SENATE FILE 105

BY  ZAUN, BOETTGER, BACON, GREINER, FEENSTRA, JOHNSON, SORENSON, WARD, HOUSER, SEYMOUR, BEHN, McKINLEY, KETTERING, ANDERSON, BERTRAND, ERNST, HAMERLINCK, and HAHN

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning the retention of existing highway rest areas.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  313.69  Rest area construction —— retention of existing rest areas.
   Before a decision is made to build a new rest area, the department shall conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to compare the cost of locating and constructing a new rest area and the cost of keeping an existing rest area open. The department shall consider all available options for reconstructing, expanding, or otherwise improving an existing rest area in accordance with section 306C.21 and shall not proceed with construction of a new rest area unless it is determined that making improvements to the existing rest area would be cost prohibitive.
EXPLANATION
   This bill requires the department of transportation to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before proceeding with construction of a new rest area along an interstate, freeway primary, or primary highway. The department is to consider all available options for reconstructing, expanding, or otherwise improving existing rest areas and may not proceed with new construction unless it is determined that making improvements to the existing rest area would be cost prohibitive.