Louisa County Board of Supervisors | louisacountyia.gov
Louisa County Board of Supervisors | louisacountyia.gov
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors reviewed a new plan that provides Highway 61 access south of Wapello once the bypass project is completed.
The new plan is similar to the one proposed to supervisors on March 10, but now includes proper acceleration and deceleration lanes along with an at-grade intersection to allow access south of Wapello instead of an offset intersection.
Conversations about the Wapello bypass have been in progress since 2014. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) submitted official plans in May 2018. A new plan was proposed in 2019 to address engineering concerns and emergency vehicle access. The new plan in 2019 called for a slip ramp interchange south of Wapello, a gravel connector road to be constructed between K Avenue and the existing U.S. Highway 61, three riders and a paved emergency vehicle median crossover south of the slip ramp interchange.
The bypass project continued to receive criticism as officials and engineers pointed out flaws in the plan. At the end of March 2020, assistant county engineer Adam Shutt presented a further revised plan to the Board of Supervisors.
In the new 2020 plan, Shutt primarily addressed access south of town and flooding concerns. In 1993, a levee broke near L Avenue and was not repaired properly. Concerns resurfaced last year as flooding in the area caused more damage. Officials had originally requested that the highway be closed, but the conservation board reminded supervisors that the roadway is the only point of access to the 1,100 acre Indian Slough Wildlife Area. Shutt's new plan calls for a low-water crossing at L Avenue. The low-water crossing would allow vehicles to cross when the Iowa river is below 21 feet, but prevent crossing when the river is over 21 feet and there are risks of flooding.
After hearing the new engineers' report, supervisor Brad Quigley told the Muscatine Journal, "I like it."
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors have agreed that all the issues on the table have now been addressed and will move forward with the new plan.
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