Iowa mixmaster project has a $70M shortfall

Southwest Mixmaster's proposed replacement project is about $70 million underfunded, which could spell a delay to its anticipated 2026 construction start.

Why it matters: The partial cloverleaf interchange, which connects I-235, I-80 and I-35 in West Des Moines, is outdated and operates poorly, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

• A delay would extend safety hazards and could affect the region's economic development, WDM Mayor Russ Trimble, tells Axios.

Driving the news: Most of the $114 million project remains unfunded .

• The DOT in May applied for a federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant for nearly $69 million. Federal award announcements are expected this fall.

Catch up fast: The interchange was constructed in the 1960s, when daily traffic was around 28,000 vehicles.

• There are now more than 75,000 daily vehicles, often making the short merge sections between some of the loops congested and difficult to navigate.

By the numbers: Nearly 1,000 crashes were reported in the mixmaster between 2018 and 2022, roughly about 2% of all crashes in Polk County during that time, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).

• The interchange also carried 155,000 tons of freight in 2017 with more growth projected, per the DOT.

State of play: The department unveiled plans last year to remove one of the cloverleaf exchanges and add two flyover bridges, like the Urban Loop in Urbandale.

• Construction would proceed in stages, with full completion expected by 2029.

What they're saying: If the grant request is unsuccessful, the DOT's Transportation Commission could consider reallocating money from other projects or seek other grants, Charlie Purcell, the DOT deputy director, tells Axios.

Stunning stat: Iowa DOT averaged 84 federal-aid projects for bridges and highways between federal fiscal years 2018 and 2023, totaling $677 million annually.

What's next: Trimble says he's working with other metro leaders to organize a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal mixmaster funding.