Community Leaders Discuss Potential Southeast Route
Ryan Davis, with McClure, helped lead the discussion about the project and what it could be if the entities decided to continue.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Mahaska County Supervisors and Oskaloosa City Council met on Monday to discuss what a potential route would look like to help connect the industrial park to a point near Exit 60 south of Oskaloosa.
The plan leaves open the option of adding additional roadway north from Highway 23 towards Highway 92 in the future.
The two government entities met with representatives from McClure, the engineering company tasked with presenting the planning study for the proposed roadway.
The initial planning study was paid for by contributions from Mahaska County, City of Oskaloosa, and the Mahaska Chamber and Development Group.
The project would be approximately 11 million dollars but with grants and other funding sources, the cost to local would be considerably less.
The project had been known previously as the southeast connector, but the Iowa Department of Transportation has told local leaders that they will not do two bypasses around Oskaloosa, and the northwest bypass is already in the works.
Ryan Davis, with McClure, helped lead the discussion about the project and what it could be if the entities decided to continue.
He says that during the planning phase of the project, he’s seen an immediate need for the community with this road project. He added there was also an immediate opportunity to help defray the costs.
If current properties were developed into a ‘Certified Site,’ up to 70 percent of the cost could be covered through a grant with the Iowa Department of Transportation if 250 acres or more. Anything under 250 acres could be at 60 percent.
The access would be important for businesses like DFS, who are expanding operations with their other facilities, and this opportunity would make it easier for them to transport products.
The city has said it could potentially help fund the project to the tune of 1.5 million dollars, while the county may contribute up to 2.8 million depending upon the Certified Site amount.
Mahaska County would be the lead agency for the development since most of the roadway would pass through rural portions of the county.
The future of the project will depend upon continued cooperation between the government entities, and if the development can fit within their budgets.
