Last week, representatives of Hiawatha and Marion made their way to Washington, DC, and other partners in the Cedar Rapids metro area joined virtually to meet with Congresswoman Ashley Hinson and Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley. The purpose of the visit was to promote support for the $25 million RAISE grant request to fund the remaining sections of Tower Terrace Road yet to be funded between I-380 to IA-13.
A joint application with the Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization, Linn County and the cities of Hiawatha, Marion, Cedar Rapids and Robins was submitted in April 2022 requesting $25 million of the remaining $57 million project cost. This includes the construction of three bridges – one in Marion and one in Robins supporting the only raised rail bridge and an additional traffic bridge shared by the cities of Hiawatha, Robins and Cedar Rapids.
Completion of this project will improve existing infrastructure, expand access and connectivity, increase motorist safety, and advance the overall quality of life, sustainability, and efficiency of the region. Ninety-nine letters of support were gathered in support of the application.
As was shared during the meetings, for every dollar spent, there is an estimated $18.68 benefit for the communities included in the application. The project will take pressure off existing streets like Boyson Road and East Robins Road, among others. A third east-west connection between I-380 and IA-13 would be created.
Last year, the Cedar Rapids metro was awarded $5 million in federal Community Planning Funding by Congresswoman Ashley Hinson to support the engineering and design work of the Tower Terrace Road project, bringing it one step closer to being shovel ready.