DOVER – Comcast cable television customers may see a new ad on some of their favorite channels over the next few weeks.
From the end of December through January, the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization will challenge residents via a 30-second advertisement to tell the agency what they think about local transportation services.
The MPO developed the ad over the past few months, using colorful photos of various places around Dover and Kent County and cheerful music.
Narrated in English with Spanish subtitles, the commercial’s message says:
“Growth brings congestion and a need for better transportation services. The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization is updating its 20-year Regional Transportation Plan. Funds are limited. We’ll have to make tough choices. Your comments are vital. Be an agent of change. Lend your voice to the RTP. Call (302) 760-2713 or visit @link href=’http://www.doverkentmpo.org’target=”_blank”>doverkentmpo.org/link. The Dover/Kent County MPO: Planning transportation for you, for me, for everyone.”
A Regional Transportation Plan defines how an area’s transportation system will develop over the next 20 years. Updated every four years, the RTP is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a prerequisite for federal funding.
This plan must be developed through a process that includes input from the public and private sectors and coordination with state and local comprehensive plans.
“We see this as an opportunity to get the word out that we are working on the plan and we want to know what people think about it,” MPO Executive Director Juanita Wieczoreck said about the TV spot.
The ad is set to air Dec. 29, playing on CNN, Comedy Central, Bravo, Discovery, ESPN 2, Food Network, FX, History Channel, CNN Headline News and The Weather Channel.
Those who wish to read the RTP can go to @link href=’http://www.doverkentmpo.org’target=”_blank”>doverkentmpo.org/link and find a link to the document on the main page. To comment on the plan, readers may e-mail MPO executive director Juanita Wieczoreck at juanita.wieczoreck@state.de.us, MPO planner Jim Galvin at jim.galvin@state.de.us or call the office at (302) 760-2713.
A little about the MPO: The Dover/Kent County MPO, located in Dover, is a federally funded, federally mandated, not for profit agency that is responsible for coordinating transportation planning and programming in Kent County. We work with the state, cities and towns within Kent County, Kent County government and others on transportation topics. Plans and programs adopted by the MPO outline how federal transportation dollars are spent. There are MPO’s all over the country. Since the mid-1970’s, the federal government has mandated that urbanized areas with more than 50,000 people have an MPO. The Dover/Kent County MPO office opened in the early 1990’s.
