KWWL has a(nother) story about the troublesome state of University Avenue — once US 218, now IA 934 — in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. A DOT employee says there are “negotiations” for transferring jurisdiction to the cities. At the same time, however, there have been fits and starts at coming up with a comprehensive plan for the six-lane urban arterial. The most recent is a roundabout-laden monstrosity with four lanes of traffic plus a bike lane and “multi-use path.”
The state often does studies before funding is attached — the Wapello bypass and four-laning US 61 in Louisa County would be one of them — but this seems different, almost like a game of hot potato. I suspect the situation is along the lines of the following:
- The state and the cities know University Avenue needs to be repaired — check that, not repaired but wholly rebuilt.
- The state would like to turn the road over, with some set amount of money, and let the cities deal with the rebuilding.
- Waterloo and Cedar Falls want University fixed first, before it becomes their responsibility.
- So it needs to be done, but neither side particularly wants it done on its watch. That doesn’t stop plans from being made, but it does affect the timetable or lack thereof.
I could be wrong, but that’s how it looks to me.