On Wednesday, Jan. 29, RFTA and the Colorado Department of Transportation invite elected officials, legislators, representatives of transportation planning regions, transportation advocates and the public to participate in two neighborhood transportation meetings.From 5:30-7:30 p.m., RFTA will co-host the Intermountain TPR Transit Element open house at the Glenwood Springs City Hall, 101 W. 8th St. At 7 pm, CDOT will host a public outreach meeting on the Vision, Policy, and Investment Framework for the 2030 Statewide Transportation Plan at the Garfield County Courthouse, room 213, 108 8th St., Glenwood Springs.

RFTA, on behalf of the Intermountain Regional Planning Commission, has undertaken a study to prepare the Regional Transit Element for the Intermountain Transportation Planning Region consisting of Eagle, Garfield, Lake, Pitkin and Summit counties.The study will identify the public transportation mobility needs of the Intermountain Transportation Planning Region for the next 25 years and prepare a plan for addressing those needs.Public transportation is very important within this region, and this plan will provide the mechanism to implement essential transit services.The Transit Element for the Intermountain Region will be included in the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which will be prepared in the next year or two. The RTP is a multi-modal transportation plan, including highways, aviation, rail, bicycles and pedestrians, and transit.CDOT will use the Transit Elements in evaluating and approving grant applications for capital and operating funds from the Federal Transit Administration and other transit funds.Information about the Transit Element, including project reports, the project schedule, and upcoming meetings is available on the Internet at http://www.lsccs.com/projects/intermountainte/. Throughout the planning process, public involvement will be a key to the success of the transit plan for the community. For information, call David Johnson (970) 328-3524, Mike Davis (970) 945-7386 or A.T. Stoddard, LSC Transportation Consultants (800) 677-1671.

CDOT representatives will provide information and seek comments on 2030 revenue projections, performance objectives, resource allocation, strategic system vision/corridor vision and statewide planning policies.The Statewide Transportation Plan is a blueprint for utilizing federal, state, and local transportation revenues to improve and maintain the transportation system. It is based on transportation policy set by the Transportation Commission, governor, and Legislature, with input from local governments.The plan adopted in November 2000 identified $64 billion in programs and projects. Half were expected to be implemented with the $30 billion in revenues projected over the 20-year period.Comments received at these local/regional public outreach meetings will be shared with the Transportation Commission at workshops scheduled for Feb. 19, March 19, and April 23. The Transportation Commission is expected to make decisions concerning the Vision, Policy, and Investment Framework for the 2030 Statewide Transportation Plan at its April 23 meeting.The information to be presented at the meetings is available for review on CDOT’s Web site: http://www.dot.state.co.us/StatewidePlanning/PlansStudies/PublicInvolvement.htm

Due to the construction of a new building at 701 7th St., traffic will be one lane on 7th Street between Colorado Avenue and the Grand Avenue Bridge underpass, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, and Thursday, Jan. 30, from noon to 4:30 pm.Glenwood Springs Electric Department will be pulling wire at the County Road 117 intersection with County Road 116 and up Four-Mile Road to Red Feather Ridge.

Cathy Tuttle is with the consulting firm of Tuttle Marketing and is the RFTA/City of Glenwood Transit Marketing Alliance manager/consultant. For information call 384-6427 or e-mail to try@ci.glenwood-springs.co.us. This column will appear every Monday to explain how each person in our community can make a difference in our quality of life. Transportation Responsibility & You – one day at a time, one trip at a time.