Sidewalks focus of transportation study

Data collection vehicles will take inventory of pedestrian walkways

The Texarkana Metropolitan Planning Organization hopes to gather some useful information about Texarkana’s sidewalks over the next two months.

Starting this week, MPO is kicking off a project to inventory the condition and location of sidewalks within its study area.

“It’s part of our metropolitan transportation plan that we revise and amend every five years,” said Readonna Jones, director of MPO.

The Texas Department of Transportation provided funding for the survey, which involves the services of Data Transfer Solutions, a company based in San Antonio.

DTS provides professional asset management and mobile data collection services to local and state government agencies.

DTS operates a fleet of data collection vehicles equipped with an array of precision instrumentation and data collection equipment that helps state and local transportation agencies inventory and manage their assets.

The van has digital cameras that will collect imagery on sidewalks in both Texarkana, Ark., and Texarkana, Texas. The images will then be used to create a digital video of sidewalks within the area.

The vehicles will collect data during daylight hours.

If residents have any questions or need more information, they are encouraged to contact the Texarkana MPO at 903-798-3927.