IDOT Ltr - Mayor, re: SW Art - IA 32 Proj
Office of the Mayor
and City Council
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
DUB~E
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September 30, 2005
Iowa Department of Transportation Commission
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, Iowa 50010
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Ref: IA 32 (Southwest Arterial)
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Dear Commission Members:
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We have completed our visits with all Iowa DOT Commission members, and believe we rww C)
have a better understanding of the funding status of the IA 32 project.
Since this project has been included in your previous five year plans, we are surprised that the
IA 32 project is not being recommended by lOOT staff for inclusion in the plan for the following
reasons:
1. The proposed phase I interim project includes an at grade signalized intersection at
Highway 20. This intersection is defined as a safety problem by staff.
2. Your staff is of the opinion that the City will allow access for development along this
highway similar to existing IA 32.
The purpose of this letter is to address those concerns and ask for your approval of the project
in the five year plan.
1. US 20 interchange: The City is supportive of including the construction of this
interchange in the interim phase I project. This will increase the interim costs by $15
Million. We have discussed options with our consulting engineer that would reduce this
by $5 to $6 million and still have a ramped interchange in lieu of at grade. My letter of
September 23 to the Commission identifies a reduction in estimated right of way costs of
$13 Million. If the interim project includes an interchange at US 20 costing $10 million,
the total proposed interim cost is still $3 million less than our previous estimates.
Attached is a spreadsheet that identifies the inclusion of the interchange in the interim
project.
2. Access: This proposed project, including the interim phase I project is an Iowa DOT
Priority One highway, defined as a "Freeway." Therefore, the only access points on to
this Iowa 32 Highway will be at US 20, US 151/61, and at North Cascade Road. The
existing Northwest Arterial section of IA 32 was originally built as a two lane city street,
and later taken over by lOOT, so interchanges were not designed into the project. We
realize that was a mistake. The IA 32 Southwest Arterial interim project includes
purchase of the right of way for all four lanes and the interchanges in order to protect the
right of way needed for the full project. Concrete evidence of the commitment to this
principle by both Dubuque County and the City of Dubuque is the existence of corridor
protection zones that lOOT requested.
Service
People
Integrity
Responsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
You have received other information concerning the project in my previous correspondence, but
I wish to emphasize these points to you again.
. The final Environmental Assessment has been completed, and the Federal Highway
Administration has signed the Finding of No Significant Impact on the Environment.
(FONSI). The Environmental Assessment process has taken eight years to complete!
. The preliminary design of the project is under contract and will be completed by the end
of 2006. We are ready to proceed with the purchase of right-of-way for this project.
. The entire urban area is financially committed to this project. Our MPO, DMATS, is
providing $10 Million of Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds to this project.
These STP funds are typically programmed for local streets and county road projects.
. The City has reviewed the estimated $23 Million cost of Right of Way for this six mile
project provided through a "windshield survey" by lOOT staff. We are of the opinion that
the cost will be approximately $10 million.
. The City has agreed to a transfer of jurisdiction of the Northwest Arterial (Iowa 32) from
US 20 to US 52 as soon as construction begins on this project. Therefore, no new lane
miles will be added to the State highway system.
. The Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, the Dubuque Area Chamber of
Commerce, the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, and DMA TS recognize this project
as the number one transportation infrastructure project in the entire urban area.
. Iowa's largest employer, John Deere, is requesting the project be constructed. Facilities
manager Ron Wiegman, in a letter to lOOT staff states:
". . ... we still face considerable difficulties in receiving raw goods and distributing our
products in a time sensitive manner to the south via US61/151. The development of the
Southwest Arterial is even more important to our company as it will allow for our
products and people to move back and forth between our Moline headquarters and the
Dubuque facility on the recently completed four lane US 61 without considerable delays
or congestion."
. Other significant employers who would be major users of the proposed project have
submitted similar letters to staff. These are McGraw Hill, Nordstrom Distribution, A.Y.
McDonald Manufacturing Company, Theisen Distribution, Flexsteellndustries, Swiss
Valley Farms, and The Adams Company.
. IA 32 will connect the Dubuque Industrial Center West with the Dubuque Technology
Park.
. IA 32 will relieve congestion on US Highway 20 through the City.
. $3,500,000 has already been spent on this project. Our Congressional delegation has
provided an additional Federal allocation of $26,180,000.
Thank you for your time meeting with us and your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
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Mayor
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Cc: Nancy Richardson, IDOT
Dick Kautz, IDOT
Dubuque City Council
Dubuque County Board of Supervisors
Rick Dickinson, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation
Steward Sandstrom, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
Kelley Deutmeyer, DMA TS
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