AMES, Iowa—The Iowa Department of Transportation is proposing to acquire additional highway right of way area from Dickcissel Park in Boone County.

Dickcissel Park is located at 1799 219th Ln #1701, Boone, IA 50036. Dickcissel Park is publicly owned by the DNR and maintained by the Boone County Conservation Board. The primary functions of the park are for recreation and to provide wildlife habitat for aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial species. The Iowa DOT will acquire approximately 0.18 acre of additional highway right of way from Dickcissel Park.

Dickcissel Park has been determined to be a Section 4(f) resource and the acquisition of right of way is expected to have de minimis impact on the area.

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 was enacted as a means of protecting publicly owned parks, recreation areas, and wildlife/waterfowl refuges, as well as historic sites of local, state, or national significance from conversion to transportation uses. De minimis impacts are defined as those that, after consideration of any measure(s) to minimize harm (such as avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures), do not adversely affect the activities, features, and attributes of the Section 4(f) resource.

The public is invited to review the impacts of the proposed project on the protected activities, features, and attributes of the park by doing any of the following;

• Visiting https://www.news.iowadot.gov/pim/
• Mailing a request for information to: Madeline LaPage, Location and Environment Bureau, Iowa Department of Transportation, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010.
• Calling 515-239-1467 to request information.
• Sending an email request for information to: Madeline.Lapage@iowadot.us

The public comment period ends December 23, 2019. Comments may be submitted through the online comment form at: http://bit.ly/iowadot3062