Council opts for one‑lane connection at Iowa Lane after fire chief warns dead‑end would violate access standards

Charles City Council approved final plans and a construction contract for the Iowa Lane intersection improvement and chose the one‑lane alternating connection (option two) after the fire chief explained access and safety constraints.

Staff described two options considered during design: option one would close the crossings to create dead ends; option two would create a one‑lane alternating connection controlled by stop signs. Staff recommended option two citing fire safety, traffic efficiency and reduced need for additional right-of-way. "If we went with option one, we would have to make additional changes — cul‑de‑sacs or hammerheads — and we don't have room for that anywhere," Fire Chief Sam said, detailing fire-code turnaround and access requirements and noting dead-end runs past 150 feet require special turnaround provisions.

Bids produced one proposer for the chosen option: POP Excavating's option‑two bid was reported at about $123,660; staff said roughly $36,000 of that would be for water-main work paid from the water fund. The engineer's cost opinion was recorded near $93,000 for the chosen option.

Council debated practical matters — traffic flow under a one‑lane configuration and whether automated alternating signals would be needed later — and concluded stop-sign alternating control should be tried first with the option to add an actuated control if warrants are met later. The council approved Resolution 3326 to adopt the final plans and Resolution 3426 to award the contract for option two.

The one‑lane approach was presented as a compromise to meet fire-code and operational needs without acquiring additional right-of-way, and council directed staff to monitor traffic flow during construction and early operation.