Why get involved

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This article is part of a project of the local Community Health Improvement Council (CHIC). CHICs were created statewide in conjunction with the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) with the goal of getting local citizens and county governments more involved in the manner in which health might be improved in each of their communities. The local CHIC is conducting an on-going awareness campaign addressing all the areas that can potentially affect a person’s health. September has been designated by the CHIC as the month to bring awareness to the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (2040 MTP).

 

The movement of our families, goods and services impacts our lives on a daily basis. What impressions do we have of our region’s transportation network regardless if we drive, walk, bike or take public transit? The Farmington MPO seeks to update a long-range transportation plan once every 5 years. The invitation to provide input is extended to the areas of Aztec, Bloomfield, Farmington and the urbanized areas of San Juan County. Input to the plan is carried out by various methods, such as a paper a survey, public meetings and an on-line survey, which can be taken at www.metrotransportationplan.com. The on-line interactive mapping survey allows the participant to highlight transportation improvements, or concepts, they would like to see implemented in their neighborhood, or to the broader region (September 10th Deadline). Once the results of the various input methods are summarized, they will help drive the vision, goals and objectives for the plan. Outcomes will also illustrate areas within the MPOs planning boundary which will require different approaches to improve the transportation network based on public feedback.

 

In years past, projects that were identified through the planning process are being built or designed today. Ten years ago, the East Arterial Route in Aztec was identified as a much needed bypass for regional freight and trucking. This new route will divert large truck traffic off of Aztec’s Main Street providing improved efficiency for the trucking industry while simultaneously offering the benefits of historic preservation and economic vitality for the city’s downtown. This road project has already been designed and will feature a detached multi-use path along the length of the corridor and will start construction in 2015. Another high priority project is the connection of Crouch Mesa to East Main Street in Farmington by way of a bridge over the Animas River. This project will provide improved access for rural neighborhoods to employment and commercial areas in Farmington.

 

We encourage regional residents to participate and identify what’s working and/or what’s needed in network connectivity, walkability, biking, safety, future road projects and public transit. As was stated by Robin Chase, “Transportation is the center of the world! It is the glue of our daily lives. When it goes well, we don't see it. When it goes wrong, it negatively colors our day, makes us feel angry and impotent, curtails our possibilities.”

 

For more information on the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, please contact the Farmington MPO at 505.599.1466 or visit us at www.farmingtonmpo.org.