Residents Get A First Look At Southeast Connector Plans

The Iowa DOT had an opportunity this week to share their initial concept of what a potential southeast connector around Oskaloosa could look like.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Changes are coming to the highways around Oskaloosa.

Highway 92 in both directions from Oskaloosa will be getting resurfaced this summer, while plans for a northwest bypass continue to be refined.

Mahaska County residents got a first look at what a potential southeast bypass may look like if the Iowa Department of Transportation takes up the project.

The objective of the study for the southeast bypass is to improve the safety and operations of Highway 92 that cuts east and west through Oskaloosa. “The proposed improvements may also provide the benefit of a more direct and safe access to both U.S. 63 and Iowa 92 for local business and industrial areas along Iowa 23. Additionally, the proposed improvements are anticipated to reduce truck and passenger vehicle traffic through town,” says the handout by the Iowa DOT.

Highway 92 though Oskaloosa can see a peak of 12,700 vehicles per day, according to the Iowa DOT.

Don’t set your sights on making the trip on the new connector anytime soon. The project is in the initial field study portion, and the Iowa DOT held the open house this week to hear from the public about the proposed project.

The project, should it make it through the study portions, would then need to be placed on the Iowa DOT’s 5-year plan for funding. All of this could take 12 or more years before traffic would be flowing around Oskaloosa versus through the center of town.

In Oskaloosa, the intersection of A Avenue and Market Street is one of the state’s most hazardous intersections, and Jim Armstrong, District Engineer for the Iowa Department of Transportation, says that intersection safety would improve with less traffic.

Armstrong also addressed the truck traffic that utilizes city streets to avoid the dangerous intersection of A Avenue and Market.

“We’re excited about this opportunity,” said Armstrong of the potential project. “We’ve got a good relationship with the City of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County.”

Armstrong says the Iowa DOT is committed to doing the southeast bypass study “and we don’t want it to be shelved.”

You can see the Iowa DOT conceptual plans by clicking on this LINK.