Public feedback is needed to guide the region's transportation planning activity
Dunmore, PA – The Lackawanna Luzerne Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization (LLTS MPO), the regional transportation planning agency that administers state and federal funding for transportation projects, announced today the launch of a 45-day public comment period for a series of plans designed to guide its approach toward obtaining public input as part of the regional transportation planning process. The MPO's draft Public Participation Plan, Title VI, and Limited English Proficiency plans are available for review from September 12 through October 26, 2023, at www.lltsmpo.com.
The goal of the Public Participation Plan (PPP) is to improve the MPO's communication with residents, create meaningful engagement, and enhance transparency in the transportation decision-making process. The PPP is intended to provide an inclusive framework to guide public participation and share best practices for increasing interactions and communication between LLTS MPO and the public. It provides a wide range of tools and resources to engage all community members in the timely development of transportation plans, programs, and projects.
"Public participation is an integral part of every transportation planning project. We want the community and our stakeholders to actively engage in the planning process," said Matthew Jones, Luzerne County Planning Director. "Our current plan was last updated in 2016. Public outreach and the way we all prefer to communicate has changed a lot since that time. Our draft plan looks to incorporate more recent technological innovations and community preferences and give residents new ways to participate in the transportation planning process."
The Title VI and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) plans are closely related to the PPP. Title VI establishes and implements procedures to ensure the MPO complies with federal and state statutes and regulations regarding discrimination. The document addresses race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, family, or income discrimination.
The LEP is a comprehensive document that complies with federal regulations to ensure meaningful access to information for individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English.
"Approximately four percent of our region's population has limited proficiency in English," said Mary Liz Donato, Lackawanna Planning Department Manager. "We recognize the needs of the LEP members of our community and want to communicate effectively with them to ensure they have the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process."
Links to the draft plans and comment form are available online at www.lltsmpo.com. Anyone who requires special assistance to participate or those without access to the internet may request printed copies at christopher.chapman@luzernecounty.org or by calling 570-963-6400 (Lackawanna County) or 570-825-1560 (Luzerne County). All comments received will be reviewed and taken into consideration by LLTS MPO for inclusion in the final plans.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District4.
Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D4Results.
Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
# # #