Thursday evening, the City of Perry invited members of the community to learn more about the proposed lane conversion project on Highway 144.

Many residents filtered through La Poste during the two hour open house to discuss shifting 1st Street in Perry from four lanes to three. Members of the City Council, City staff, City Engineers Bolton and Menk, and representatives from the Iowa Department of Transportation were on hand to answer questions and address concerns of the attendees. City Administrator Sven Peterson felt they had a lot of good discussion with the citizens that stopped by, and he’s hopeful people learned a little bit more about why the City feels the lane conversion is in everyone’s best interest. Attendees were also able to fill out comment cards that the Council will review before making any official decisions.

Since being announced, the project has been met by a great deal of pushback from the community, with many people feeling it will adversely affect the traffic flow on one of Perry’s major thoroughfares. For their part, the City and the DOT have done extensive research into the benefits of a three-lane highway through town. Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn said what sold him on the project was the clear safety upgrade, which they’ve seen on the portion of the highway that’s already three lanes surrounding Willis Avenue. Anyone who still has questions or concerns about the lane conversion is encouraged to reach out to Perry City Hall at 515-465-2481.