The Great Siouxland Trail Exploration 2023
Get outside this summer to explore the Sioux City Metro trail system and the many cultural landmarks. Join the Great Siouxland Trail Exploration summer challenge to see how many trail segments you can walk, run, bike, or roll. The more trail segments or landmarks visited, the more raffle entries earned. At the end of the summer, there will be a raffle drawing to win prizes donated by local businesses. Participants will also have access to special discounts from sponsoring businesses along the trail system.
This summerlong challenge begins on Friday, May 26th, and ends Tuesday, September 5th. To sign up, download the GooseChase App on your phone, and use join code 6XVB4K or search in the app for “The Great Siouxland Trail Exploration”. Participation is free.
In the app, participants will be able to keep track of how many trail segments and sites they have visited and see a live leaderboard to compete with other participants.
The purpose of this challenge is not only to provide a healthy and fun activity for Siouxland residents and their families throughout the summer, but also to encourage residents to explore the growing network of trails in the metro area. Our trail system continues to grow and connect to more communities, businesses, and attractions each year.
This event was created by SIMPCO’s Bicycle-Pedestrian Roundtable, whose members include:
Albrecht Cycle Shop, City of Sergeant Bluff, City of Sioux City, City of North Sioux City, City of South Sioux City, Dakota Dunes, Downtown Partners, Iowa DOT, Nebraska DOT, Scheels, Sioux City Community School District, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Siouxland Cyclists, Siouxland District Health Department, Siouxland Trails Foundation, South Dakota DOT, and Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO).
Questions can be directed to:
Corinne Erickson, Regional Planner
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO)
712-279-6286 · corinne@simpco.org
Erin Berzina, Regional Planning Director
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO)
712-279-6286 · erinb@simpco.org
Michelle Pick, Educator
Sioux City Schools Career Academy
Mpick712@gmail.com
Bob DeSmidt, Vice Chair
Sioux City Active Transportation Advisory Committee
iabikehawk@gmail.com
Monona County Barge Access Road ribbon cutting ceremony on June 15, 2023, at 3:30 p.m.
Monona County, Monona County Economic Development Partnership, and Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new Barge Access Road Project on Thursday, June 15 at 3:30 p.m.
The event will be open to the public and held at the project site. To access the project site, please take I-29 Exit 29 (Blencoe) and travel west 1.5 miles. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be near the Huff-Warner Access Area.
This project was funded through a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) FY 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Program and Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) Program. Federal and state funds assisted in the construction and pavement of the new roadway allowing access to the newly constructed Port of Blencoe, a barge loading and unloading terminal on the Missouri River, which serves as a gateway to the world markets. The completion of this roadway will aid in future economic development activities for Monona County and the Siouxland region.
Speakers include: Jon Winkel and Michelle Bostinelos, SIMPCO; Charles Persinger, Monona County Economic Development; Vince Phillips, Monona County Supervisors; Mitch Dillavou, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Angela Belden Martinez, U.S. Economic Development Administration.
SIMPCO Metropolitan Planning Organization & Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP)
The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA) are in the process of developing the DRAFT FY 2024 – 2027 Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP) with approval scheduled for June 22, 2023, for the SRTPA and June 29, 2023, for the SIMPCO MPO.
The SIMPCO MPO area includes Sioux City and Sergeant Bluff in Iowa; Dakota City and South Sioux City in Nebraska; and Dakota Dunes, North Sioux City and Jefferson, South Dakota. It also includes portions of Woodbury and Plymouth County, Iowa; Dakota County, Nebraska; and Union County, South Dakota.
The SRTPA area includes the rural portions of Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida, and Monona counties in Iowa.
The TIP is a four-year listing of transportation projects which are to be funded using State and Federal transportation dollars; this includes interstate, highway and street improvements as well as trails and transit improvements. The Draft FY 2024 – 2027 TIPs for both the SIMPCO MPO and the SRTPA are now available for public comment. The documents can be viewed at SIMPCO (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA). The documents can also be viewed on the SIMPCO website at:
SIMPCO MPO: click here
SRTPA: click here
SIMPCO staff will be holding a Public Input Meeting as an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the Draft FY 2024 – 2027 TIPs on June 13, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. This meeting will be held at SIMPCO (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA).
Please submit all comments on the Draft FY 2024 – 2027 TIPs to Michelle Bostinelos, Executive Director, SIMPCO: (712) 279-6286 or by email to mbostinelos@simpco.org by June 21, 2023.
SIMPCO Public Input Meetings are open to all individuals. Any person with a special need requiring reasonable accommodation to participate in a public input meeting should contact the SIMPCO office at (712)-279-6286 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.
