North Hwy 13 Corridor Study Public Meeting, Tuesday, March 8th, 4:30-6:30pm at the Library Station with Virtual Meeting Option

Press Release

“Our design team has come up with several good design alternatives for the Hwy 13 corridor near I-44, and we are excited to give the public a chance to look them over,” said Andy Thomason, Senior Planner and project manager for the Ozarks Transportation Organization (OTO). The second round of public input for the North Hwy 13 Corridor Study begins next Tuesday, March 8, with an in-person meeting at the Library Station and an online virtual-meeting lasting through March 21.

The North Highway 13 Corridor Study was commissioned by the Ozarks Transportation Organization, Greene County, and the City of Springfield to determine how best to address the recurring congestion and safety issues along Hwy 13 near I-44. This area was identified as a top priority by OTO in the annual project prioritization process and was included in its recommendation to MoDOT outlining essential projects the state should fund using its limited resources. At the first public meeting, held in November 2021, the public identified issues including excessive delay on southbound Highway 13 at the I-44 Interchange and delay and associated crashes at the I-44 westbound off ramp, among others.

“The public will play an important role in helping identify the preferred alternative for this study,” said Steve Prange with Crawford, Murphy, and Tilly, the project’s lead consultant. The technical analysis has helped identify feasible alternatives, but the public will help the team understand which option makes the most sense for Springfield. The public will have the opportunity to learn about each design, its pros and cons, and provide meaningful input to the project team during this phase of the study.

There are two ways to participate in this phase of the North Hwy 13 Corridor Study. An in-person public meeting will be held from 4:30 – 6:30pm at the Library Station’s Frisco room at 2535 N Kansas Expressway. A formal presentation is available at our virtual meeting, and the project team will be available for questions during the in-person meeting. For those unable to attend the in-person meeting, a virtual meeting will be available at www.North13Study.com from March 8 through March 21. Community members will be able to watch a pre-recorded presentation, review project maps and renderings, and complete a public input survey.

The project team will use the public’s feedback to modify alternatives, combine popular features, and ultimately select a preferred alternative. A final community meeting is expected in May 2022 to share the preferred alternative and highlight changes that had been made to the design based on community input.

If you have any questions, you can reach out to Andy Thomason at athomason@ozarkstransportation.org or 417-865-3047 x107. For more information on the North Hwy 13 Corridor Study, please visit www.North13Study.com.

For more information, contact: Andy Thomason, Senior Planner, Ozarks Transportation Organization, 2208 W. Chesterfield Boulevard, Suite 101, Springfield, Missouri 65807, 417-865-3047 x107.

Ozarks Transportation Organization is your Springfield-regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, or MPO. The MPO is a body of elected and appointed members who work together with local, state and federal elected officials and policy-makers, serving to make funding and planning decisions for transportation within the Springfield, MO region.

Public input is a cornerstone of our operations. To tell us what you think, please email us at comment@ozartstransportation.org. Find us on Facebook or on Twitter @theOTOMPO.

Si usted necesita la ayuda de un traductor, por favor comuníquese con Andy Thomason al 417-865-3042, al menos 48 horas antes del plazo.

Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Andy Thomason at 417-865-3042 at least 2 working days prior to the expiration of the public comment period.

If you need relay services please call the following numbers: 711 - Nationwide relay service; 1-800-735-2966 - Missouri TTY service; 1-800-735-0135 - Missouri voice carry-over service.

OTO fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more information or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, see www.ozarkstransportation.org, or call 417-865-3042.