BMPO encouraging locals to help develop transportation plan

The Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization is asking locals to help with this plan by participating in a survey.

The group looks at all modes of transportation ranging from public transit to foot traffic to cycling.

“The beauty of doing the transportation plan every five years, is as things change and development changes, we can always a take a look at those areas and do traffic studies or other things to mitigate problems in the future,” said transportation planner DaNiel Jose.

Biking is becoming more popular in this area.

“It’s not just going out to race, it’s doing it every day so I think there’s a lot of support for the bike paths and the expansion of it,” said Gray Augustus, general manager of Bill’s Bike and Run.

Cyclists are hoping that plans like this can help.

“(It’s) everything from expansion of the greenbelt path we have and also the connectivity to get people to the greenbelt– you know, being able to ride safely, run safely all the way from Ammon, Idaho Falls,” said Augustus.

Both the BMPO and people pushing for more development for biking stress the importance of participation.

“It makes a better plan, it makes us recognize things we may have missed,” Jose said. “There’s always advocates for different modes of transportation that love to let us know what is going on, and that is what we appreciate is that understanding.”

The survey is the first phase of developing a plan. It will go through mid-January.