$16M Coralville Transportation Hub is in the Works

Transportation center would be at Iowa River Landing

Chris Rhatigan Iowa City Press-Citizen

The city of Coralville is seeking federal funding for a $16 million transportation hub at the Iowa River Landing.  The Coralville Intermodal Facility will include space for Coralville Transit, 500 park-and-ride spaces and a child care center. It also will include passenger rail service as part of an Iowa City-to-Cedar Rapids link, but officials said that's part of the long-term vision for the project.

City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said the federal government already has provided $2 million for planning and design for the project.  Hayworth said other federal funding appears likely.  "They continue to express to us that it's their desire to finish the project," he said.

The city would be required to supply 20 percent of the project's funding.

City Council member Mitch Gross said the outlook for federal funding is positive.  "I think there's going to be a real push for public transit," he said. "From my perspective, there's a specific component of the stimulus package that directly applies to this." 

The city also is pursuing $10 million to raise the CRANDIC railroad berm.  Raising the berm is intended to protect Highway 6, First Avenue and surrounding areas from flooding.  Gross said that the federal Economic Development Agency money could be used for the project. 

Hayworth said the city expects to finalize funding for the project in the next week.  He said the city has $56 million in flood mitigation projects. This includes constructing floodwalls, adding pump stations and raising the First Avenue Bridge.  "We've got a long way to go," Hayworth said.

The state recently approved $880,000 to relocate the city's transit and parks maintenance facilities.  The existing facilities flooded in June and were demolished.  A location for the new facilities has not been selected. The project is expected to cost $4.5 million, officials said.