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Residents urge West Des Moines to reconsider Ashworth Road design, cite safety and eminent‑domain concerns
Summary
Residents told the City of West Des Moines they believe the chosen Ashworth Road reconstruction option takes more private land than necessary and may be less safe than narrower‑lane alternatives; speakers asked the city to verify legal immunity before proceeding.
Residents pressed the West Des Moines City Council during the Feb. 3 citizens forum to revisit the city engineer’s recommendation for the Ashworth Road reconstruction and the lane widths selected for the project.
Shane McClinton, a resident at 1910 Ashworth Road, told the council the decision to adopt “option 2C,” which uses 12‑foot lanes, may result in excessive right‑of‑way takings and could expose the city to eminent‑domain claims. “Based on one testimony … it was decided that we couldn't use 11‑foot lanes,” McClinton said, adding the city did not vet that testimony further. He urged the council and city attorney to confirm whether the city would retain statutory immunity if it chose 11‑foot lanes (described in testimony as “10 plus 1” from curb face to stripe) and to consult an independent engineer before finalizing the design.
Brad Morford, 1815 Ashworth Road, said he…
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