TRANSPORTATION PANEL'S PURPOSES QUESTIONED

The packet of media information released by the Total Transportation Commission of Missouri explains why the 35-member group was formed: to talk with Missourians and then decide where transportation money should go.

As far as Sikeston City Councilman Josh Bill is concerned, Missouri has a group to do that. It is called the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission.

"The Missouri Constitution separates the highways from the legislature," Bill said. "We're one of the few states that does that, and the system serves us well. It is when the legislative branch interferes that prudent decisions get jettisoned."

The new, governor-appointed commission is dotted with elected officials. The chairman is S. Lee Kling, who is also a member of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission. Other members are appointed state officials, businesspersons and representatives of various clubs and chambers of commerce.

While Bill would like decisions left to the bipartisan Highway and Transportation Commission, he took his concerns to the Total Transportation Commission Thursday at Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau. The TTC is on a seven-city tour around the state to "solicit input from a broad range of constituents," as its literature says.

Only eight TTC members attended the meeting in Cape Girardeau, compared to 19 in Kansas City. They listened to elected officials for two hours and then let the general public speak for two more hours.

Bill used his time to discuss a state plan to require matching funds for transportation improvements. Transportation money currently is given with no matching-fund requirement.

"There is nothing wrong with the local community being asked to contribute to something that will improve its well being," Bill said. "But we need to come up with an objective formula that measures a community's ability to pay."

Otherwise, he said, communities that already have benefited economically from transportation funds may receive more while poor communities are excluded. He also fears mass transit programs in cities will take money rural communities need for roads.

Tim Whitaker, mayor of Trenton, drove seven hours to speak to the commission members. He attended two previous forums and indicated he would attend the rest.

Whitaker told a personal story about the night his two school-aged daughters attended an out-of-town football game. Three buses carried the team, parents and fans. On the way home, one of the buses met a tractor-trailer on a bridge too narrow for both vehicles.

"The phone rang, and the voice on the other end told us what happened," Whitaker said. "The voice told us there were kids lying all over the place."

One of his daughters was on the wrecked bus but walked away unharmed. Many students didn't.

Whitaker told his story in about five minutes, asked that more money be spent to improve rural roads and bridges and left the building for his long drive home.

John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Al Spradling III asked the commission to consider funding for rural airport towers.

They cited Tuesday's airplane collision in Quincy, Ill., where the airport doesn't have a working control tower. Two planes were piloted down intersecting runways and 14 people were killed.

The Cape Girardeau leaders also asked the TTC to stick with the Highway and Transportation Commission's 15-year plan, reviewing it on an ongoing basis.

TTC Co-Chair Steve Bradford, a Hayti businessman, said the 15-year plan has been mentioned at every meeting. People also want to make sure Missouri's highways are safe.

Bradford formerly served as commissioner of administration under three Missouri governors. When the opportunity arose to serve the state as a volunteer, he jumped at it.

"I can't think of anything better to address than transportation," Bradford said. "The needs are universal throughout the state, and transportation has the biggest impact on economic development."

Bradford will attend three more public forums scheduled in Springfield, Columbia and Maryville.