The City of Ankeny has applied for funding for the proposed N.E. 18th overpass via ICAAP (Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program).

From a recent MPO email:
inTouch Newsletter
Iowa’s Clean Air Attainment Program Application

The Des Moines Area MPO is currently taking project applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 ICAAP funds in order to submit a resolution of support for each applicant project to the Iowa DOT. The MPO staff received Letters of Intent for the following projects:

* City of Des Moines – East 14th Street Widening at Hull / Grandview Avenue;

* City of Des Moines – Merle hay Road Traffic Signal Interconnect Upgrade;

* City of Ankeny – NE 18th Street / Interstate 35 Overpass;

* City of Ankeny – NE 36th Street Interchange;

* City of Urbandale – Hickman Road and 70th Street Intersection Improvement;

* Des Moines Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) – Indianola / Easter Lake Express;

* Des Moines MTA – Local Fixed-Route Extension to DOT Facility

* Des Moines MTA – Regional Marketing Program;

Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program
Program Purpose (Download the ICAAP Application Handbook)

The purpose of Iowa’s Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) is to help finance transportation projects and programs that result in attaining or maintaining the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) with a focus on volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and, under certain conditions, particulate matter (PM-2.5 and PM-10). VOC and NOx contribute to ground-level ozone (O3) formation. ICAAP funds are awarded to projects and programs with the highest potential for reducing transportation-related congestion and air pollution, thereby maintaining Iowa’s clean air quality.

Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program
V. Project Eligibility

To be eligible for ICAAP funding, the proposed projects and programs should fit into one or more of the following categories:

Traffic Flow Improvements

Highway and street projects that focus on reducing traffic congestion, vehicle idling time, stop and go driving and travel delays; enhancing bus transit performance; and improving air quality. Projects may include traffic signal modernization, synchronization or coordination; incident management programs, ramp metering, intersection improvements such as adding turn lanes; and other projects that achieve the objectives of the ICAAP.

Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program
II. Program History and Description

Examples of eligible activities under the program are proposals that improve motor vehicle traffic flow, public transit service and intermodal freight movement; reduce traffic congestion and single-occupant vehicle travel; and help finance the purchase of publicly owned alternative fuel vehicles and bicycle and pedestrian facilities and programs.

NE 18th street is a dead end road with little traffic.  The proposed overpass leads into a rural area. Use of ICAAP funding for the overpass should be considered a misallocation or misuse of funds. The funding is intended to relieve heavily congested traffic areas. On the east side of I-35 the N.E. 18th Street transitions into NE 102 Avenue which is part of rural Polk County.  This road turns into a gravel road approximately 1/2 mile away from the end of the NE 18th overpass project. Frisk Drive is a curvy road that has no shoulders with steep embankments. This a dangerous road to route traffic through. Neither road has the potential to carry substantial traffic. The NE 18th overpass project has a functional classification as a “local” road. The overpass leads into an area with a low population density.

The Area of the Proposed NE 18th Overpass
on the west Side of I-35 (Dead End)
 

The Area of the Proposed NE 18th Overpass
on the east Side of I-35 (Dead End)
 

Does it Make Sense to Route Large
Amounts of Traffic Here?

Dangerous Blind Curve on Frisk

Considering the fact the overpass is to be built by 2010 it is difficult to understand what population this overpass is to serve and how it would help to significantly reduce vehicle emissions. Any attempt to justify ICAAP funding based on projected future traffic in the horizon of 2010-2030 should not be considered. The ICAAP money is for use on currently existing traffic congestion problems.

Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program
VIII. Project Sponsor Responsibilities

Sponsors must describe in the application the methodology, assumptions, and sources of data used in the analysis. For air quality improvement analysis, applicants should use the latest available VOC (HC), NOx, and CO, PM-2.5 and PM-10 emission factors provided by the Iowa DOT. For the traffic congestion reduction analysis, applicants should use travel demand (e.g. average daily traffic volumes) anticipated to occur when the project is implemented. Sponsors may need to provide additional information upon request by the Iowa DOT during its review of applications.

There is an argument being used by the City of Ankeny that the overpass could be used as a temporary reliever during 1st Street construction. Refer to Debunking the N.E. 18th Street Overpass Reliever Argument. This  is not only flawed because the current road structure is classified as local and could not safely support any substantial amount of traffic but is also flawed because the use of the overpass as a reliever during 1st Street construction would be temporary and would create a poor costs vs. benefit ratio. The cost vs. benefit ration is the highest weighted criteria used when determining ICAAP funding eligibility.  Spending millions of dollars to temporarily relieve traffic during 1st Street construction represents a poor value for the taxpayer.

Project Rating Criteria
All ICAAP projects

(0-30 points): Project cost-effectiveness relative to associated air quality benefits. Project applicant must calculate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed project by dividing the average annual total cost of the project (total project cost divided by expected project life in years) by the total annual vehicle emissions reduction in kilograms per year for each target pollutant. [Average annual total project cost (dollars)] divided by [emissions reduction (kilograms per year)].

* If you find any inaccuracies please notify me through the contacts menu under Ankeny Watch