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Des Moines County adopts 2027 IDOT secondary roads budget and five‑year plan; Pleasant Grove paving and a federally funded bridge highlighted
Summary
The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors on April 28 approved the county’s recommendation for the Iowa DOT 2027 secondary roads budget and its five‑year construction program, backing a locally funded Pleasant Grove Road paving phase and noting a bundled federal grant expected to bring roughly $1 million toward a Beaverdale Road bridge replacement.
Des Moines County supervisors approved the county’s recommendation to adopt the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) 2027 secondary roads budget and the county’s five‑year construction program at their April 28 meeting.
The program presentation, delivered by Brian Carter, outlined a multi‑year slate of paving, bridge replacements and safety projects. Carter said competition from a nearby DOT concrete plant helped push a key Pleasant Grove Road paving phase well below earlier estimates, with the current summer project bid at about $1.5 million versus an earlier estimate near $1.9–$2 million, producing roughly $400,000–$500,000 in savings that could be used to fund subsequent phases.
"That savings from competition will be crucial for us to do the next phase of the project," Carter said, explaining that a second concrete supplier on the local market reduced material costs.
Why it matters: the five‑year program lays out which county roads and bridges will be prioritized for limited local funds and for grant applications, and it frames near‑term work such as the 1.6‑mile Pleasant Grove Road extension and several bridge projects that affect farm, quarry and commuter traffic.
Key projects and budget notes - Pleasant Grove Road: Carter said the county plans a 1.6‑mile concrete paving extension (roughly from Iowa City Road to Big Hollow Road) and will continue right‑of‑way work. He cautioned the timeline depends on bids and on whether DOT‑area competition for concrete persists. - Beaverdale Road bridge: Carter noted the county was part of a bundled federal grant (33 bridges across the state) that received an 80% federal share; for the county that represents roughly a $1 million infusion to replace a posted bridge on a busy route. - Intersection lighting: The county will roll out solar intersection lights at paved‑to‑paved connections, ordering 12–13 sites this summer at roughly $12,000–$15,000 per site as a multi‑year safety program. - Smaller bridges and culvert work: The program includes replacement and stabilization projects (Golden Road Bridge F10, South Gearbox culvert, Jimtown Road creek bank stabilization) and contingency funds for unexpected right‑of‑way or culvert failures.
Carter repeatedly emphasized the constraints on local funds and the dependence on bid dynamics and federal grant success to move larger projects forward. "We're a 100% constrained office," he told the board, noting the county must balance competing needs across many aging pavement and bridge assets.
Public input and next steps During the hearing several residents and callers raised questions about regional priorities and potential revenue sources. One caller asked whether prospective wind‑turbine tax revenues would materially help county roads; board members said no specific turbine project or county estimate had been presented to the board and that any tax revenues would follow state formulas and local levies.
After the presentation the board closed the public hearing and voted to approve the IDOT 2027 secondary roads budget and the county’s five‑year program by recorded vote.
The county’s engineering staff will continue detailed design and right‑of‑way work for the listed projects and will bring contract and bid decisions back to the board as needed.
