NEWS RELEASE

May 14, 2009

The City of Jefferson was notified by the Iowa Department of Transportation that the overpass project at Iowa Highway 4 and the Union Pacific Railroad is scheduled to receive $8.2 million in funding for the fiscal years 2011 and 2012. The funding is intended to apply towards land acquisition, construction of detour routes, business access roads and an 1,100 foot bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad.

The state funding of $8.2 million is outlined in the draft 2010-2014 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program presented to the Iowa Transportation Commission and is in addition to the $4 million the city received in 2006 through a federal appropriation from Representative Tom Latham’s office. With the anticipated financial participation of the Union Pacific railroad, federal funding and local match, the city is now in a position to move forward on the $13.5 million project.

Land acquisition for the project improvements is scheduled to begin later this year. The project construction is scheduled to begin in 2011 with improvements to the detour route. Central Ave. will be paved from Highway 4 to Grimmell Road. Grimmell Road will be reconstructed from Central Ave. to State Street.  During this same time access roads will be constructed behind the businesses on the north side of the railroad. The construction of the overpass is scheduled to begin in 2012 with an estimated completion date of one year after construction is started.

Preliminary project plans can be viewed at Jefferson City Hall or call Jefferson City Hall. Please call Mike Palmer at 515-386-3111 if you have any questions regarding this project.