THE FUTURE OF THE GORDON DRIVE VIADUCT WHICH IS THE MAIN ROUTE CONNECTING THE DOWNTOWN TO MORNINGSIDE WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL MONDAY.
DAKIN SCHULTZ OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PRESENTED A POSSIBLE PLAN OF REPLACING THE VIADUCT OVER A FEW YEARS AND SHIFTING GORDON DRIVE TO THE NORTH OR SOUTH:
VIA1 OC……….TYPES OF PROJECTS. ;28
SCHULTZ SAYS THERE’S 20,000 VEHICLES A DAY ON GORDON DRIVE AND THE CURRENT VIADUCT IS A VERY LONG BRIDGE:
VIA2 OC…….OVER TWO YEARS. ;11
THEN IF GORDON DRIVE IS SHIFTED, THAT WORK IS DONE NEXT TO CONNECT TO THE NEW BRIDGE.
SCHULTZ SAYS THERE ARE MANY OTHER ISSUES TO RESOLVE SUCH AS PROPERTY ACQUISITION FOR THE RIGHT OF WAY AND THE GROUND ITSELF:
VIA3 OC……….ALL FACTORS. :20
THE CONSTRUCTION AND BRIDGE SIZE WOULD ALSO AFFECT RAILROAD TRAFFIC, SOMETHING MAYOR BOB SCOTT IS CONCERNED ABOUT:
VIA4 OC……….THROUGH THIS TOWN. ;25
THE D-O-T WOULD HOPE TO KEEP THE EXISTING VIADUCT FUNCTIONING WHILE THEY CONSTRUCTED THE NEW BRIDGE NEXT TO IT.
THERE IS STILL A LOT TO FIGURE OUT, INCLUDING THE TOTAL COST, WHICH WILL BE AT LEAST 90 MILLION DOLLARS, WHO PAYS FOR WHAT, AND HOW MANY YEARS THE PROJECT WILL TAKE.
MAYOR SCOTT SAYS HE DOUBTS THE CITY COULD AFFORD THE PROJECT AT THIS CURRENT TIME.
