Ports to Plains Plan Final Public Meetings Scheduled

October 22, 2004

The Departments of Transportation from Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico welcome all interested parties to attend the third and final round of public meetings to discuss the Ports to Plains Corridor Development and Management Plan (CDMP).

The Ports to Plains Corridor runs from the Texas/Mexico border at Laredo through western Texas, the Oklahoma panhandle, northeastern New Mexico and eastern Colorado to Denver. It is one of 43 "High Priority Corridors" designated by federal legislation in 1998 to promote economic development by ensuring the free flow of goods throughout North America. The CDMP will serve as a blueprint for maximizing the corridor’s operational and economic potential. The plan identifies and prioritizes various elements of the corridor, including roadway improvements, environmental resources and maintenance and operations needs. The plan also proposes various alternatives for funding the corridor’s development and encouraging its use by freight and recreational traffic.

The last two meetings will be: Tuesday, October 26 at Texas Tech University, International Cultural Center, 601 N. Indiana Ave., Lubbock, Texas and on Thursday, October 28, Holiday Inn – DIA, Telluride Room, 15500 E. 40th Ave. (I-70 @ Chambers), Denver, Colorado.

The Lubbock and Denver meetings will each run in an open house format from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Both meetings will feature a presentation by the project managers at 4:00 p.m., followed by time for questions and comments from the public.

The open houses will feature several colorful display boards describing various components of the CDMP. The presentation will be available on the website the week of the open houses.

For more information contact: Bob Wilson, Colorado Department of Transportation

(303) 757-9431, robert.j.wilson@dot.state.co.us or Drew Kramer, InterMountain Corporate Affairs (303) 534-5409 x113 dkramer@intermountainca.com.