EV) readiness plan.

At $80,000, the EV readiness plan is the largest single expenditure in SEMPO's $247,734 budget for the coming fiscal year with the majority of the plan development cost to be paid out of federal funds.

According to SEMPO's budget document, the EV readiness plan "will provide recommendations to local governments and transportation areas in the SEMPO planning area to spur the adoption of electric vehicles through increased installations of charging stations as a means toward a more energy efficient transportation system."

SEMPO is projecting the plan will be ready for adoption by May 2022.

Members of the Southeast Metropolitan Planning Oreganization on Wednesday adopted the organization's work plan and budget for fiscal year 2022.Jay Wolz

Pedestrian safety

In addition to adopting its FY2022 work plan and budget, the SEMPO board members Wednesday also approved a resolution amending its FY2020-2023 transportation improvement program in order to improve pedestrian safety at a major Cape Girardeau intersection.

Cape Girardeau grant coordinator and SEMPO executive director Alex McElroy said the resolution was necessary to include the cost of a project in the vicinity of North Kingshighway, Maria Louise Lane and North Cape Rock Drive in a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant earmarked for pedestrian safety.

The project, McElroy explained, includes installation of crosswalks and pedestrian signals as well as sidewalks along Kingshighway and Maria Louise Lane at an estimated cost of $400,000, of which approximately $257,000 would be covered by the TAP grant.

"This has been a safety concern for some time, which was heightened back in December 2019 when we had a pedestrian suffer severe injury after being struck at this intersection," he said.

As a metropolitan planning organization for the Cape Girardeau/Jackson urbanized area, SEMPO is responsible for meeting the federal metropolitan planning regulations for the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson as well as portions of Cape Girardeau County and northern Scott County and portions of Alexander County in the vicinity of East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.

SEMPO liaisons with the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Transportation and other state and federal agencies in the planning and development of infrastructure projects to address the area's current and future transportation needs.

More information, including the SEMPO's planning and budget documents for FY2022, which begins July 1, may be found on the organization's website, southeastmpo.org.

Looking for more business news? Check out B Magazine, and the B Magazine email newsletter. Go to www.semissourian.com/newsletters to find out more.