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Council approves Ironman lane closures after staff says resident access addressed
Summary
The council approved special event lane closures for the Ironman triathlon on June 8 after Parks and Recreation and event organizers confirmed resident notification, mailings, and flagger presence to maintain emergency and resident access.
The West Des Moines City Council on May 19 approved special event lane closures for the Ironman Triathlon scheduled for June 8 after staff and event organizers reported additional resident notification and traffic‑management measures.
Councilman Lodes asked Parks and Recreation staff about last year’s resident access problems near Southeast Meadow Rose and Southwest Indigo streets. Ryan Penning, Parks and Recreation director, said the event organizer (CATCH Des Moines) mailed notices starting the week before the meeting and confirmed flaggers will be stationed at affected locations to provide ingress and egress for residents during the event. He said the swim and bike segments are staged so resident access should be possible after the swim portion disperses.
Councilmembers noted the event’s strong economic impact and emphasized the need to communicate clearly with residents about temporary closures. Councilman Lodes said he was satisfied by the assurance that the mailing will reach residents and that flaggers will be present; the council voted 5–0 to approve the lane‑closure request.
Parks staff and police liaisons will continue coordination with the event organizer to finalize traffic control plans and resident notifications in the lead‑up to the race.
