Transportation Policies

Goal: Transportation
Provide for the efficient, safe, and cost effective movement of people, goods, and services throughout the City that expands mobility options.

A community must be accessible to people of all ages and abilities through a variety of transportation modes. Promoting the development of an effective multi modal transportation system will provide greater opportunities for residents and visitors to move throughout the community, while sustaining the small town atmosphere that gives Sioux Center its identity.

Provide a safe, convenient, and efficient roadway network incorporating and integrating other modes of travel including bicycles, pedestrians, and recreational trails.

• Complete Streets. Integrate Complete Streets infrastructure, landscape and design features strategically into street design and construction to create safe and inviting environments for all users to walk, bicycle, and use public transportation.
• Bicycle & Trails Plan. Develop a long-term plan for a bicycle and trails transportation network in strategic locations to better leverage connections and meets the needs of users. See Parks, Trails & Open Space Policies.
• Preserve Tree Canopy. Provide safe and comfortable shaded routes through preservation and replacement of tree canopy for walking and bicycling to increase use of these modes of transportation, enable convenient and active travel as part of daily activities, reduce pollution, and meet the needs of all users of the streets, including children, families, older adults, and people with disabilities.

Build a "just right"alt="transportation 2" roadway system that manages traffic congestion, provides clear alternative routes, that is well maintained, and is of a minimum size to serve projected uses and intensity of development.

• Master Plan. Develop a long-term master plan for design and implementation of a transportation network to better leverage connections and meet the needs of users.
  • Projected Traffic Volumes. Improve and maintain the existing street network to accommodate projected traffic volumes.
  • Street Hierarchy. Establish a street classification hierarchy, which identifies the function of all streets and intersections and ensures development of an efficient street system by proactively planning to preserve future rights-of-way through dedication or acquisition.
  • Level of Service. Adopt and refine level of service standards to encourage use of alternative modes of transportation while meeting state requirements.
  • Access Standards. Implement access control standards to increase efficiency and safety and adopt access management guidelines to reduce conflict between highway traffic and adjacent land uses.
  • Identify Alignments. Identify roadway alignments and necessary right-of-way, and require, if appropriate, rights-of-way to be set aside for new development.
• Preserve Scenic Character. Consider efforts to preserve scenic character of roads by protecting and replacing tree canopies; giving special consideration to capacity expansions and minimize traffic through open space areas by promoting targeted growth areas.
• Stormwater Opportunities. Coordinate roadway development with regional stormwater efforts, including detention facilities to provide multi-benefit opportunities.

Coordinate with nearby county and state systems for the extension of existing and planned roadways, specifically Highway 75.

• Highway 75 – Gateway to the City. Enhance the Highway to make it conform to higher standards than are usually applied to traditional roadways. Goals for the Highway include be safe, greener, more functional, enhance urban design character, more efficient to support adjacent uses, more appealing to pedestrians and bicyclists, and manage access.
• Roadway Design Strategy. As part of the Master Plan, investigate development of a roadway design strategy that achieves the above stated goals, service standards and enhances design character to serve future land use through development of alternative roadway sections.

Identify and prioritize future roadway improvements through the existing Capital Improvement Program.