Story County approves DOT preconstruction agreement for I‑35 widening; DOT to handle land acquisitions
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Summary
The board approved a preconstruction agreement with the Iowa DOT for the final phase of the I‑35 widening to six lanes; the county engineer said DOT will replace a bridge at 90th Street, may temporarily landlock one property and will handle any land acquisition or access costs, not the county.
The Story County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 approved an Iowa Department of Transportation preconstruction agreement for the final phase of the I‑35 widening project.
County engineering staff briefed the board on expected impacts: the DOT plans to widen the interstate to six lanes along the project stretch, which requires replacing the bridge at 90th Street; when that bridge work occurs the county road will be closed for much of the year during construction. The project could leave one adjacent property landlocked temporarily; the DOT will negotiate access and take responsibility for any landowner acquisitions or access construction, county staff said.
The county engineer recommended approval of the preconstruction agreement and noted the DOT has been planning the project for many years. Supervisors asked whether the closure would increase traffic pressure on another bridge near the Ames water treatment facility; staff said existing alternate access and current construction traffic use private roads, and they did not anticipate a major traffic increase.
The board voted to approve the agreement after the presentation. County staff said they will hold a future hearing to vacate the affected county road if and when the DOT completes negotiations with the landowner.
What happens next: the county engineer will coordinate with DOT on timing for any county action to vacate the short stretch of county road once DOT completes landowner negotiations and confirms construction timing.
