The City of Adel is moving forward with plans for reconstructing Highway 169 as it passes through, submitting the City Council’s recommendation to the Department of Transportation.

After an extensive process that included a focus group, community input meetings, and a survey, the City’s street committee proposed installing a series of round-abouts on the highway around the schools. Council member Rob Christensen, who heads the street committee, said all the studies and research pointed to round-abouts as being an ideal way to decrease the speed of traffic and increase the safety of pedestrians along the busy highway. The other option considered was adding extended turn lanes along the highway, and likely three or four stop lights. However, the focus group determined that round-abouts would be more cost effective and ultimately safer than the turn lanes.

Christensen emphasized that the plan is not set in stone, as the final decision lies in the hands of the DOT. However, Jeff Schug with McClure Engineering told the Council that typically the DOT allows local governments to dictate alterations to roads through their city. The estimated cost for the round-about project is around $1.5 million, most of which will be covered by the DOT through grants. The project also includes the creation of a trail underpass on the highway, which Schug said is essentially a 10-by-10-foot box culvert that would allow safe passage under the roadway.

Anyone with questions about the project is encouraged to reach out to Adel City Hall at 515-993-4525.