Relating to project design standards and specifications, including by providing for a statewide urban design and specifications board and requiring certain reports to city councils regarding noncompliant projects. Vetoed 6-2-26

Description

Senate File 2394 establishes the Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) Board within the Department of Transportation (DOT). The SUDAS Board is required to develop statewide urban design standards and specifications, which may include soliciting recommendations from the Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University (ISU). The Bill designates SUDAS Board members from the DOT and various private entities and states that Board members will serve without compensation and are not eligible to receive expense reimbursement. The SUDAS Board is required to publish on DOT’s website recommended manuals and cost estimates that may be incurred by implementing SUDAS changes. The Bill requires a county or city that approves a project plan that does not comply with the SUDAS manuals to pay any additional costs for projects resulting from noncompliance. A property owner cannot be assessed any costs relating to projects on or adjacent to the owner’s property that result from the county’s or city’s noncompliant plan.

The Bill provides that the SUDAS Board does not dissolve under Iowa Code section 4A.5.

Background

In 1995, the Governor assembled a task force on transportation to investigate ways to use Iowa’s Road Use Tax Fund more efficiently. One of the task force’s recommendations was that agencies “adopt common standards for construction specifications.” In 1998, the Central Iowa Committee published its design standards and specifications. As the Central Iowa Committee expanded, it was renamed the SUDAS Board. A statewide steering committee comprised of various stakeholder groups, including the DOT, cities, counties, and consultant and industry groups, was organized in 2002 to oversee the new SUDAS program. ISU maintains Iowa’s SUDAS manuals for public improvements and publishes recommendations on iowasudas.org. The ISU Institute of Transportation currently provides annual support totaling $125,000 per year and receives $450,000 per year from the DOT for administering the SUDAS program.

Assumptions

• The DOT would be responsible for managing and administering SUDAS rather than ISU.
• The DOT anticipates it will need 2.0 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, a Transportation Engineer Administrator and a Transportation Engineer Specialist, to manage SUDAS.
• The estimated annual cost of 1.0 Transportation Engineer Administrator is $126,000.
• The estimated annual cost of 1.0 Transportation Engineer Specialist is $105,000.
• ISU estimates a loss of revenue of $450,000 from the DOT due to SUDAS being administered by the DOT.

Fiscal Impact

The DOT estimates requiring an additional 2.0 FTE positions at an estimated $231,000 annually to administer the program. In addition, the ISU Institute for Transportation is anticipating a loss of revenue totaling $450,000 due to the DOT administering SUDAS and will reduce expenses for administrative support by $125,000 per year.

Sources

• Board of Regents
• Department of Transportation