Ladies and gentlemen, did you realize the state of Missouri spends around a $1B a year and the oversight is done by an unelected commission? Well if you didn't, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has an official page where you can learn more about what the six members of the commission do. The commission meetings are videotaped but I can't see to find where to watch the meetings so I have uploaded videos of the testimony by KCMO Councilman Scott Wagner and City Manager Troy Schulte. The video is a little shaky and you get a great view of the assistant chief engineer's head but it's the best I could do.

The draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Program was approved on Wednesday to be sent out for public comment. I plan on digging into it later but if you want to see where they are going to spend money for the next five years in the KC region, click here.

If you want a new US 169 Buck O'Neil Bridge rather than a two year closure and no change in the way we move around the heart of the metro, I suggest you go to the comment page and express your desire. I suggest you share with your network. If you use the bridge in the morning, I know you have plenty of time sitting and waiting in traffic to do so.......

If you don't comment and let them know you want a new bridge, then look forward to two years of wasted time and gas not to mention impacts to the Charles Wheeler Downtown Airport and who knows how many children and organ transplants that might not get medical service in time because the bridge will be closed. If you don't know what I'm talking about, follow the blog tag and watch/read the previous posts.