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Iowa DOT outlines safety fixes for Highway 100 after 2024 fatality; city has $500,000 in state funding
Summary
An Iowa DOT engineer told Marion City Council that crash analyses flag several intersections on Highway 100 for targeted safety work, including a Munir Road median closure and turn‑lane changes at 44th Street; DOT and city staff described funding from HSIP and a nearly $500,000 TSIP award and a 2026 construction timeline.
Erin Stone, a transportation systems management and operations engineer with Iowa DOT District 6, told the Marion City Council on April 21 that crash data and statewide analysis rank Munir Road and 44th Street as high‑priority safety locations on Highway 100.
"Highway 100 is a DOT‑owned roadway," Stone said, and her presentation highlighted that running stop signs and failure‑to‑yield left turns have produced broadside (T‑bone) crashes at closely spaced intersections. She noted that 44th Street recorded a fatal crash in 2024 and that Munir Road shows a high potential for crash reduction in the DOT PCR model.
DOT recommended a set of incremental, near‑term fixes intended to reduce dangerous left‑turn conflicts: converting Munir Road to right‑in/right‑out with a closed median to eliminate left turns from the local road; adding an offset right‑turn lane and extended left‑turn storage at 44th Street; and paved shoulders. Stone said these spot changes are strong candidates for federal HSIP (Highway Safety Improvement Program) and state TSIP funds.
City staff confirmed the city applied for and was awarded nearly $500,000 in TSIP funding to contribute to the corridor work. Stone said DOT will use HSIP funding for shoulders and the Munir closure and that DOT is planning to bid the larger project in October for the 2026 construction program. "That way the project can be done all at once," a city staff member said of the proposed DOT‑city partnership on a single construction contract.
Longer‑term changes discussed by DOT include retrofitting signal detection and cabinets, adding protected left‑turn phasing at high‑speed signals, and a corridor speed‑limit review as the area continues to urbanize. Stone also called out a fiber‑based traffic management system and coordination work that could be supported by an ICAP grant the council will consider.
Council members pressed DOT on cost‑sharing and local exposure for elements that exceed grant awards. Stone said the TSIP award carries limited scope—anything beyond that would be borne by the city—and reiterated that DOT will perform engineering and construction administration for the project to reduce local staffing costs. Staff said they will monitor nearby intersections for traffic shifts after the Munir closure and adjust turn‑lane provisions as needed.
Next procedural step: DOT intends to move toward an October bidding schedule for a 2026 build window; council will consider the ICAP grant on its Thursday consent agenda.
