ROCK PORT, Mo. — Northwest Missouri is slated to receive its second interstate welcome center sometime in the next few years.

The Missouri Department of Transportation recently announced that bids for the welcome center at Rock Port are scheduled to be let in November 2010. The new center will be built on the same location as the present Interstate 29 tourist information center, named in honor of former state Sen. Hardin C. Cox of Northwest Missouri.

The draft conceptual plan includes 50 truck parking stalls behind the building and a new facility designed to resemble the new “Prairie Passage” Interstate 35 welcome center near Eagleville, Mo. The parking lot will be renovated for car use only.

The site will be closed during construction and Missouri Division of Tourism staff will move to a temporary location. The rest areas at Mound City, Mo., will be transformed into parking for trucks and include precast sanitary facilities.

Officials are considering themes of the Platte Purchase, Lewis and Clark or Pony Express for the new center.

Legislators prepare bills

The Northwest Missouri delegation of the Silver Haired Legislature met June 13 in Cameron to prepare bills for its fall session in Jefferson City.

Delegations from across the state gather annually to develop two priority bills and two alternate bills. Members then introduce, debate and vote on five priority bills that are later lobbied in the Missouri General Assembly.

The Northwest delegates selected the following bills to develop for the session:

Missouri tax credit of 75 percent for donations to a senior center (priority)

Statewide tax reform (priority)

Health care reform that leads to more competition (alternate)

Interest rates on payday loans capped at 10 percent (alternate)

KCI studies its future

The Kansas City Aviation Department hosted a fourth open house Thursday regarding two studies on the future of Kansas City International Airport.

The session focused on the airport’s master plan and a KCI area plan. The master plan’s main goals are to examine the airport’s existing and future facility requirements. The airport’s growth and development for the next 20 years also will be examined.

Meanwhile, the area plan’s goal is to explore land use and growth issues around the airport.

The city has contracted with the airport planning firm of Landrum and Brown, Inc., to complete the three studies.

A public hearing for a noise compatibility study will be held in late July or early August.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.