The State Transportation Commission approved millions of dollars Tuesday for economic development road projects.
The DOT’s Deb Arp presented a request from the city of Des Moines and its airport authority to add more funding to its previous request for the new airport terminal. “This application requests an additional amendment to the scope and grant award to provide additional roadway improvements for public access to the new terminal facility. Commercial vehicle lanes will be accessible to all public passengers and to facilitate the growth of ride sharing and ride hailing transportation network companies hotel shuttles, taxi services and public transit services,” she says.
The money comes from the Rebuild Iowa’s Sound Economy or “RISE” funds. “The total amended RISE eligible roadway costs would increase by over 7 million to 19,663,391 dollars, ” Arp says. “And the city of Des Moines has requested $3,513,350 in additional Rise funds.” The design of the roadway is expected to be complete in April 2025 and construction completed by July 2026.
The city of Mount Pleasant submitted a RISE application for a new roadway project. “Requesting a grant to assist in construction of approximately one-thousand-33 feet of Eugene Way located in the west side of town. The proposed RISE roadway will provide access to three lots totaling more than 13 acres for light industrial purposes,” she says. Mount Pleasant was awarded half of the cost of the roadway project which is estimated to be around $487,000, the city will provide the other half.
Sioux City was approved for an award to build a roadway along Highway 75 on the northeast side of the city for a water park. “The proposed rise roadway will support tourism and provide access to the proposed Siouxland Splash Waterslide Park development to be developed by Frontline Development LLC,” Arp says. She says the award is based on the benefits the water park will bring. “An economic impact study expects over 150,000 visitors to be attracted annually by the third year of operation, 12,547 overnight visitors and the creation of 55 jobs,” Arp says.
A commissioner asked if the award was to benefit just one business as other projects benefiting a single entity had not been funded. Sioux City business development coordinator, Chris Meyers, told the commission the city purchased 43 acres at the site with the hopes of developing the area around the water park as well. “The waterpark phase one is developing ten acres of that. And the waterpark developer has an option on the remaining 30 acres specifically for the intention of expanding the waterpark. And they would like to in the next year or two put up a hotel on the site as well,” he says. The Transportation Commission approved the request of $1,250,957 or 50% of the project. Design of the roadway is expected to be complete by July 2024, with construction completed by December.