Mahaska County Supervisors Discuss Continuing 63 Corridor Study

From left to right; County Auditor Kay Swanson, Supervisors Greg Gordy, Ken Rozenboom and Willie Van Weelden

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The 97 miles between Waterloo and Ottumwa took another step forward with the approval of an addendum to the nearly $300,000 agreement between Mahaska County, who acts as the lead agency in the project, and Snyder and Associates.

The scope of the project is from the Mahaska/Wapello County line to U.S. 6 in Poweshiek County to perform a planning study for transportation improvements along the U.S. 63 corridor.

The purpose of Phase II will be to identify and analyze alternatives for U.S. 63 based on the draft Purpose and Needs Statement developed in Phase I of the contract. Once a corridor has been selected for further design, preliminary design of alternatives within that corridor will begin. Preliminary resource surveys will be done to identify the required coordination with that corridor will begin and preliminary resource surveys will be done.

The bill, adding 100 miles to the CIN, passed by both houses in the Iowa Legislature and has headed to the Governors desk for him to sign. If the section between Waterloo and Ottumwa is selected then the Iowa DOT will ask that the route be added by the federal government as well; making the road a higher priority for funding.

In Iowa, that 97 mile stretch looking to get added to the CIN has 300,000 people situated within 25 miles and has over 4,700 average daily travelers.

The Supervisors passed the addendum to the contract with a 3-0 vote.

The Mahaska County Supervisors will meet once again on Monday, April 16, 2012 beginning at 9:00 am on the 3rd floor at the Mahaska County Courthouse.