Iowa’s planned $125M water trail project could get a reboot

Organizers of a $125 million Iowa water recreation path undertaking are looking for formal permission to downsize the scope of labor required below a federal grant.

Why it issues: The Iowa Confluence Water Trails (ICON) proposal — one of many largest pending public tasks within the space — will add facilities like boat launches and whitewater runs all through central Iowa rivers or creeks.

• However a few of its first items are anticipated to be delayed for years and its price ticket retains rising due partly to inflation and provide chain points.

State of play: The undertaking was awarded a $25 million federal grant in late 2019, largely for work alongside a 5-mile stretch of the Des Moines River by means of downtown.

• The primary part consists of modifying a low-head dam at Scott Avenue to make it safer for recreation and developing river entry factors at Prospect Park, Birdland Marina and Harriet Avenue.
• Now organizers inform Axios they plan to ask federal officers Monday for permission to scale down the work.

Particulars: The revised proposal will nonetheless cowl the Scott Avenue dam and a revised portion of Harriet Avenue, Des Moines Space Metropolitan Planning Group (MPO) spokesperson Gunnar Olson tells Axios.

• The Birdland and Prospect Park items could be accomplished in 3-5 years, relying on how a lot cash is obtainable then, Olson says.

Catch up fast: The preliminary two makes an attempt within the final 12 months to contract the primary part failed — one resulted in no bids and one other got here again with a single $73 million price ticket, $34 million above estimates.

• Des Moines Councilperson Joe Gatto, who’s additionally a member of the MPO’s government committee, had warned earlier this 12 months that the undertaking’s funds may unravel if a second try and contract out the primary part failed.

What they’re saying: Gatto renewed his concern in an MPO assembly final month, telling the board that native governments are in a tough place and unlikely to allocate extra money for the undertaking.

• Maggie McClelland, ICON’s director, instructed Axios Friday that they don’t seem to be in a position to estimate how a lot the undertaking would value if the revisions are accepted till the primary phases are bid out once more.
• All of the items are nonetheless within the plan, McClelland emphasised.

The underside line: The water undertaking has hit some snags however organizers guarantee us they will not sink Iowa’s ICON.