116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Government Notes: Comments sought on spending $20M on transportation projects
Also, Cedar Rapids to consider development agreement for unnamed company’s data center
The Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization is seeking public comment how to spend approximately $20 million in new funding for local roadway, trail and transit projects.
At open houses this week, the public can learn about the projects and give feedback:
- 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cedar Rapids Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd. SW (accessible by Cedar Rapids Transit routes 8 & 12).
- 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W. Willman St. (accessible by CR Transit route 30).
Both open houses will provide the same information and opportunities for feedback. A survey also is available at corridormpo.com.
Additionally, the organization is seeking comments on including the remaining Tower Terrace Road segments in the Transportation Improvement Program, which is the organization’s annual capital budget for the cities of Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha and Robins.
The Tower Terrace project has received $5 million in Community Program Funds. The money will be used for preliminary engineering, environmental work and right of way acquisitions.
The Transportation Improvement Plan, or TIP, is a four-year planning document that identifies transportation projects within the organization’s planning boundary that are expected to use federal-aid funds instead of local or private funds.
To submit comments, go to the Corridor MPO’s website, corridormpo.com, and scroll to “Public Comment Opportunity.”
The website has information on the proposed amendments to the plan; click on the Tower Terrace Road Corridor Transportation Improvement Program Amendment.
The deadline for comments is March 16. Public comments also can be emailed to ro.kiefer@corridormpo.com, e.burke@corridormpo.com, or h.hershner@corridormpo.com.
Comments will be shared with the organization’s policy board at its next meeting, where the board will consider the amendments.
Cedar Rapids to consider data center agreement
The Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday will consider a development agreement with an unnamed company that is seeking city and state financial incentives to build a massive $576 million data center in the Big Cedar Industrial Center near the airport.
The development is expected to create at least 31 new high-paying jobs.
The council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the third-floor council chambers at City Hall, 101 First St. SE. It will hold a public hearing to consider the agreement with Heaviside to build one or more data centers along 76th Avenue and Edgewood Road SW in the Big Cedar Industrial Center.
While Heaviside is named, the company that will occupy the development is not.
Some 890 acres of the Big Cedar site is Iowa's first mega site, which offers hundreds of acres of development-ready land to potential developers. All 1,391 acres are controlled by Alliant Energy.
Under terms outlined in council documents, the company could receive a 20-year, 70 percent tax exemption. The company has to meet employment thresholds and the high-quality job application must be approved. The earliest Iowa Economic Development Authority board meeting where that could be considered is March 15.
Linn supervisors award grants to 19 nonprofits
The Linn County Board of Supervisors last week awarded $80,000 in grants from the board’s Witwer Trust Fund to 19 nonprofits whose work benefits Linn County residents.
Recipients were selected through an annual competitive grant process that began in November. The board received more than $500,000 in grant requests with $80,000 in available funds.
Weaver Witwer, a prominent Cedar Rapids grocer and landowner who died in 1979, established the Witwer Trust. He owned and operated a food processing plant, several local farms and what became known as the Me Too grocery stores.
The grant cycle begins Nov. 1 of each year. Visit LinnCountyIowa.gov/Witwer for more information.
This year, funds were awarded to Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, Catherine McAuley Center, Cedar Boat Club, Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, Eastern Iowa Health Center, Feed Iowa First, Foundation 2 Crisis Services, Four Oaks Family and Children's Services, Horizons, Iowa Legal Aid, Linn County 3rd Fire District Foundation, Marion-East Cedar Rapids Rotary Club, Matthew 25, Riverview Center, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Waypoint, Willis Dady Homeless Services and YPN.
Kids First to recognize 14 student leaders
The Kids First Law Center is celebrating exceptional student leaders at its third annual 14 Under 14 awards Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s Whipple Auditorium, 450 Fifth Ave. SE.
Cedar Rapids teachers were invited to nominate students who embody the values of good citizenship, problem-solving, empathy, kindness, and perseverance. The 14 honorees tackle challenges with creativity, uplift their communities with compassion and pave the way for a brighter future.
Those attending will hear stories about each student leader as the honorees are recognized and awarded. A cookie reception will immediately follow.
The awards ceremony and reception are both free and open to the public. Kirkwood Community College is this year’s 14 Under 14 presenting sponsor.
The 2024 honorees come from 10 schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District with students all under the age of 14.
“Our mission is to make children’s voices heard,” said Jenny Schulz, Kids First executive director. “This event is an opportunity to encourage and amplify the voices of children who will one day lead our community.”
The Kids First Law Center gives children a voice in divorce, custody and other conflicts by providing them with legal representation and services. The law center serves over 2,500 children annually in Eastern Iowa.
Clear Creek Amana launches magnet school
The Clear Creek Amana Community School District is launching a magnet school this fall at Amana Elementary, 3023 220th Trail, Middle Amana.
The school will begin by serving kindergarten students only. First-graders will be added in the 2025-26 school year, with subsequent grades added each additional year.
The school will be an elementary science, technology, engineering, arts and math-themed magnet school with an emphasis on:
- Language arts and Spanish, with a goal for each student in the program to be bilingual by the end of fourth grade.
- Financial literacy.
- Engineering technology, encouraging practical application of science, technology and engineering to real world problems.
- Fine arts, including theater, drawing, painting, vocal and instruments.
- Math and science, following the state standards with additional rigor and hands-on opportunities.
Students who live within the Amana Elementary School attendance zone can automatically enroll in the Amana Magnet school serving their neighborhood attendance area.
Parents living outside the attendance zone but who’d like to enroll their student in the magnet school can indicate their interest during kindergarten registration, which began Feb. 6.
The deadline to register is March 15. Virtual informational meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 14.
A notification letter of placement will be sent to families by May. For more information about the magnet school, visit ccaschools.org/Page/5793.
Iowa City starts work on Dubuque Street on March 11
Weather permitting, work is scheduled to begin on the Dubuque Street reconstruction on Monday, March 11.
The project is anticipated to be completed by late summer or early fall 2024.
Dubuque Street, between Iowa Avenue and Washington Street, as well as the alley between Dubuque Street and Linn Street, will be closed to through traffic during the work, though pedestrian access will be maintained.
The project includes reconstruction of Dubuque Street between Iowa Avenue and Washington Street and reconstruction of the alley between Dubuque and Linn streets, along with new water mains and sewer lines.
Sidewalks and curbs will be replaced, with festive lighting, planters, bicycle races and other amenities added.
Iowa City to detail Gilbert Street Bridge replacement
The city of Iowa City will host a virtual information meeting on the upcoming Gilbert Street Bridge replacement project at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A presentation will be given on the project for businesses and residents, followed by a question-and-answer session.
The Zoom meeting can be accessed via a link on the icgov.org website, under the “News” label.
Work on replacing the bridge over Ralston Creek is to begin March 18, weather permitting.
The project includes the addition of 6-foot sidewalks with a barrier rail and handrail on both sides of the bridge; stream bank stabilization; and storm sewer and water main improvements.
Construction work will be broken up into several phases and will include vehicle and pedestrian detours.
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne and Grace King contribute.
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