State planning meeting about U.S. Highway 34 enhancements

Osceola City City Administrator Ty Wheeler informed Osceola City Council that later this month, the Iowa Department of Transportation plans to hold a stakeholder meeting with the counties and cities along the U.S. Highway 34 corridor to discuss the possibility of converting Highway 34 into a Super-2 highway.

A letter from Iowa DOT officials earlier this year explained a Super-2 Highway.

“A Super-2 highway can include advanced design elements including wider paved shoulders, geometric improvements, left- and right-turn lanes, acceleration lanes, and climbing/passing lanes. This maximizes the benefits of two-lane roadways through improved safety, capacity, and mobility, while reinforcing the growing importance of lowering construction and maintenance costs. In other words, a Super-2 improvement can provide many of the benefits of a four-lane corridor without the excessive cost and impact on ag land acquisition.”

With support from county officials along its path, the state department of transportation will further research changes along sections of Highway 34 to improve traffic flow.

Iowa Director of Transportation Development Division in a letter to those counties stated the department responded from 2-year-old requests from many counties, including Union, to find ways to improve traffic flow on Highway 34 from Glenwood to Ottumwa.

“Back in 2020 you wrote to us to share your support for looking at Super-2 investments on US 34 between Glenwood and Ottumwa. Since that time, the Iowa Transportation Commission (Commission) and Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) have undertaken several actions regarding the U.S. 34 corridor and we wanted to provide you an update,” according the letter.

“First, we commend your interest in Super-2 corridor improvements. A Super-2 highway can include advanced design elements including wider paved shoulders, geometric improvements, left- and right-turn lanes, acceleration lanes, and climbing/passing lanes. This maximizes the benefits of two-lane roadways through improved safety, capacity, and mobility, while reinforcing the growing importance of lowering construction and maintenance costs. In other words, a Super-2 improvement can provide many of the benefits of a four-lane corridor without the excessive cost and impact on ag land acquisition.”

The concept has two different dynamics.

“There are two separate processes for implementing Super-2 improvements. The first is by looking at planned pavement rehabilitation projects and assessing whether Super -2 design elements can be incorporated into the project. Through this process, the Commission has already awarded a project this fiscal year to resurface U.S. 34 from Albia to the Wapello County line that will convert two separate climbing lanes into longer passing lanes. The Commission will be considering adding an additional Super-2 project in fiscal year 2023 to resurface U.S. 34 between Lucas and Chariton that will include extending the eastbound climbing lane to turn it into a passing lane.”

Fiscal year 2023 is through June 30, 2023.

The second part includes Union County.

“The other process for identifying Super-2 projects is through corridor planning studies. Iowa DOT has initiated a planning study for the U.S. 34 corridor from Creston to Albia. We plan to begin another planning study that goes from Albia to Ottumwa later this year. The remaining corridor from Glenwood to Creston is on the list of candidate corridor planning studies for fiscal year 2023.”

The letter was signed by Linda Juckette, Chair, Iowa Transportation Commission; Richard Arnold, Vice-Chair, Iowa Transportation Commission and Scott Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation.