The Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) is a broad coalition of grassroots leaders in the eight-state Delta region. DGC is also a founding partner of the Economic Equality Caucus,
which advocates for economic equality across the USA.

Please Participate in DRA Multi-Modal Transportation Plan Meetings in the Delta

Posted on March 18, 2008 at 04:05 PM

We would like to encourage the partners of the Delta Grassroots Caucus to participate in a series of public meetings on multi-modal transportation that the DRA will be holding from March 24 to April 18 throughout the region. It is very important for grassroots leaders to give their input as the DRA develops its multi-modal strategic plan as required by Congress.

The multi-modal plan will address aviation, passenger rail service, freight rail service, highways and waterways. It builds upon the DRA’s plan for the Delta Development Highway System, for which many of you contributed your comments and advice.

As DRA Federal Co-Chairman Pete Johnson points out, it is quite a challenge to develop a comprehensive plan regarding priorities, costs, benefits and expected outcomes over such a huge region, and the DRA needs as much grassroots input as possible to develop the plan to pitch to Congress and the executive branch. This follows up a series of public meetings last fall.

Please look over the schedule below and attend the public meeting nearest you. Those planning to attend the meetings are asked to send an e-mail to Bevin Hunter of the DRA staff at bhunter@dra.gov and notify her of which meetings they plan to attend.

The DRA asked us to relay this message and we are glad to do so. The DRA is doing a very fine job of strategic planning for our region. Thanks–Lee Powell (MDGC)

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT REX NELSON OF THE DRA (501) 686-6188

The Delta Regional Authority has scheduled a second round of public meetings to discuss multimodal transportation in the region.

The meetings will allow the authority to finalize its multimodal strategic plan for the 240 counties and parishes it serves. When Congress created the authority in 2000, one of the investment priorities listed for the DRA was the transportation infrastructure of the Delta. Last year, the authority released its plan for the Delta Development Highway System. The highway plan was completed following input from transportation executives and local leaders in the eight states served by the DRA.

Last fall, a series of public meetings was held to discuss the multimodal plan, which builds on the work done when the Delta Development Highway System plan was created.

“The most recent national highway act mandated a study of the multimodal transportation assets and needs in this region,” said Pete Johnson of Clarksdale, Miss., the DRA’s federal co-chairman. “We’re required by Congress to consult with local and state governments and then develop a report that determines the priorities, costs, benefits and expected outcomes. Completing a comprehensive strategic plan for such a large area requires a great deal of coordination. We had strong participation at our public meetings in the fall. We now need strong participation for this second round of meetings in order to have the best plan possible to present to the president and Congress.”

The multimodal plan will address aviation, passenger rail service, freight rail service, highways and waterways. The plan must be presented to the administration and Congress by July.

The spring meetings are scheduled for:

– Monday, March 24, from 10 a.m. until noon in the west salon of the Atrium Hotel at 2001 Louisville Ave. in Monroe, La.

– Tuesday, March 25, from 10 a.m. until noon in annex room 204 of the Woolfolk Building at 501 N. West. St. in Jackson, Miss.

– Wednesday, March 26, from 10 a.m. until noon in the reception area of the Selma Performing Arts Center at 1000 Selma Ave. in Selma, Ala.

– Friday, March 28, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. in meeting rooms A and B of the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center at 211 W. Third St. in Pine Bluff, Ark.

– Monday, March 31, from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. in the Ridgelake Room of the Memphis Hilton at 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. in Memphis.

– Tuesday, April 8, from 10 a.m. until noon in the Glenn Auditorium of Dempster Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

– Friday, April 18, from 10 a.m. until noon in the Crisp Room on the campus of John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.

All meetings are open to the public. Those planning to attend the meetings are asked to send an e-mail to Bevin Hunter of the DRA staff at bhunter@dra.gov and notify her of which meetings they plan to attend.

The DRA is a federal-state partnership that covers parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Johnson, who was appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2001, serves on the DRA board with the governors of the eight states.

In addition to its transportation planning activities, the DRA operates a highly successful grant program in each of the eight states. This program allows cash-strapped cities and counties to leverage money from other agencies. The DRA also has expanded its regional initiatives in the areas of health care and information technology.