Senate
Resolution
115
-
Introduced
SENATE
RESOLUTION
NO.
115
BY
COURNOYER
A
Resolution
urging
the
Governor
and
the
Director
1
of
the
Department
of
Transportation
to
develop
2
plans
for
the
new
Interstate
80
bridge
over
the
3
Mississippi
River
in
Scott
County
that
include
the
4
incorporation
of
the
Bison
Bridge.
5
WHEREAS,
the
Iowa
Department
of
Transportation,
6
in
partnership
with
the
Illinois
Department
of
7
Transportation,
and
in
conjunction
with
the
Federal
8
Highway
Administration
(FHWA),
desires
to
replace
the
9
Interstate
80
bridge
over
the
Mississippi
River
in
10
Scott
County;
and
11
WHEREAS,
the
Illinois
Department
of
Transportation
12
will
be
the
lead
agency,
with
Iowa
and
Illinois
sharing
13
costs
equally;
and
14
WHEREAS,
on
October
21,
2020,
the
Illinois
15
Department
of
Transportation
selected
Parsons
16
Transportation
Group,
Inc.
to
prepare
a
combined
design
17
report
and
environmental
impact
statement
for
the
18
Interstate
80
bridge
over
the
Mississippi
River;
and
19
WHEREAS,
Parsons
Transportation
Group,
Inc.
was
20
additionally
tasked
with
determining,
as
part
of
the
21
design
report,
whether
the
proposed
improvements
22
could
include
total
bridge
replacement
and
whether
23
a
new
and
wider
bridge
should
be
constructed
on
a
24
different
alignment,
along
with
various
alternatives
25
to
be
studied
to
reach
the
most
viable
solution
26
for
this
corridor,
including
but
not
limited
to
27
exploring
potential
effects
on
existing
state
highway
28
-1-
LSB
6278XS
(3)
89
th/rn
1/
3
S.R.
115
interchanges
with
Interstate
80
on
both
the
Iowa
and
1
Illinois
side
of
the
bridge,
which
also
crosses
the
2
Canadian
Pacific
Railroad,
as
the
project
develops;
and
3
WHEREAS,
as
part
of
Phase
1
of
the
project,
the
4
Bison
Bridge
Foundation
requested,
as
an
alternative
5
plan,
repurposing
the
existing
Interstate
80
bridge,
6
which
possibly
could
save
over
$30
million
by
7
eliminating
the
need
to
remove
the
existing
bridge
and
8
not
requiring
implementation
of
a
multi-use
facility
on
9
the
proposed
new
bridge;
and
10
WHEREAS,
by
repurposing
the
existing
bridge,
in
11
addition
to
offering
savings
to
taxpayers,
the
Bison
12
Bridge
Project
has
the
potential
to
generate
additional
13
moneys
from
increased
tourism,
economic
development,
14
improved
quality
of
life,
and
the
retention
of
the
15
younger
workforce
in
the
area;
and
16
WHEREAS,
the
Bison
Bridge
Foundation
has
shown
17
willingness
to
accept
the
existing
structure
at
no
cost
18
to
the
Iowa
Department
of
Transportation
and
is
willing
19
to
work
with
both
the
Illinois
and
Iowa
Departments
of
20
Transportation
and
the
FHWA
to
provide
a
bridge
that
21
is
conducive
to
the
promotion
of
its
goals
to
attract
22
tourism,
increase
economic
development,
provide
a
23
multi-use
facility,
and
promote
the
Mississippi
River
24
area;
and
25
WHEREAS,
the
Bison
Bridge
Foundation
proposes
this
26
project
at
no
cost
to
the
departments
of
transportation
27
or
the
FHWA;
instead,
funding
for
this
project
will
be
28
accomplished
by
private
and
corporate
donations;
NOW
29
THEREFORE,
30
-2-
LSB
6278XS
(3)
89
th/rn
2/
3
S.R.
115
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
SENATE,
That
the
Iowa
1
Senate
urges
the
Governor
and
the
Director
of
the
2
Department
of
Transportation
to
develop
plans
for
the
3
new
Interstate
80
bridge
structure
that
include
the
4
incorporation
of
the
Bison
Bridge;
and
5
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
a
copy
of
this
6
resolution
be
delivered
to
the
Governor,
the
Director
7
of
the
Department
of
Transportation,
and
the
Bison
8
Bridge
Foundation.
9
-3-
LSB
6278XS
(3)
89
th/rn
3/
3