A new five-year transportation improvement plan approved by the Iowa Transportation Commission includes $31 million for the Interstate 74 corridor/bridge reconstruction.
The cost to replace the I-74 bridge and make corridor improvement from 23rd Avenue, Moline, to 53rd Street, Bettendorf, has been estimated at more than $1 billion. More than $20 million already has been spent on bridge design, engineering work, the environmental impact study, replacement of the Lincoln Road overpass and right-of-way acquisition.
The planned $2.3 billion in state transportation improvements would be paid for by both state and expected federal funds during fiscal 2011 through fiscal 2015. However, Congress has yet to pass a new surface transportation authorization bill. Because of that uncertainty, the state's five-year plan is based on 2009 federal funding levels.
In addition to the I-74 project, the plan envisions spending $268 million for Interstate 29 in Sioux City and $302 million on Interstates 29, 80 and 480 in Council Bluffs.
The Quad Cities didn't receive any of the $4.5 million allocated for recreation trails in the state. Pleasant Valley was the only area school district to receive funding under the "Safe Routes to School Project" and that was only $7,000 of a $1.7-million budget allocation for such improvements statewide.
The Bi-State Planning Commission was allocated $40,000 for a Clean Air Act Partnership called "Make Outdoor Air Quality Visible."
For the entire transportation commission plan, CLICK HERE.
