State to study public transit in Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor

The state wants to study public transit issues in the corridor between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will lead the study, which was ordered by the Iowa Legislature. They will look at demand, funding availability and costs, and the current public transit opportunities, such as park-and-ride lots, public or employer van pool programs, and fixed-route transit.

'It's something to address all the commuter traffic in that corridor,” said Stuart Anderson, director of the Planning, Programming and Modal Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation. He said this during a presentation at the Iowa Transportation Commission monthly meeting on Tuesday.

Also at the meeting, the DOT released a draft of a $2.7 billion five-year (2015-19) transportation improvement plan. Projects on the books remain on schedule, in the draft, except for the delay of U.S. 30 in Benton County from Iowa 21 to the west junction of U.S. 218, which needs additional public input and planning.

For the transit study, the findings and recommendations are due by Dec. 14.

'I think the combination of a light rail and trails should be included as part of the study,” said Commissioner Leonard Boswell, of Davis City. 'I think people would flock there and spend their money.”

The idea of a commuter rail between the two cities has been batted around for years, but it's never taken off because of questions about insufficient demand and costs, among others.

Boswell's idea about trail system improvements could be another story.

'The last 10-15 years there's been a significant appropriation at the state and federal level for trail funding, and we've had a real focus for building activity on trails in Iowa,” Anderson said.

State money for trails is expected to doubled from 2014 up to $6 million in fiscal 2015.

Some see trail systems as an opportunity for tourism and bringing new money into Iowa. In central Iowa, for example, businesses such as restaurants have opened along the 25-mile High Trestle Trail to cater to demand from cyclists.

Anderson though said how the report is used will be based on local decisions.

Doug Elliott, executive director of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, said he is pleased the study, which had been seen as a need for some time, will be conducted.

'First, we hope to better coordinate transit assets within the region, and look at public transit services outside cities that have fixed-route services,” Elliott said. 'Second, we hope to determine what needs can't be met through existing assets, how best to meet that and how best to plan.”

In other Transportation Commission news:

* The draft of the five-year transportation suggests the Iowa DOT intends to focus on modernization and safety of existing infrastructure and already approved projects, rather than add major new ones.

The plan reaffirms commitment to several projects, including Iowa 100 and U.S. 30 in Eastern Iowa, and the addition of several short-term projects that address safety and condition needs, including Iowa 92 in Muscatine County from U.S. 61 to Iowa 38 in Muscatine, and Iowa 934 in Black Hawk County from Iowa 58 to Midway Drive in Cedar Falls.

The plan also calls for $900 million to spend on Iowa's structurally deficient bridges.

Anderson said one significant omission is any new four-lane roadway projects, which are in demand.

'Absent additional state and federal funding, we are not going to be able to add additional corridor projects into the program,” Anderson said.

Public can comment on the draft, which is schedule to be considered for approval on June 10.

* The DOT is not likely to address reports detailing the use of traffic enforcement cameras in Iowa for another month or so. Municipalities, including Cedar Rapids, using the controversial cameras on state roads were required to submit a report.

* David Rose, of Clinton, was elected Iowa DOT chairperson, and Boswell, a former Iowa congressman, was elected as vice-chairperson.

l Comments: (319) 339-3177; brian.morelli@sourcemedia.net