By ROBYN L. MINOR The Daily News rminor@bgdailynews.com/783-3249

Planners are broadening their look at how transportation projects can affect public health, both positively and negatively.

"Does this highway project make my butt look bigger?" is a question some road planners are beginning to ask, said Jeff Moore, chief of the Division of Planning for the Department of Highways.

Moore on Tuesday addressed the Barren River Community Health Planning Council, of which he also is a member, about the issue of health and transportation. The group laughed at the question, but Moore said it is legitimate to consider whether roads are making people stay in their cars longer.

Dennis Chaney, director of the Barren River District Health Department, said people might not always think about how transportation influences their daily lives, including their health.

"That's the purpose of these informational sessions that we have," Chaney said. "So as a group we can begin to think about what are the things we can do to effect change."

One of those things, Moore said, is to bring more people to the table during the planning of transportation projects and provide input in an informal way about how the projects could influence health.

Environmental impact studies are required for most projects that take into consideration negative aspects, such as noise and air pollution, he said. But some projects also have the opportunity to positively affect health.

"Cemetery Road is a good example of that," Moore said. "That project has a shared-use path on it."