Linn County backs application for Ely Road roundabout, pledges local match if awarded

Linn County officials on Tuesday pressed ahead with plans for a roundabout at the intersection of Wright Brothers Boulevard and Ely Road, citing growing turning traffic and a pedestrian safety concern where the Cedar Valley Nature Trail crosses the road.

Garrett Redish, assistant engineer with the Linn County Road Department, told the board the county applied with the Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization for regional transportation funds and that the Road Department would provide the required local match if the grant is awarded. "We applied for funds that would be available October 2027, which means construction would be 2028," Redish said, adding the application is preliminary and approval by the MPO and federal agencies is not guaranteed.

The project was described as a relatively lower-cost safety solution intended to reduce conflict points for turning vehicles and trail users. Board members noted recent federal funding that moved projects off longer-range lists and into shorter-term consideration; one board member estimated the new federal allocation at "14 to 15,000,000," though Redish stressed project approval and final funding levels remain uncertain.

Redish said the Road Department already has funds to secure the match and that, if not selected for the 2027 funding cycle, the project could remain in MPO consideration for subsequent years without a new application. The board asked that the resolution of support and the funding-commitment language be placed on the consent agenda for the formal meeting that will follow the work session.

Next steps: the MPO will review applications and is expected to return decisions on the funding round in the months ahead; if the county’s application is selected, design and construction scheduling would follow the MPO’s award timeline.