Greater Des Moines residents are invited to share their opinions on which local transportation projects they would like to see receive funding from the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Nineteen projects are under consideration, ranging from roadways, bridges and transit buses to trails, safe routes to school and on-street facilities. More than $34 million has been requested from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, as well as the Surface Transportation Block Grant Set-Aside Program, which combined have about $13 million in available funding. Both grant programs are funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and administered by the MPO. Project descriptions and an interactive map of the 19 projects can be found online on the MPO’s website. Comments are being accepted through March 27, and can also be shared at a public meeting on March 24 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the MPO office, 420 Watson Powell Jr. Way, Suite 200, in Des Moines. The MPO also scores the projects on how well they help meet the regional performance measures established in Mobilizing Tomorrow, the region’s recently updated long-range transportation plan. The scores and public comments will be presented to a funding subcommittee of local elected officials, who will make a funding recommendation. The recommendation will be presented to the MPO Policy Committee in April for review and again in May for final approval. Once awarded, the grants will be allocated in federal fiscal year 2024.