This Saturday, September 13, is the deadline for submitting public comments regarding the Northwest 26th Street extension through the Des Moines River Greenbelt, which is part of a larger plan to construct a four-lane northeast Polk County beltway.

I discussed why the beltway is a bad idea here and why the road through the greenbelt is a bad idea here.

Please take a few minutes to send your comments against the NW 26th St extension to the following e-mail address: jtunnell@snyder-associates.com

Like the larger beltway project, this road is not needed, would be a poor use of transportation funds, and would disrupt environmentally sensitive areas.

For many more details and talking points, visit this page on the 1000 Friends of Iowa website, or read the message that Jane Clark posted on the Sierra Club Iowa Topics e-mail loop today, which I have posted after the jump.

NW 26th Street Project/ MLK Extension proposed

through Des Moines River Greenbelt

Deadline for comments Saturday, September 13

Email your comments to: jtunnell@snyder-associates.com

Comments should reflect the impacts of the project if it goes through the

Des Moines River Greenbelt, established neighborhoods, and dumps much more

traffic onto MLK Parkway through Des Moines

Recently there were public input meetings on the proposed Northwest 26th

Street project/MLK extension and Northeast Polk County Beltway studies.  But

you still have a chance to make your voices heard and your views still need

to be documented for public record.

Please send your comments to Snyder & Associates by Saturday, September 13

in order to be included in the study documentation for decision-makers.

Email your comments to: jtunnell@snyder-associates.com

Your comments can be as simple as saying “I am opposed to the NW 26th

alignment through the Des Moines River Greenbelt” (and be sure to include

your name and address)  — That sentence counts as one more

person opposed to that alternative for both recreational/environmental

reasons and neighborhood reasons.  Or include your own person observations

or reasons for opposing.

To be effective in opposition to projects like these, citizens need to be

there each major step of the way. This is one of those steps, and your

presence is critical to keeping this current of opposition strong.

1000 Friends has created some background information and talking points,

utilizing the input we’ve received from citizens, at:

http://www.1000friendsofiowa.o…

NW 26th Street Project/ MLK Extension

Polk County and other leaders are now calling this project the “NW 26th

Street Project.” This proposal consists of

Reconstruction of NW 26th Street to a 4-lane facility between IA 415 and I

35/80,

Construction of a new interchange at I-35/80 and NW 26th Street, and

Construction of a new four-lane roadway on new alignment through the Des

Moines River Greenbelt. This is from near Euclid Ave/U.S. 6 and MLK Jr

Parkway and the proposed NW 26th St interchange.

Essentially, it would extend MLK Parkway, north to the interstate, create an

interchange, and provide a high traffic road north to Ankeny.

Alternatives instead of this proposal could include expanding one or more

existing roads: Merle Hay Road, NW Beaver Avenue, IA Highway 415, 12th

Street, 6th Avenue , 2nd Avenue. There is also an expanded Transit Service

alternative.

The public meetings and collection of written comments are building the case

for approval or disapproval of this project. All are part of the

Environmental Impact Statement, a federally required evaluation for projects

that have extensive environmental impacts.  Comments will be compiled and

sent to Polk County, the Federal Highway Administration, and other

decision-makers. Your comments are like a vote which needs to be counted on

the stack of documented opinions that is carried forward in the near future.

This study and proposal assumes that Ankeny and Northern Polk County will

continue to sprawl with auto-reliance and rapid population growth. That

makes picking any alternative an impossible task. Comments should reflect

the impacts of the project if it goes through the Des Moines River

Greenbelt, established neighborhoods, and dumps much more traffic onto MLK

Parkway through Des Moines. That is the alignment that powerful interests

are pushing for, also the most detrimental.

To see a map of the alternatives visit:

http://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/…

Please comment on your views by September 13!

It is so important to send your comments to Snyder & Associates by Saturday,

September 13 in order to be included in the study documentation for

decision-makers.

Thanks to Stephanie Weisenbach of 1000 Friends of Iowa for this information.