Cities and counties in Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek, and Tama Counties have access to more than $2.7 million in annual transportation grants. This funding is annually available for the following projects:
- Rebuild and repave major eligible roads (federal aid system)
- Rebuild major bridges
- Purchase public transit vehicles
Maps of the federal functional classification system are available at the following website: http://www.iowadot.gov/maps/msp/pdfview/counties.html
County roads need to be at least a major collector and city roads need to be at least a collector to be eligible for transportation funding through Region 6. Cities with at least 5,000 people in the urbanized area, according to the Census Bureau definition, are eligible to have additional routes placed upon the federal aid network. The Region 6 cities that met that definition were Grinnell, Marshalltown, and Tama-Toledo.
Approximately an additional $135,000 annually is available for transportation enhancement projects which include:
- Facilities for bicycles and pedestrians (e.g. recreational trails and trail heads)
- Safety and educational activities for bicycles and pedestrians
- Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites
- Scenic or historic highway programs including the provision of tourist and welcome center facilities
- Landscaping or other scenic beautification
- Historic preservation
- Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities including historic railroad facilities and canals
- Preservation of abandoned railway corridors, including the conversion of such areas into pedestrian and/or bicycle trails
- Control and removal of outdoor advertising
- Archaeological planning and research
- Environmental mitigation to address water pollution due to highway runoff or reduce vehicle caused wildlife mortality while maintaining habitat connectivity
- Establishment of transportation museums
Region 6 Planning Commission accepts transportation applications every February-March. Region 6 typically approves funds for the next four federal fiscal years at that time. All transportation funds require at least a 20% local financial match. If you would like more information please contact our Executive Director, Marty Wymore, by phone or email. He can be reached at (641) 752-0717 or toll free at 1-800-417-4699. He can be emailed at mwymore@region6resources.org.