Government Notes: Fare free transit begins Tuesday in Iowa City

Riding city buses in Iowa City will be free starting Tuesday as part of the city’s two-year pilot program.

Removing bus fares will “benefit every single person on every single ride,” Transportation Director Darian Nagle-Gamm previously said. City staff have said removing bus fares will improve the experience for both passengers and drivers, remove barriers to using public transportation and increase ridership.

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City bus rides will be free in Iowa City starting Aug. 1

For anyone who hasn’t tried transit or has been considering trying, now is a great time to start, according to the city.

Rides on the University of Iowa’s transit system, Cambus, are already free to the public. Coralville Transit continues to charge $1 per ride.

Iowa City residents who frequently transfer to Coralville are encouraged to purchase a Coralville bus pass. Coralville will offer a grace period accepting Iowa City passes until Aug. 31

Coralville Transit bus passes can be purchased at Coralville City Hall, the Coralville Recreation Center, the Coralville Public Library, the Lantern Park Hy-Vee and the Crosspark Hy-Vee.

Before the first ride, the city suggests downloading the Transit app for planning and reviewing the city’s digital map of routes and stops at icgov.org/busschedules.

Anyone wanting help planning their trip is encouraged to reach out to Iowa City Transit by calling 319-356-5151 or emailing ICTransit@iowa-city.org.

How to clear tree debris in Cedar Rapids

After Friday’s storms, the city of Cedar Rapids has taken reports of tree damage and debris. Residents may report a right of way tree blocking a street or driveway by calling (319) 286-5747 or submitting a concern through the My CR platform at CityofCR.com/MyCR. Navigate to Submit a Request, then Trees and finally Storm Damage, then fill out the form.

Residents with tree damage on private property are responsible for the removal of that debris. Those who need assistance with debris removal from recent storms may request help from the city by following these steps:

The city’s Solid Waste & Recycling division accepts yard waste collection as normal in YARDY carts. Please be sure YARDY cart waste meets the following criteria:

Small residential loads of tree debris can be taken to the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Marion location at 1954 County Home Road. Instructions and costs are available online at SolidWasteAgency.org/compost-yard-waste/cost-location.

City staff cannot enter private property to collect tree debris. The deadline to report vegetative debris for collection is noon Aug. 4. Non-organic debris will not be collected curbside. To schedule a collection for bulky items, call the Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling division at (319) 286-5897.

Call (319) 286-5711 to report dangerous tree conditions.

This debris pickup is intended for recent storms, not 2020 derecho debris.

Offer input on Cedar Rapids’ LightLine Loop

The city of Cedar Rapids is seeking public input on the design of key elements in the new LightLine Loop project — an area around Czech Village and the New Bohemia District that is being re-imagined as a vibrant community gathering space.

The LightLine Loop online visioning survey is now open for public participation at https://form.jotform.com/231864462612052. The five-minute survey asks for residents’ preferences on the look, composition and amenities of four major parts of the LightLine Loop project: a roundhouse, woonerf (or shared-space street), pedestrian promenade and gateway signage.

Feedback gathered from the survey will be shared with the project design team, which will begin developing concepts for the area this summer. The survey will be open until Aug. 18.

In addition to the survey, there will be more opportunities to participate and engage in the design process. A three-day in-person design workshop and accompanying public pinup sessions will be held in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 8-10.

For more details on engagement opportunities, visit CityofCR.com/LightLineLoop.

Key pieces of the project come from the Czech Village/New Bohemia Area Action Plan adopted by the City Council in 2019. The project builds upon the loop created by the proposed Alliant Energy LightLine Bridge that connects the two historic neighborhoods as part of the grassroots ConnectCR initiative.

The LightLine Loop project is planned to begin in the spring of 2025 with completion anticipated by the fall of 2026. This project is partially funded by a $3 million grant from the state Destination Iowa program, funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Iowa City VA Health Care System receives five star rating

The Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System received a five star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

CMS uses five categories — mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience and timely and effective care — to award a quality rating for each hospital, with five stars being the highest.

About two-thirds of VA hospitals included in the CMS annual rating received either four or five stars, compared to 41 percent of non-VA hospitals. This is the first time CMS has included VA facilities in their ratings.

“We are pleased that the Veterans we serve think highly of the care that we provide them,” said Judith Johnson-Mekota, director of the Iowa City VA Health Care System. “The results of the survey are a testament to all the hard work our team does to ensure that we are providing the best possible care to our patients and reinforces our mission for continuous improvement in our care delivery systems.”

Iowa City wants to hear input on deer management efforts

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The city of Iowa City is seeking public input on deer management efforts ahead of the 2023-24 urban bow hunt season.

Residents are encouraged to share thoughts and suggestions about the city’s deer management plan, bow hunt program and ongoing non-lethal management activities.

The city’s long term plan included one year of professional sharpshooting in 2019 followed by urban bow hunting in 2020-24.

Residents can send their comments to DeerManagement@iowa-city.org or call the City Manager’s Office at 319-356-5010. More information can be found at icgov.org/deerprogram.

Prairie sidewalk project begins Monday

The College Community School District is working to provide a safer walking route throughout its campus.

Additional sidewalks will be added along Prairie Campus Road and on Prairie Hill Court road to Prairie View Elementary beginning July 31. The sidewalk construction project is expected to be completed by the start of the school year. Please use caution as there will be temporary closures and heavy equipment on campus during this project.

Linn-Mar prepares for first day of school

Linn-Mar High School student volunteers are doing their part to help get their school ready for the new year.

Teams of students, under the supervision of building administrators, touched up paint in the hallways and other common areas earlier this month, according to a news release from the district.

For their efforts, the students earned CORDS volunteer hours. Students who earn a qualifying number of hours over their high school career earn a Silver Cord to be worn at graduation.

Construction crews also are wrapping up work on a parking lot expansion project near Linn-Mar High School. The new lot is being constructed on the northwest corner of the campus near the intersection of North 10th Street and Tower Terrace Road.

The lot is being funded through the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). It will add approximately 180 parking spaces for high school students and guests to Linn-Mar Stadium. It is expected to be completed prior to the start of classes on August 23rd.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne, Izabela Zaluska and Grace King contribute.