KTMPO holding public comment meetings for amendments to transportation plans

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Representatives from the Killeen Temple Metropolitan Planning Organization will be holding a public comment forum at the Copperas Cove Police Department community room on Monday, October 1 at 12 p.m.

The forum is part of a 15-day comment period on proposed amendments to KTMPO’s four-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for the fiscal years 2019-2022 as well as amendments to the 2040 Transportation Master Plan (TMP), along with the Congestion Management Process (CMP), and the 30-day comment period for the Regional Multimodal Plan (RMP).

Proposed amendments to the TIP and 2040 TMP include the proposed changes to phase 1 of the Business 190 median project, for which the Copperas Cove city council will be rendering a vote on whether to continue with the project on Tuesday, Oct. 2. The changes would include median installation from Constitution Drive to Avenue D without a reduction in traveling lanes on both sides of the median, and include bicycle lanes and sidewalks.

KTMPO’s technical advisory committee has already given its support to the changes, and having the public comment period is part of the overall approval process for the changes.

Other amendments include adding performance measures to both the TIP and 2040 MTP, as well as reallocating category 2 funding for projects on 190/I-14 west of Belton and widening of Loop 121 in Belton from a two lanes to a four-lane divided roadway, with bike/pedestrian improvements from F.M. 439 to U.S. 190.

Along with copies of the proposed amendments, KTMPO reps will have comment forms which residents can complete and submit on site.

KTMPO is holding another forum the same day at 5 p.m. at the Central Texas Council of Government offices, located at 2180 N Main St, in Belton.

Those residents who are unable to attend the forum, may still submit public comments to the KTMPO office, at: KTMPO, 2180 N. Main St., Belton. The deadline to submit public comments is Saturday, Oct. 6.

Comment forms can be downloaded and printed from https://ktmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Public_Comment_Card_Current.pdf and submitted to the KTMPO office. Comments may also be submitted directly online at https://ktmpo.org/public-comment/.

KTMPO is made up of representatives from area cities and counties, and the organization funnels federal and state funding for area road projects for cities and counties within the KTMPO area.

All of the above plans are also available for viewing on the KTMPO website at ktmpo.org.