NE 56th Street Reconstruction

This project includes the reconstruction/widening of NE 56th Street within the jurisdictions of Polk County, City of Altoona, and City of Pleasant Hill, beginning at Iowa Highway 163 in Pleasant Hill and ending at 8th Street SW in Altoona, with a total length of 3.1 miles. This project is supported by the Polk County Board of Supervisors, the City of Altoona, the City of Pleasant Hill, and the City of Des Moines, who have entered into a 28E agreement for the design and construction of this project.

Existing roadway is a two lane facility with narrow shoulders and limited traffic control improvements and utilized by over 10,000 vehicles per day. NE 56th Street is a north-south arterial that serves as the main corridor between the urban center of the cities of Altoona and Pleasant Hill, as well as serving traffic from the east side of Des Moines. NE 56th Street has experienced over 130 accidents in the last 5 years including 3 fatalities. Today's traffic levels on NE 56th Street are 2.5 times higher than just six years ago.

The project will include construction of a four-lane roadway with traffic control improvements within the city limits of Altoona and Pleasant Hill and widening to a three lane roadway (with center left turn lane) with traffic control improvements in the Polk County and City of Des Moines jurisdiction, with an estimated cost of $5,950,000. The project has secured $2,186,027 in Federal Funding to date.

This project will also be completed in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Transportation's planned Iowa Highway 163 roadway improvement project in FY 2007.

* Includes $317,000 in STP from CIRTPA and $100,000 in TSF Funds

Polk County is hereby requesting $750,000 in Federal Funding assistance to assure construction of this project.