County engineer outlines five‑year road and bridge program, flags TIF and funding tradeoffs

Roman, the county engineer, reviewed Chickasaw County’s five‑year construction program and discussed how state and federal grants, TIF (urban renewal) resources and borrowing‑ahead strategies affect project timing.

He told supervisors that FY‑27 projects include a P56 concrete overlay from Highway 18 to B54 and several bridge replacements and overlays. Roman said the county was assured an estimated $1.81 million (80% federal funding or whichever is less) for one overlay and that the county received a $1.4 million Intercog grant for the B‑21 project. He also outlined later‑year projects (through FY‑31), potential shared projects with Howard County, and a long‑detour replacement bridge needing higher investment.

Roman cautioned that adding a lower‑traffic bridge or new TIF projects would shift other priorities and could require amending the county’s urban renewal plan and borrowing schedule. He discussed tradeoffs between concrete overlays (longer life, higher upfront cost) and asphalt options, and said staff will finalize the DOT concept submissions (ideally by April 1, with DOT acceptance by April 15) but wanted board approval to submit the plan.

Why it matters: The five‑year program and related grant decisions determine which county roads and bridges receive work and when, with TIF and borrowing choices affecting capital availability.

What’s next: Roman will submit the program to Iowa DOT and return with any requested amendments; the board discussed possibly updating the urban renewal plan and pursuing bond or TIF financing for higher‑cost projects.