Highway 61 in Louisa and Des Moines counties has a higher than average accident rate. The Iowa Department of Transportation would like to cut down on the amount of accidents and is continuing work to re-construct the highway.
The Iowa DOT is looking at widening an 18-mile stretch of Highway 61. The project would start one mile north of the Highway 78 interchange just south of Wapello. It would end at Memorial Park Road which is right where you enter Burlington.
"We were worried about loosing our place and the 3 places right there," says Andy Kuisle of Mediapolis.
Dozens of people filled the Iowa Department of Transportation public hearing. It was their chance to see 4 different plans for a new, 4-lane Highway 61.
"They were talking about going through our property at one time and according to all of the 4 maps it's going to go to the other side of us," adds Kuisle, "It's welcome news."
The state has been looking at changes to the highway for years. They are now gathering input from residents who may or may not be impacted by the changes.
''We don't want to up and move," says Judy Robertson of Louisa County, "We've been there 15 or 16 years and we'd like to stay where we're at."
I-DOT wants to widen the highway and, change it's course in some areas. Safety is one of the reasons for reconstruction, due to the higher than average number of accidents and increasing traffic. Another reason is the highway was built in the 1920's and has only had maintenance work and minimal improvements. Finally, the state wants a 4-lane highway to spur development.
"What we're looking at is safety improvement, as well access issues," adds Jim Armstrong an I-DOT engineer.
Since information is still being gathered and the designs are preliminary, people say they will keep close eye on the project to see how they're impacted.
"We're trying to keep up with them and we're trying to go to all the meetings we can," says Robertson.
The Iowa DOT is also working on similar project on Highway 61. The $18-million construction work will start at the Louisa County-Muscatine County border and go 5-miles north of Wapello. The project has already been approved and modifications are being made to the designs. Land acquisition for the project on the northern half of Highway 61 will begin in 2014 and construction is slated to start in 2016.
