Ellis Boulevard extension in the works in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - A short but potentially transformative extension of Ellis Boulevard NW is on the table in Cedar Rapids.

The extension would connect Ellis, which ends in a 'T” intersection at E Avenue NW, through the MidAmerican Energy property at 602 D Ave. NW to the north end of Sixth Street NW, which ends at the railroad tracks. Ellis and Sixth are busy north-south corridors, but wayfinding gets muddled in this part of town, officials said.

'Every time I come down Ellis, how I get from the end of Ellis to downtown, I know I have to zig and I have to zag, and eventually I'll recognize a landmark,” Pat Shey, a member of the City Council development committee, said on Monday. 'So, this is very exciting.”

The extension should simplify traffic flow and improve access to the Northwest Neighborhood, including a more direct link to Interstate 380, downtown and the rest of the city via First Avenue. It would also enhance the 'complete streets” connection for pedestrians and cyclists from the north to south ends of the city, and could create development potential for the area, officials said.

'Once the road is built, there is opportunity to allow for development around the intersection and build a new neighborhood center similar to what we've seen in other growing neighborhoods such as NewBo, Czech Village and Kingston Village,” Emily Muhlbach, a city spokeswoman, said in an email.

The extension concept has been around since before the 2008 flood, and was prioritized during community conversations after the flood.

'It finally opens an access clear through our neighborhood to First Avenue,” said Linda Seger, an executive board member of the Northwest Neighborhood Association. 'It'll be easier to get to (Ellis) park. It was very essential after the flood, as soon as we have a connector to First Avenue and to the rest of the city, our neighborhood could recover to the prominence we once had.”

Seger said some neighbors may fret additional traffic, but she only sees it as a positive.

Still, significant hurdles exist, including acquiring several acres of land from MidAmerican, which sits in the center of the proposed extension, and gaining permission from Union Pacific for a new railroad crossing. The extension is tentatively projected to happen in 2022.

City staff said MidAmerican has been looking for 20 acres for a relocation site, but has yet to find something suitable. At the D Avenue site, MidAmerican has a gas operations service center with warehouses, a parking lot, and storage.

'They are being very cooperative, so they definitely see the community benefit,” said Jennifer Pratt, community development director.

Adam Jacobi, a spokesman for MidAmerican, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday, "We work closely with our community leaders whenever and wherever possible, but we can't offer specific details about that facility at this time."

The railroad here is an industrial line with four switches per day, and about 6,000 vehicles per day use Ellis. The city is proposing vacating a railroad crossing at I Avenue NW in exchange for a new crossing on the extension.

'Some railroad companies seem to like two for one,” Doug Wilson, Paving for Progress program manager, said of adding new crossings. '(Union Pacific) hasn't seemed to be averse to one for one at this time.”

The city is designing an at-grade railroad crossing as opposed to a bridge primarily due to the cost difference. It would also have less impact on surrounding property and could free up additional land for redevelopment, Wilson said.

The cost projection is $4 million to $5 million for an at-grade crossing compared to $10 million to $12 million for a bridge, he said.

'This has been out there for a long time, so it is exciting to see something on paper,” City Council member Ann Poe said in encouraging city staff. 'Keep pushing hard.”

l Comments: (319) 339-3177; brian.morelli@thegazette.com