Changes in transportation may be in order for Ames, and a public meeting will be held Thursday to discuss proposed modifications.

Scott Logan, city traffic engineer, said the Ames Public Works Department will outline the city’s transportation master plan at the meeting.

“[The meeting is] concerning the conceptual plan for the transportation master plan, which is a discussion of all the alternatives given by the consultant firm, Barton Ashman,” he said.

The discussion will cover the city’s transportation needs now and 20 years in the future, Logan said.

“They include improvements for the CyRide, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and for the street network,” he said.

The master plan also deals with other areas of transportation, including railroad crossings.

“We were discussing the Duff Avenue and Dayton Avenue crossings with the [Union Pacific] Railroad,” Logan said. “There were also some major street facility improvements, such as extending Southeast Fifth Street east to connect over the Skunk River and extending Grand Avenue from Lincoln Way south to South 16th Street.”

There also will be a discussion of transportation changes related to the university.

“The plan is to extend Elwood [Drive] … straight north, which would tie it to Stange Road,” Logan said.

“That would bypass the university, and mainly it would improve safety because there are a lot of pedestrian conflicts among that quarter.”

Logan said he believes this aspect of the plan would significantly affect Iowa State.

“The impact would be that there would be a lot less pedestrian conflict because it would divert the main traffic flow around the university,” he said.

The meeting also will involve discussion about the deficiencies of the master plan, Logan said.

Kathy Brown, campus planner for Facilities Planning and Management, said the department will be working closely with the city on areas concerning the university.

“There are areas identified in their initial study that are transportation concerns that are on or adjacent to the campus,” she said.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Ames City Council Chambers at City Hall. All residents of Ames are invited to attend.