Horizon Year 2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Amendment – Public Meeting Notice

· by · in Blog. ·

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will host a public meeting to receive input and comments on an amendment to the Horizon Year 2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (HY 2035 MTP). The meeting starts at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 30th and will be held at Urbandale City Hall, 3600 NW 86th Street, Urbandale. The Urbandale City Hall is accessible via DART Route 93.

The Cities of Urbandale and Grimes and the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), with assistance from HR Green, Inc., recently completed the I-35/80 Operations Study:  Douglas Avenue to NW 86th Street. The study recommends several changes in the area in and around the Iowa Highway 141 and Interstate 35/80 interchange. The Iowa DOT now will take the lead on an Interchange Justification Report (IJR) but would first like the study’s recommendations reflected in the MPO’s Horizon Year 2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (HY 2035 MTP). The study recommends the following changes:

  • Eliminate plans for the development of NW 50th Avenue from the north ramp of the Iowa Highway 141 Interchange to 128th Street as currently identified in the HY 2035 MTP;
  • Add a northbound flyover ramp from northbound I-35/80 to northbound Iowa Highway 141;
  • Add a ramp from Meredith Drive to southbound I-35/80 for southbound traffic; and,
  • Add a ramp to Meredith Drive from northbound I-35/80 for northbound traffic.

The MPO considers this request to be an amendment to the HY 2035 MTP. The HY 2035 MTP serves as a guide for the transportation system decision making process for Greater Des Moines. The MPO updates the MTP at least every five years.

The MPO staff will host the meeting using an open forum format to encourage attendees to express their views and opinions and to ask questions regarding the proposed amendments.  One may share their opinion with MPO staff in three ways: 1) orally at the meeting; 2) in writing via forms available at the meeting; or, 3) by submitting written comments to the MPO prior to the close of the comment period. If anyone has questions or comments, please contact the MPO staff by telephone at (515) 334-0075 or via email at dmullenix@dmampo.org.