A different route: Alternative options come to light at 'Road Diet' public meeting

On Monday night, the Grundy Center City Council hosted a public meeting where representatives from the Iowa Department of Transportation discussed the DOT-proposed three lane conversion on G Ave. Though the DOT presentation focused mainly on the logistics and benefits of a three lane conversion (road diet), it also briefly reviewed other options for slowing down speed on G Ave that had not previously been discussed.
 
Allison Smyth, a DOT Engineer for District 1, kicked off the public presentation by reiterating the reason why the DOT first recommended a three lane conversion in Grundy Center: safety.
 
“Back in 2016 we were approached by your Police Chief [Doug Frost] about safety concerns - mainly speeding - on G Ave.,” Smyth said. “So in response, we hired a consultant to conduct a TEAP [Traffic Engineering Assistance Program] Study. As a result of that study, a three lane conversion was one of the options brought to the City Council to help improve safety.”
 
Smyth noted that the DOT will not force the City of Grundy Center to implement a three lane conversion, and that the decision on whether or not to pursue the conversion would be up to the City Council.
 
“We’re not going to force you to do this, it’s going to be up to the City Council to decide if they think this is a good fit for Grundy Center or not,” she said. “We’re just here to give you more information and answer any questions related to [a three lane conversion].”
 
Smyth spoke on how the DOT has had success with three lane conversions in other cities across Iowa, with three lane roads resulting in about 50 percent fewer crashes on average than a four lane road.
 
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