Disaster Funding Available 6/14/13
The State of Iowa will receive FEMA disaster funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) as part of Presidential disaster declaration DR-4114-IA (May 6, 2013) and DR-4119-IA (May 31, 2013) as a result of severe storms, freezing rain, ice and snow, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred in our State this spring. For more information visit http://www.iowahomelandsecurity.org/grants/HMA.html or contact Brian Schoon.

---

Upcoming Public Input Meetings for Transportation 6/10/13
The MPO and RTA will be holding joint public input meetings this month to enable the public to view and comment on transportation projects proposed to receive federal aid in the next four years. These projects are included in the Draft Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs) for the MPO and RTA. The full draft documents are available for review, as well as a map showing project locations and information:

Map showing project locations and information
Background information on the MPO and RTA
Full Draft FY 2014-2017 MPO TIP (Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area)
Full Draft FY 2014-2017 RTA TIP (Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, and Grundy Counties)

Meetings will be in an open house format, with no formal presentation. Staff from INRCOG will be available to answer questions and discuss projects. The open houses will be held:

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. at INRCOG, 229 E. Park Ave. in Waterloo

Thursday, June 20, 2013 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at Cedar Falls City Hall, 220 Clay St. in Cedar Falls

Tuesday, June 25, 2013 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 207 W. Louise St. in Waterloo

Following the public meetings, comments will be accepted on the Draft TIPs until the MPO and RTA hold public hearings and consider adoption of final versions of the documents at their July meetings. The public hearing for the MPO will be at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2013. The public hearing for the RTA will be at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Both public hearings will be at INRCOG, 229 E. Park Ave. in Waterloo.

Questions or comments on the TIPs can be submitted to Andrea White.

In addition to offering a chance to comment on the draft TIPs, the June public input meetings will provide information about the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) update for the MPO. The LRTP serves as a mechanism for the MPO to examine its current transportation networks, including highway, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, air, rail, and to assess their adequacy for the existing population and economy. Moreover, it gives area officials the chance to explore the future transportation needs of the community based on economic growth and population forecasts. The LRTP also provides the planning framework from which TIP projects are selected for funding.

The update to the LRTP is currently underway. A survey was available online during April, which helped provide direction to the LRTP update. The full results of the survey can be viewed below. The public meetings will include additional opportunities for citizens to provide input for the LRTP update. Questions regarding the LRTP can be directed to Andrea White.

2013 Public Input Survey Results

---

"River of Dreams" Poker Run on the Cedar 5/29/13
93.5 The Mix, Cruisin' 1250 Real Oldies, 1650 The Fan, Cedar Valley Paddlers Club, INRCOG, and Iowa DNR River Programs will be hosting a canoe/kayak poker run on the Cedar River on August 17, 2013 (new date!), to benefit Magical Mix Kids; and to educate the Cedar Valley on what the Cedar River has to offer, how to respect it, and promote our mission to make it a state-designated water trail.

More information
Course Map
Registration Form

---

I-380 Northbound Reconstruction in Waterloo 4/9/13

The Iowa DOT has started work on the reconstruction of I-380. This reconstruction project includes 6.68 miles of northbound Interstate-380 from the U.S. 20 interchange to west of River Forest Road in Evansdale.

I-380 Phase 2 Traffic Incident Management-2013 files can be accessed here.
Iowa DOT I-380 Reconstruction website
I-380 Reconstruction Facebook page

---

University Avenue NEPA Study 1/4/13
The Iowa DOT continues work on the Environmental Assessment (NEPA) phase of the University Avenue project in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. City Council work sessions were held in December where the consultant team, on behalf of the Iowa DOT, presented two alternatives being recommended for consideration as the study moves forward.