A national Sierra Club report on ways to make smarter transportation investments this week takes another swing at the $200 million Highway 100 extension in Linn County.

The environmental group attempts to call attention to the need for more mass transit, pedestrian and bicycle transportation options in its report, “Smart Choices, Less Traffic.”

The eight-mile Highway 100 extension from Edgewood Road to Highway 30 west of Cedar Rapids is one of 50 “worst” projects mentioned in the report, along with 50 projects the Sierra Club found worthy of praise.

“This outdated project was conceived more than 30 years ago when gasoline cost $1.24/gal.,” the report says. “It was first envisioned as part of a bypass around Cedar Rapids.”

“Since then,” the report says, “a town has emerged in the center of the proposed route. The proposed Highway 100 extension, a 3.8-mile, $200 million project, would add another 10,000 cars per day to the main street, Collins Road, causing congestion, air pollution, and dangerous conditions for people who want to walk or bike through town.”

The Sierra Club’s opposition to the project has been clear for many years. It is suing to block the project from going forward on multiple grounds.

What do you think of their efforts? Do you agree that the Highway 100 project presents problems that should prevent its construction?