DES MOINES (SPECIAL) Governor Chet Culver has announced the Iowa Transportation Commission approved the FY2010-2014 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program at its meeting last week in Cedar Falls. The program sets the five-year investment priorities for the state’s multimodal transportation system, which is enhanced thanks to the I-JOBS initiative as well as federal recovery funds.

Included is completion of the Tama-Toleod bypass project.

“During this time of national economic challenges, this plan is not only a roadmap to our transportation future, but also a path to our economic recovery as well,” said Governor Culver. “Thanks to our statewide I-JOBS plan, and with support from our federal partners, we will literally be able to work our way out of this recession. I look forward to working with Iowans in the coming months and years as together we rebuild our state’s infrastructure and economy, as we create a brighter future for everyone.”

A major component of the program is the highway section. The total amount of federal and state funds forecasted to be available for highway right-of-way acquisition and construction during FY2010 through FY2014 is $2.1 billion. The highway section is fiscally balanced to anticipated revenues.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) program fully integrates funding from the Recovery Act. To date, the Recovery Act has provided approximately $400 million in additional federal funding for transportation in Iowa, including funding that is allocated to local governments and entities. Approximately $270 million of this additional funding has been allocated for transportation programs administered by the Iowa DOT and is reflected in the five-year program.

Recovery Act funding will result in a record year for transportation construction in Iowa, and creation and retention of construction jobs. The Iowa DOT and Commission will continue to work with federal partners to find additional opportunities for transportation funding through the Recovery Act.

While Recovery Act funding will make a significant impact in meeting the backlog of needs, a significant shortfall remains in meeting our state’s transportation infrastructure demands. To help meet this challenge, Governor Culver introduced the I-JOBS initiative, which was signed into law last month.

I-JOBS will result in $50 million in state funding to reduce structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges on the Primary Road System, and approximately $10 million in funding for other modes of transportation, including $3 million to support expansion of passenger rail service in Iowa. This funding will extend the benefits of Recovery Act funding and help meet our infrastructure needs during these difficult economic times, without raising taxes on Iowans.

The highway section of the five-year program continues to focus investments toward implementation of the following four objectives:

1. Maintain and preserve the existing highway system and its operational and safety features. The Commission has allocated an annual average of $232 million to achieve this objective. This includes investing an average of:

$104 million annually for preserving the interstate system.

$78 million annually for non-interstate pavement preservation projects.

$36 million annually for non-interstate bridge preservation and replacement projects.

$14 million annually in safety improvements.

2. Maintain scheduled completion of capacity and economic development projects identified in the previous program. These projects include U.S. 63 in Bremer County, U.S. 61 Fort Madison bypass, U.S. 30 Tama-Toledo bypass, U.S. 20 in Sac, Calhoun and Webster counties, U.S. 30 in Story and Marshall counties, and U.S. 34 relocation in Mills County.

3. Continue investments in major interstate capacity and economic development projects. An average of $91 million annually is programmed in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Bettendorf.

4. Add non-stewardship capacity and economic development projects or phases of projects, including U.S. 30 in Benton County, U.S. 63 in Black Hawk County (Waterloo), U.S. 218 in Bremer County, U.S. 30 in Clinton County, Iowa 4 in Greene County, U.S. 61 in Louisa County, Iowa 330 in Marshall County, U.S. 75 in Plymouth County, Iowa 92 in Warren County, and U.S. 20 in Dubuque County.