LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: MODOT EXPANDS EFFORTS TO KEEP PUBLIC INFORMED

To the editor:

Thank you for the recent coverage of the Missouri Department of Transportation's newest newsletter, The Beacon. We are very please we can use this forum to inform the public on the progress of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge construction, and we are even more please that the Southeast Missourian chose to showcase this publication.

MoDOT has long had as its goal to keep the public informed of our transportation improvements. It has been a suggestion from media outlets, including the Southeast Missourian, to continue that flow of information and even improve upon it. We recently made that possible with the addition of another person in our public affairs division.

Our new Web site is something about which we are very excited. We expect to do much more than just list our projects. We also want to give the public an opportunity to interact. Our Web site will likely have multiple venues for public input. We are considering a bulletin board for public comments and the possibility of some online meetings. We hope to launch the site the week of the SEMO District Fair.

MoDOT's Southeast District has a goal to keep the public informed of what's happening with projects and plans in the 14 counties and nearly 4,000 miles of roads in our district. While this is a challenge, we certainly appreciate your efforts to help us get the correct information to the public concerning our projects.

SCOTT MEYER

District Engineer

Southeast District

Sikeston, Mo.