REGION 6 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FINAL Prepared by: Region 6 Resource Partners 903 East Main Street Marshalltown, Iowa 51058 www.region6resources.org Current Update: January 2021 Last Updated: February 2014 1 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Regional Planning Process and Stakeholders .............................................................................................................. 5 REGION 6 SERVICES ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE (POLICY) BOARD OF DIRECTORS ......................................................................................................................................... 5 REGION 6 EXECUTIVE (POLICY) BOARD .................................................................................................................................................. 6 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................................................................. 7 REGION 6 STAFF ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 OTHER REPRESENTATION ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 REGION 6 RESOURCE PARTNERS AREA .................................................................................................................................................... 8 LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2: Plan Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................................................... 11 VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 WHAT ARE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12 10 PLANNING FACTORS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Chapter 3: Regional Background and Trends ................................................................................................................................... 17 POPULATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 POPULATION TRENDS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 RACE AND CULTURE .................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 POPULATION PROJECTIONS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 26 QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS .................................................................................................................................................................. 27 POVERTY ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 28 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 29 ECONOMY AND WORKFORCE..................................................................................................................................................................... 32 EMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 COMMUTING PATTERNS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 41 Chapter 4: Existing Regional Transportation System ................................................................................................................... 47 ROADS, HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGE NETWORK ......................................................................................................................................... 47 TRAFFIC SAFETY .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 57 PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY ......................................................................................................................................................... 62 NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION .................................................................................................................................................... 64 HARDIN COUNTY TRAILS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 66 MARSHALL COUNTY TRAILS...................................................................................................................................................................... 67 POWESHIEK COUNTY TRAILS .................................................................................................................................................................... 68 TAMA COUNTY TRAILS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 69 TRAIL PRIORITIES ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 70 SIDEWALK CONNECTIVITY AND CONDITION .......................................................................................................................................... 71 PUBLIC TRANSIT .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 72 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING .......................................................................................................................................................... 76 FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 77 PIPELINES ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 83 AIRPORTS ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 5: Geography, Land Use, and Environment ...................................................................................................................... 87 WATERWAYS AND WATER BODIES ......................................................................................................................................................... 87 FLOODPLAINS ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 89 WETLANDS .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 91 PROTECTED AREAS BY COUNTY .............................................................................................................................................................. 92 CULTURAL AND HISTORIC SITES ........................................................................................................................................................... 106 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................. 110 3 Chapter 6: Regional Transportation System – Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, and Solutions and Alternatives 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