Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Grant Program

The Iowa's Living Roadways Community Visioning Grant Program aims to enhance transportation in small Iowa communities by fostering strategic planning and community engagement. Participants develop conceptual plans to address local transportation needs, focusing on pedestrian and bicycle facilities, safety education, and beautification efforts. With a commitment of $2,000, eligible communities under 10,000 residents can seek funding sources and technical assistance for project implementation, ensuring that their transportation vision aligns with federal guidelines.

a Transportation Enhancement Program
Community Visioning is a process that encourages visionary and strategic thinking about transportation improvements in smaller Iowa communities. The centerpiece of this process is the development of conceptual plans that graphically illustrate the vision of the community for an improved transportation system. Participants in the program will:

• Identify and prioritize community needs based on participatory community assessments
• Develop community vision concept plans for transportation projects
• Identify potential funding sources for implementing concept plans
• Initiate the first phase of project development

Trees Forever field coordinators provide structured facilitation of the visioning process. Landscape architecture consultants collaborate with design interns to provide design assistance under the direction of ISU. ISU also provides research-based community assessments and directs transportation plan development by consultants. Iowa DOT provides review and technical assistance for transportation enhancement concept planning.
Communities that are interested in making enhancements connected to surface transportation may benefit from the Community Visioning Program. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines surface transportation as all elements of the intermodal transportation system excluding aviation and including water. To qualify for federal funding, enhancements must meet one of the following needs:

• Provide facilities for pedestrians and bicycles
• Provide safety and educational activities for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Acquire scenic easements and scenic or historic sites
• Beautify routes
• Preserve historic sites and routes
• Rehabilitate and operate historic transportation buildings, structures or facilities
• Convert unused rail corridors to trails
• Address other transportation enhancement needs as defined by FHWA

Eligibility

Communities selected for Community Visioning agree in writing to commit $2,000 toward implementation of a project proposed through the visioning process.A steering committee that represents the community, including a local government partner, is required to attend a day-long workshop at the beginning of the process and an annual meeting at the end.Iowa communities eligible for the Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program must have populations under 10,000 residents.