Jefferson and surrounding residents are encouraged to attend a meeting that involves a possible change to the functionality of a main thoroughfare in Jefferson.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is proposing to change Highway 4 through Jefferson from four lanes to three lanes, including one north and southbound lanes and a center turn lane. The meeting will take place on September 23rd from 5:30-7pm at the Greene County Community Center meeting room. Jefferson City Administrator Scott Peterson talks about the background of this project, that is with the DOT, and has no city-involvement.

“The streets committee had met with DOT several months ago about this. The DOT had approached the city as far as coordinating a potential project like this. (They) talked with the committee now a couple of different times. The committee has really been non-committal on this as a project to the point that we do want to have this public information meeting. So the DOT is coming to present this meeting, but it’s at the request of the city that they’re coming.”  

According to the DOT, the main construction for the project would be asphalt resurfacing of the highway and re-paint the pavement markings to reflect three lanes instead of four. Peterson notes that nothing has been finalized with this project.

“Just also knowing that the DOT has introduced this idea, they have not mandated this idea to the city. And we’ve asked them that question too. So if the city is to say, ‘Nope we’re not interested right now. Will you basically force this to happen?’ And they’re assured us that they would not.”     

People can submit their comments to DOT Assistant District Engineer Jeremey Vortherms via email at jeremey.vortherms@iowadot.us or to city hall. The DOT adds that the public who can not attend the in-person meeting can click here to see it virtually and submit comments.