Regional Transportation Plan Adopted: Find It at Local Libraries or Online

Every dollar helps Decorah News chase down the truth on Water Street, not just headlines. Give today. WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa — On July 23, 2025, the RPA-1 Transportation Policy Board officially adopted Safe Mobility for Everyone, the region's updated Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The plan looks ahead to the year 2050 and serves as a roadmap for transportation investments and policy across the five-county RPA-1 region: Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. The LRTP emphasizes creating a safe, efficient and multimodal transportation system that meets the needs of all users—drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders—while supporting economic vitality and protecting the environment. It identifies current challenges, anticipates future needs and outlines strategies for improving roads, bridges, trails, transit and freight systems. Updating the LRTP was a collaborative effort led by UERPC with extensive stakeholder and public input. The process began with a review of the 2019 plan by the Policy Board and advisory committees. To ensure community voices were heard, UERPC deployed a regional transportation survey and hosted five public workshops, one in each county. These sessions invited residents to share priorities, identify transportation challenges, and envision ideal travel options. Additional outreach included targeted questionnaires for natural resource agencies and transportation industry stakeholders. Feedback from these efforts shaped the plan's goals and strategies, which focus on safety, accessibility, and connectivity. After a 15-day public review period, the Policy Board held a public hearing before adopting the plan. This fall, UERPC distributed bound copies of the LRTP to libraries in communities across the region, including Cresco, Decorah, Calmar, Postville, Waukon, Lansing, New Albin, Oelwein, Fayette, West Union, Elkader, Guttenberg, McGregor, Riceville and Strawberry Point. The plan is also available online at https://www.uerpc.org/transportation. Get the inside scoop! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and receive local news, expert analysis, and stories that matter most—straight to your inbox.