Here’s your chance to comment on some transportation projects that could affect your daily life. You can see the whole batch on this interactive map, and leave comments there if you like. 

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has $13 million in federal money to distribute in one of the programs it helps administer. Local officials asked for $25 million for 20 projects. So there’s some prioritizing to do. 

A public meeting is planned from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the MPO office, 420 Watson Powell Jr. Way. The grant applications later will be considered by MPO committees before final consideration in March and April. The grants will be allocated in federal fiscal year 2023. 

The projects include, for example, Des Moines’ request for a grant toward a $12.5 million project that is designed to prevent you from sitting at a traffic signal, stewing, when there isn’t a car in sight on the cross street. The project, which is part of a master plan approved in November, would set the city up to more vigorously use video cameras, traffic signals and special software to adjust the signals to the prevailing traffic. This would “provide safer and more efficient travel,” according to Des Moines’ application. The application did not compute the benefits in lowering drivers’ blood pressure.

Cities also asked for grants for these projects: 

• The extension of the Southeast Connector to the U.S. Highway 65 beltway.
• DART replacement buses.
• Improvements to the intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and Northwest 128th Street in Clive.
• Northeast Delaware Avenue widening from Northeast Fifth Street to Northeast 18th Street.
• Widening of 100th Street north of the new interchange with Interstates 35/80.