Dec. 16, 1998

For more information contact: Jon Ranney, 515-239-1256

1999-2003 IOWA TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ADOPTED

AMES, IOWA - A blueprint for Iowa's future investment in transportation was approved Tuesday, Dec. 15, when the Iowa Transportation Commission adopted the 1999-2003 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program. The program includes major investments planned by the Iowa Department of Transportation to maintain and improve the operation and safety of airports, highways, railroads, public transit systems, and state park and institutional roads.

The highway program places emphasis on improving and completing major corridors in Iowa. The following corridors have been identified by the commission as high priority for four-lane completion: Iowa 5 from Knoxville to I-35; Iowa 60/U.S. 75 from Sioux City to the Minnesota state line; U.S. 151 from Cedar Rapids to Dubuque; Iowa 330 from Des Moines to Marshalltown; the Avenue of the Saints; and the Des Moines-to-Burlington corridor. The commission is dedicated to completing improvements on these corridors by the end of 2004.

In addition, these additional corridors were approved by the commission in June as priority corridors for four-lane planning and development: U.S. 20 from the Nebraska border to the Illinois border; U.S. 30 from I-35 to Illinois; U.S. 61 from Missouri to Wisconsin; and U.S. 63 from Missouri to Ottumwa (some four-lane and some two-lane). The following corridors were also approved for Super-2 planning and development: U.S. 71 from the Missouri border to the Minnesota border; U.S. 75 from LeMars to Iowa 9; U.S. 151 from Amana to Cedar Rapids; Iowa 1 from Washington to Mount Vernon; U.S. 34 from the Nebraska border to Ottumwa; and U.S. 18 from Postville to the Wisconsin border.

The highlights of the Iowa DOT's 1999-2003 Transportation Improvement Program include the following proposed expenditures.

Approximately $460 million is included in the program for state highway improvements in 1999. Nearly $270 million will be spent on improvements to the Commercial and Industrial Network, which is a designated network to support economic development through transportation investments. Over $100 million will go toward rehabilitating the interstate highway system in Iowa.

Improvements at 22 general aviation airports, with an estimated cost of nearly $2 million, are included in the program. In addition, the DOT will spend over $300,000 for commercial air service marketing projects at 10 commercial service airports.

The department's program also includes continued support of automated weather observation systems.

Iowa's 19 urban and 16 regional transit systems are funded from: federal transit assistance programs; local funds generated from the farebox, service contracts, local taxes, interest earnings and sale of advertising; and from one-twentieth of the first four cents of the state's motor vehicle use tax. Transit's projected share of the use tax for fiscal year 1999 is approximately $9.1 million.

Operating costs for the 35 Iowa transit systems during 1999 will be more that $49 million, and approximately $26.2 million will be spent on capital improvements.

The Park and Institutional Roads Program, which provides funding, engineering and maintenance services for roadways under the jurisdiction of several other state agencies, is administered by the DOT. The agencies presently participating in this program are the Department of Natural Resources, the Board of Regents, the departments of Education, Human Services and Corrections, the National Guard and the State Fair Board. The approved 1999 construction program has 40 projects expected to cost about $7.7 million in state road use tax funds.

Approximately $6.7 million is programmed to assist Iowa's railroads during 1999 through several programs. These programs, using state and federal funds, include improving the safety and condition of rail-highway crossings, safety inspections of rail lines throughout the state, and assistance in preserving and improving service to Iowa rail shippers. The assistance program, which includes funds administered by the Iowa Railway Finance Authority, is also aimed at encouraging economic development by encouraging new industries that rely on rail service to locate in Iowa, or for existing businesses to expand.

Since 1988 the DOT has approved $12.1 million of state funds to assist in developing and improving 54 trail projects in Iowa. The State Recreational Trails Program is supported by an annual appropriation of $2 million from state funds.

In 1998 the DOT received 27 applications requesting $10.5 million from the state trails fund. The commission approved seven projects from that list for a total of nearly $2 million.

The commission approved applications for 33 traffic safety improvement projects for 1999 which total $4 million. Funds for this program go to improve traffic safety at specific sites, purchase traffic signals, and support public safety initiatives.

The Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy (RISE) Program, established by the Iowa Legislature in 1985 to promote economic development in Iowa through construction or improvement of roads and streets, continues to be a viable component of the transportation improvement program.

In 1998 the commission approved 16 Immediate Opportunity projects and 19 Local Development projects requiring approximately $13.7 million in RISE funds.

The Statewide Enhancement Program includes historical and archaeological projects, scenic and natural resource projects, and trails projects. Nearly $3.5 million was authorized for 10 projects in 1999.

This program provides funding for projects which improve air quality or reduce congestion. The commission authorized nearly $4.7 million for three projects in 1999.

The commission authorized spending $689,000 for 39 projects in 1999.

The five-year plan serves as a guide to Iowa DOT's plans for transportation improvements during the next several years. However, changes to the program--especially in the latter years of the program--may be required because of currently unforeseen situations, congressional or legislative action, or general economic conditions.