The Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is encouraging Ames residents to get involved with improving transportation in the city and surrounding area.

The organization is updating its 25-year transportation plan this year with the Ames Mobility 2040 plan. It is required to update its 25-year transportation plans for the area every five years. The organization is starting to gather input for the plan through public engagement, which would begin in fall 2015.

“We’re planning the comprehensive regional transportation system and this could cover every aspect of transportation in our region,” said Tony Filippini, transportation planner for the organization.

For the next 14 months, a new website will be the home for both updates and feedback for the new project.

The website has resources, such as a map tool for people to pinpoint and give comments on areas to which they would like to have more attention drawn, an opportunity to be put on an email update list, a calendar of events and a link to the virtual town hall.

“One of the things we’ll see with the AmesMobility2040.com website [is the] virtual town hall,” Filippini said. “This will allow anyone to go online and participate in topics, give ideas and suggestions and [have] short conversations with people throughout the Ames community.”

The organization and Iowa State are partners in both this process and all regional planning efforts. They are using advertisements to hopefully get ISU students, faculty and staff involved.

“I think [transportation] is good so far. I live in the Towers, so the buses could maybe come closer together but so far that’s good. It’s pretty productive, pretty smooth running,” said Cara Plescia, freshman in psychology.

Plescia also said that bicyclists riding quickly through campus concern her.

Beth Neuhaus, senior in child, adult and family services, also said bicyclists’ speeds concern her.

“I get really nervous with the bicyclists because I feel like they are going to get hit with the buses while they are driving down the side of them,” Neuhaus said.

She also agreed that there should be more buses.

“I’ve noticed with the Orange 23 that they pack as many people as they can on them and people have to wait for them,” Neuhaus said.

Linda Behrer, senior in construction engineering, said a separate lane for bicyclists and better-timed bus arrivals could better improve transportation.

“I realize that just coming out of class, there is maybe three Orange buses that come by at once and there won’t be another one for maybe 15 or 20 minutes,” Behrer said.

Since March 2003, the Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has been the regional transportation planning group for the city of Ames, the city of Gilbert and portions of Story and Boone counties.

“We plan to be fully engaged with the community throughout this process, so I encourage people to take a look at the site and get signed up and become engaged in this process,” Filippini said.

To receive updates and provide input on the new process, go to the organization’s new website.