The Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) has prepared the Michiana on the Move: 2045 Transportation Plan, which is a federally required vision for transportation projects in the next 20-25 years. This plan was developed over the past year with input from local governments, key stakeholders, and the public. The draft plan is available to view on the MACOG website at move2045.macog.com and open for public comments until October 2. A public Open House will be held in MACOG’s office in Downtown South Bend on September 17 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The draft plan will be presented for approval by the MACOG Policy Board on October 11 in the MACOG Office.
The 2045 Transportation Plan serves as a long-range transportation plan and identifies current conditions of the regional transportation network, assesses future travel needs, and establishes priorities that inform policies and transportation projects. The plan covers the MACOG region, which consists of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties in Indiana. Going through the planning process creates a better plan for future investments and growth for our transportation system.
“We are not trying to predict the future, but we need to consider the varying ways in which our region might grow,” says MACOG Executive Director James Turnwald. “When looking ahead 20 to 25 years, the plan needs to be realistic to current trends, but flexible enough to adapt with regional needs.”
MACOG used potential future scenarios to understand how new housing developments and industry growth could affect the regional transportation network. The scenarios allow planners to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple transportation projects in order to develop priorities for implementation.
Copies of the plan are available at MACOG’s office, area libraries, and at move2045.macog.com for public review. Public comments will be accepted by email at macogdir@macog.com, mailed to MACOG, or faxed to 574-239-4072 until October 2, 2019.
