MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — The South Dakota Department of Transportation is holding an open house on Monday, June 29, in Ethan to help it complete its master transportation plan for the town.

The study involves three phases that will be completed this summer. Once finished, SDDOT will use the input gathered to map out improvements for roadways, transit, pedestrian, and bike traffic. The open house runs from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall on Main Street. It will have a short presentation at the beginning of the meeting, but otherwise it will be held using an open-door format. Anyone is free to drop in and speak one-on-one with the design team.

For those who can’t make the open house, they can still weigh in. An online survey will soon be up and available to fill out until Monday, July 13.

The first part of the project is to identify problems and needs for the town of Ethan and north to 411th Avenue. It will also inventory what exists now and whether that is sufficient for future demand. The next phase is to figure out how to build infrastructure that is in line with demand while staying within budget. This will include looking at alternatives that come with a lower price tag or reduced maintenance. The last phase of the study is to take the best options, prioritize them, and create a plan that will build it all in a timely manner.