Buena Vista County is moving ahead with its share of an Iowa Highway 7 project tied to Platinum Crush, while setting a maximum contribution for local taxpayers.
The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized Board Chair Paul Merten and County Auditor Sue Lloyd to sign a predesign agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements at the Highway 7 and 70th Avenue intersection east of Alta.
The agreement covers the 70th Avenue intersection and the railroad crossing on 70th Avenue. It does not cover the Highway 7 work between the 70th and 80th Avenue intersections, which the DOT is handling under separate arrangements.
County Engineer Bret Wilkinson told supervisors the agreement calls for the county to match the remaining Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) grant funding dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $1,416,674.
That would provide up to about $2.8 million for the portion of the project covered by the agreement. Wilkinson said the county would not be responsible for costs beyond its agreed-upon share.
If the project comes in below the maximum, Wilkinson said the county’s contribution would also be lower. The agreement calls for the RISE funding and county match to be split 50-50 on eligible costs, up to the maximum amounts. Any costs beyond that would be the DOT’s responsibility.
The agreement follows months of discussion over the scope and cost of the Highway 7 and 70th Avenue project.
In a June letter to the DOT, the county said it did not agree with several elements of the agency’s current design, including changing the intersection approach from 60 degrees to 75 degrees. County officials also raised concerns about additional roadway work and the resulting costs and property impacts.
The DOT’s current project plans call for reconstruction of the 70th Avenue and Highway 7 intersection, along with the Highway 7 corridor between 70th and 80th avenues. The broader project has a preliminary construction cost estimate of about $9.9 million, with construction currently scheduled to begin in fall 2027.
Wilkinson told supervisors Tuesday the agreement reflects the county’s previous offer to match the remaining RISE funding.
The RISE program provides funding for roadway projects tied to economic development. The Iowa DOT previously awarded Buena Vista County a RISE grant for roadway improvements associated with the Platinum Crush development.
The supervisors approved the motion unanimously Tuesday. Merten and Lloyd will sign the agreement before it is returned to the DOT’s District 3 office for its final signature.
