2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY LAND USES A well planned and designed transportation system is essential to the overall growth and development of Spencer. The city’s street system and modes of transportation play an integral role in the movement of people, goods and services within the community and from city to city. This is no more evident than the bisecting of the community by the Highway 18/71 corridor which transports more than 15,000 vehicles daily along portions of this traveled arterial. Furthermore, the four-lane divided Highway 71 from the junction of Highway 18 west on the north side of Spencer to the Iowa Great Lakes region of Dickinson County provides significant transportation access for hundreds of thousands of tourists and visitors to the region to easily access commercial, retail, cultural, entertainment and recreational amenities provided in Spencer. Spencer is also fortunate to capitalize upon and sustain other modes of transportation in the community such as the Northwest Iowa Regional Airport for air service along with the Canadian Pacific rail line through Spencer that provides rail service for the transportation of raw materials and finished goods. It is not expected in the foreseeable future that new major arterial routes or other modes of transportation will be added, but existing transportation modes and infrastructure must continually be updated and improved. Spencer’s most recent major infrastructure project was the completion of the west beltway around the west side of the community. This two lane and three lane roadway was built new from 11 th Street SW west of Spencer north to West 4 th Street. From there, street improvements and the addition of a third turning lane were added between West 4 th Street and West 18 th Street which runs parallel to Spencer’s industrial parks. From West 18 th Street north to Highway 18, the beltway project consisted of an overlay of an existing roadway and expansion of the shoulders. The most significant part of the west beltway project was completion of an expansive bridge over the Ocheyedan River west of the current city limits.

Photos of transportation and utility uses in Spencer

Highway 18/71 corridor in south Spencer (above left) Northwest Iowa Regional Airport (above right) Spencer Water tower (top) Spencer Municipal Utilities Offices (bottom)

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NW Iowa Planning & Development