Transportation Planning

Region 6 serves as the regional planning affiliate (RPA 6) and oversees transportation planning and programming for Hardin, Marshall, Poweshiek and Tama Counties. RPA 6 is responsible for distributing federal transportation funds, completing the required DOT planning documents and managing RPA 6 projects in the DOT programming system (TPMS). RPA 6 is also involved in various state and regional initiatives that work to improve or support the transportation network within the region.

Region 6 is responsible for submitting all required transportation planning documents to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT). It is also responsible for distributing this information to the general public. Region 6 works directly with the Region 6 transportation policy board and the public to help prepare transportation planning documents.

Transportation Planning Documents

As an RPA, there are five primary documents that Region 6 is responsible for developing:

Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP) — The Region 6 Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP) provides a description of the local, state, and federal transportation planning activities that Region 6 is involved with annually.

See Region 6 2024 TPWP

Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) — The Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is used to outline the existing status and future needs of Region 6’s transportation system. It helps set the direction of planning efforts and programming investments for the region by outlining transportation projects for the next 20 years. The development process for the LRTP enables the planning agency to evaluate demographic, economic, passenger, and freight forecasts for the area to understand how anticipated growth or decline will interact with expected land use to impact the demands on the transportation system. This plan is used as a tool for planning, implementing and maintaining the region’s transportation system.

See Region 6 2020-2040 Long Range Transportation Plan

Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) — The Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) process is designed to promote joint, coordinated passenger transportation planning programs that further the development of the local and regional public transportation systems. The goals of the plan are to: improve transportation services to Iowans; increase passenger transportation coordination; create awareness of unmet needs; develop new working partnerships; assist decision-makers, advocates, and consumers in understanding the range of transportation options available; develop justification for future passenger transportation investments, and; save dollars and eliminate overlapping of services.

See Region 6 2020-2024 Passenger Transportation Plan

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) — The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) identifies projects funded through federal aid in the RPA 6 region. This document is prepared annually and incorporates all city, county and state transportation projects of significance that are considered to be eligible for federal funding.

See Region 6 2024 Transportation Improvement Program

Public Participation Plan (PPP) — The Public Participation Plan (PPP) outlines the process for involving the public in the development of transportation planning documents and decision-making and identifies ways that Region 6 will attempt to solicit public participation in transportation planning.

See Region 6 2020 Public Participation Plan

Region 6 Executive/Policy Board

The Region 6 Executive/Policy Board reflects the region’s population and business demographics and is representative of the various objectives of Region 6: economic and community development, transit, housing, and transportation. This board is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Commission.

Name Organization and Position
Kendall Jordan Tama County Board of Supervisors
Lance Granzow Hardin County Board of Supervisors
Jason Roudabush Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors
Jody Anderson City Administrator, City of Iowa Falls
Michelle Spohnheimer Housing and Community Dev. Director, City of Marshalltown
Dan Agnew Mayor, City of Grinnell
Trudi Scott City of Gladbrook City Council
Mark Schoborg Independent Business Owner
Dave Thompson Independent Business Owner
Mark Buschkamp Director, Iowa Falls Area Development Corporation

Region 6 Transportation Advisory Committee

Region 6 has a Transportation Advisory Committee that operates under the Executive/Policy Board. The Executive/Policy Board of Region 6 reviews the direction of the Transportation Committee and makes any necessary final actions.

Name Organization and Position
Taylor Roll County Engineer, Hardin County
Jody Anderson City Administrator, City of Iowa Falls
Paul Geilenfeld County Engineer, Marshall County
Justin Nickel Public Works Director, City of Marshalltown (Marshall County)
Lyle Brehm County Engineer, Tama and Poweshiek Counties
Russ Behrens City Administrator, City of Grinnell (Poweshiek County)
Doug Ray; Brian Sokel City of Tama Mayor; City of Toledo Mayor (1 urbanized vote, Tama County)
Marty Wymore Director, Region 6 Transit/Peoplerides
Andy Loonan* Iowa DOT
Kevin Pigors* Municipal Transit Director, Marshalltown MMT
Rita Schoenman* Meskwaki Tribe Grant Writer
* = non-voting member

Transportation Funding

View more information on transportation funding here.