Planning commission recommends gateway and corridor improvement study to city council

The Indianola Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that city council review and consider adopting the Gateway and Corridor Improvement Study, a multi‑phase plan intended to guide signage, streetscape and safety investments on four gateway approaches into the city.

Emily Roseik of Confluence, the consultant on the project, told the commission the study followed a five‑phase process of data collection, public engagement, draft reporting and evaluation and was designed to support future capital planning and grant applications. "We started with physical inventory and traffic analysis, then stakeholder interviews and public engagement — now we are bringing recommendations for signage, beautification and targeted safety improvements," Roseik said.

The plan identifies four gateways — north, east (East 2nd Avenue), south and west — and recommends a hierarchy that prioritizes gateways one (north) and four (west) for larger signage because of higher traffic counts (the presentation cites about 20,000 average daily vehicles at the north gateway and about 8,700 on the west approach). The study also outlines seven implementation strategies including a city branding update, a signage package tied to the new brand, pursuit of grants (Iowa Great Places, Prairie Meadows and others), a zoning overlay to improve corridor design, landscaping best practices, identification of high‑potential crash reduction segments and pedestrian‑safety measures such as leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs).

Commissioners pressed staff on maintenance responsibilities, crash‑data bases and whether the high‑school area had been analyzed for crash risk. Roseik said maintenance of plantings in other case studies typically became the responsibility of parks staff, and that Appendix A contains the technical crash and corridor analysis; staff agreed to call out specific intersections to council and re‑examine the high‑school area before the council hearing.

After discussion, Commissioner Al moved to recommend the plan to council "with some appropriate changes that have been discussed tonight," and the commission approved the motion on a roll‑call vote. Commissioners voting yes included Wordman, Becker, the vice chair (Lynn), Nate and Piper.

The commission requested that staff highlight the specific corridor segments the study flags for crash‑reduction projects and prepare responses to likely council questions. Staff said the item was scheduled for council review in April and that updated materials would be ready for council consideration.

Next steps: staff will incorporate requested clarifications and return the study to council; the study’s technical appendix will remain the reference for crash‑reduction recommendations.