About MoTA

The Missouri Transportation Alliance (MoTA) is a nonpartisan, citizen-led group of transportation stakeholders, business and labor organizations, and community leaders who believe Missouri's transportation infrastructure is critical to citizen safety and job creation. Through a series of public forums in all ten Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) districts, MoTA will work to both inform the public about Missouri's current transportation situation and seek input on the regional priorities that should be considered in developing a new vision.

Over the next year, MoTA will work to secure extensive public input from citizens across Missouri regarding the current and future challenges for Missouri's transportation system. That input will provide the basis for MoTA to develop and recommend a long-term comprehensive transportation strategy.

Mission

On the heels of Amendment 3's Safer Roads Program, MoTA believes that Missouri citizens desire a new transportation plan that charts a new vision for our state. MoTA, working collaboratively with Missouri citizens, public officials, local leaders and transportation advocates, will focus on assessing regional needs and priorities to develop and recommend a statewide program that will meet the needs of the citizens of Missouri for the next decade.

In addition to assessing regional priorities, MoTA will ensure that the comprehensive vision enhances safety for our families, improves the quality of our transportation system and replaces our failing bridges, grows our economy, and creates quality jobs.

MoTA believes such a comprehensive transportation vision must be coupled with several essential accountability measures including:

• Strict, independent oversight on all spending by governmental agencies and contractors.
• Quarterly report cards and yearly public audits to provide taxpayers with an ongoing assessment of transportation projects; and,
• Specific project lists for each region that includes total cost estimates and project completion timelines.

The process of gathering public input and developing a comprehensive transportation plan will take months. Any discussions regarding funding would be premature at this time and counterproductive without first providing a true assessment of regional priorities and seeking considerable citizen input.

Goals

Educate:  The primary goal is to educate Missourians and advocates about the transportation challenges that face Missouri and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Coordinate:  In an effort to reach as many Missourians as possible, it will be critical that we coordinate our efforts and efficiently manage our resources.

Build Consensus:  Before we can convince the public that we can meet the challenges ahead and take advantage of the opportunities, we must build consensus among the major transportation stakeholders and influence leaders.

Develop regional priorities: A statewide vision is dependent on transformative, critical regional priorities upon which community leaders, transportation advocates, and citizens agree.

Garner citizen input: Through regional forums, it is important that local residents, businesspeople, and transportation advocates all participate in providing input to determine regional priorities.

Maintain Focus:  Throughout the next few months, we must maintain focus on the goals, the messages, and the process.