State okays $1.5 million for Collins Road underpass at Lindale

Plan to build an underpass of Collins Road at Lindale Mall are $1.5 million closer to reality.

The underpass received the largest of eleven Clean Air Attainment Program funding awards from the Iowa Transportation Commission on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at its meeting in Ames.

The project would let pedestrians and bicyclists travel between Lindale Mall and the stores and homes to the north of Collins Road NE. The intersection will soon become more difficult to cross, because of plans to widen the stretch of Collins Road to six through lanes and five turn lanes.

One version of the project would also allow cars to cross Collins Road from north to south.

The Clean Air Attainment Program was created by the federal government to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution related to transportation.

Davenport and Dubuque were the other Eastern Iowa cities receiving awards under the program Tuesday.

Dubuque received an award of $225,907 for its Shopping Circulator program on Keyline Transit. Davenport received $320,000 for its Locust Street Traffic Signal Interconnect project and $236,000 for its 53rd Street Traffic Signal Interconnection and Coordination project.