(Spencer)– An already heavy concentration of retailers along Highways 71 and 18 in south Spencer and the recent announcement that Menards plans to build a new store in that area has city officials looking at possible options to ease congestion.
Spencer City Manager Dean Torreson says the concern is over a curve just west of the former K-Mart and south of Hy-Vee. He says they want the curve removed and a T-intersection installed in its place to fit in with plans for the proposed bypass. Torreson says the upgraded road would go south to the former Stub’s Ranch Kitchen and would include atleast one left-turn lane to access the Menard’s property.
Torreson says they also talked to D-O-T officials Wednesday about the possibility of widening Highways 71 and 18 from near Hy-Vee east to the south “T” to solid three lanes. Currently, the western portion is three lanes which narrows to two with a left-hand turn lane. It requires traffic to shift to stay in their lane.
Torreson says they got a warm response from regional D-O-T officials. The next step he said is to take it to the full D-O-T commission at their meeting April 13th in Iowa City.
In the meantime, Torresen says officials with Menards will continue to do traffic studies of the area. And he says the city will get a cost estimate and review the amount of money a TIF District for the Menards project will generate. If it’s sufficient, Torreson says the city could put it toward a match for the cost of the project, with the D-O-T hopefully picking up the remainder.
Torreson says any construction would be atleast a year off.
