Small steps help Old Dubuque Rd. proceed

     A discussion that started in early 2020 is still ongoing and proceeding concerning the future of the Old Dubuque Road intersection in Anamosa.

     In November 2019, a fatal crash at that intersection involving an employee of the Jones County Treasurer’s Office prompted county officials to look into closing the dangerous intersection. Working with the City of Anamosa, the county had the intersection closed.

     Since then, Anamosa city officials have been investigating ways to re-open the roadway via a possible connection to Circle Drive to the north near AmericInn and Boomerang.

     During the Jan. 18 Jones County Supervisor meeting, County Engineer Derek Snead and Assistant Engineer Todd Postel visited with the board about a requested easement.

     Snead informed the board that Snyder & Associates, who the City of Anamosa is working with on the project, requested a very small portion of easement from the county. The county property in question is to the very north of the roadway along the Hinz property.

     “They don’t need temporary easement from us because we have property rights on that strip of land,” explained Snead. “Its purpose is for road projects.”

     County Auditor Whitney Hein initially brought the request to the board’s attention. Snead said it’s not necessary to go through all the paperwork and the mere $78 fee when his office could just sign off on the work to be performed.

     “We can sign off of work within the right of way,” he told the board.

     Supervisor Joe Oswald agreed, saying any project in that area would undoubtedly benefit the county. He felt charging a fee would also be unnecessary.

     “It’s such a small area,” Snead said of the easement. “This is the cleanest way to proceed, especially for future projects.”

     Snead said when it comes down to the final proposed project, Anamosa and Jones County would have to sign off on an agreement. Ultimately, though, he suggested having the county’s property annexed into the City of Anamosa.

     “It won’t change the fact that we’ll still have an easement,” he told the board.

     For history on that particular property, it was owned by the Iowa DOT before it was transferred over to the county.

     “Now we’d like to have it annexed into the city,” he urged.

     Supervisor John Schlarmann asked Snead if there was a timeline on the Old Dubuque Road project, for when this possible annexation might need to occur.

     “There could be a letting some time this summer,” hinted Snead. “There are not a lot of property owners (for the city) to negotiate with.”

     While phase one of the project is to connect Old Dubuque Road to Circle Drive, Postel indicated that phase 2 would be to build an overpass over Highway 151.