SIMPCO Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Amendment
The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is in the process of amending the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan with approval scheduled for June 29, 2023. The Long-Range Transportation Plan is a guiding document of information on existing transportation-related systems and to project future needs based on locally derived goals, and objectives to support growth in the region. The amendment includes:
- Westside Trail in South Sioux City needs to be programmed for a total estimated cost of $1,417,500 with $437,400 Federal participation (TAP) in the FY2021-2024 time band. (Addition)
The proposed amendment is now available for public comment. The 2045 LRTP amendment can be viewed at SIMPCO or on the SIMPCO website: https://simpco.org/divisions/transportation-planning/long-range-transportation-plans-lrtp/
On request, SIMPCO can provide a hard copy of the document, or it may be viewed at the SIMPCO office: 1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA
SIMPCO staff will be holding a Public Input Meeting as an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the proposed 2045 LRTP amendment on June 13, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. This meeting will be held at SIMPCO (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA).
Please submit all comments on the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan amendment to Michelle Bostinelos, Executive Director, SIMPCO: (712) 279-6286 or by email at mbostinelos@simpco.org. The public comment period ends on June 21, 2023.
SIMPCO MPO Public Input meetings are open to all individuals. Any person with special needs requiring reasonable accommodation to participate in a Public Input meeting should contact the SIMPCO office at 712-279-6286 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.
The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA), and Siouxland Regional Transit System (SRTS) Draft Public Participation Plan
The SIMPCO Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA), and Siouxland Regional Transit System (SRTS) are in the process of developing the Draft Public Participation Plan (PPP) with approval scheduled for June 22, 2023, for SRTPA and SRTS and June 29, 2023 for the MPO. The PPP describes the public participation activities SIMPCO staff will undertake during the development of the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, the Transportation Planning Work Program, the Passenger Transportation Plan, Public Participation Plan and fare increases and service changes for SRTS. The document can be viewed at SIMPCO: 1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA 51105 or on the SIMPCO website at: http://simpco.org/divisions/transportation-planning/public-participation-process-ppp/
A hard copy of the document will also be available upon request.
The SIMPCO MPO planning area includes the Sioux City Metro: Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, portions of Woodbury Co., and portions of Plymouth Co. in Iowa; South Sioux City, Dakota City, and portions of Dakota County in Nebraska; and North Sioux City, Dakota Dunes, Jefferson and portions of Union Co. in South Dakota.
The SRTPA planning area includes the rural portions of Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida and Monona counties in Iowa.
The SRTS service area includes the rural portions of Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida and Monona counties in Iowa and Dakota County, Nebraska.
SIMPCO will be holding a Public Input Meeting on June 13, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM at the SIMPCO office (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City). This will give the public an opportunity to view the Draft PPP and provide SIMPCO staff with valuable comments.
Please submit all comments on the Draft PPP on or before June 21, 2023, to Ryan Brauer, Regional Planner, SIMPCO 712-279-6286 or by email at ryan@simpco.org.
The SRTPA Policy Board and SRTS Board meetings will be held on June 22, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 am in the SIMPCO conference room (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City) AND via Zoom video/conference call. The SIMPCO MPO Policy Board meeting will be held on June 29, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in the SIMPCO conference room (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City) AND via Zoom video/conference call. To participate electronically please contact SIMPCO by email at simpco@simpco.org or 712-279-6286 to obtain Zoom meeting ID and passcode.
The MPO and SRTPA Policy Board meetings are open to all individuals. Any person with a special need requiring reasonable accommodation to participate in a Policy Board meeting should contact the SIMPCO office at 712-279-6286 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting
Siouxland Regional Transit System Introduces New Partnership to Encourage Shared Rides for Commuters in Our Service Areas
Sioux City, Iowa (May 1, 2023) – As businesses in the area continue to grow and commute costs continue to increase, Siouxland Regional Transit System is creating improvements to the transit system to attract workers to the area while reducing expenses for commuters. In partnership with Commute with Enterprise, Siouxland Regional Transit System is helping to continue to provide an innovative and sustainable shared mobility option: vanpooling.
The Enterprise Commute program, established many years ago, is a coordinated vanpool program available to people who live inside or outside of the service areas of Siouxland Regional Transit System and wish to access jobs in the area. The program coordinates participants who indicate their interest through various channels such as at their jobsite or via an online portal. The program then matches riders who have similar work shifts in similar areas and who are interested in riding together. Once four or more people are matched, a Commute with Enterprise representative will contact the group to begin working out the details. Commute with Enterprise then provides a 7-15 passenger vehicle, insurance, maintenance, and ongoing support. Each vanpool is customized to the specific needs of its four or more vanpoolers.
“Our new partnership with Enterprise allows Siouxland Regional Transit System to support the vanpool program and employment needs of local businesses in our community. The vanpool program will be partially subsidized by Siouxland Regional Transit System using local, state, and federal grant funds. The remaining cost is split among the employer and/or participants, with each vanpool rider paying a set fee per month. Enterprise will provide coordination services and technology, vehicles, liability insurance, scheduled vehicle maintenance, and 24-hour roadside assistance, as well as best practices for cleaning and Complete Clean Starter Kits for new Commuters.
Participants can choose a qualifying vanpool vehicle from Enterprise’s selection of makes and models, including crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and large passenger vans. Vanpoolers may choose to upgrade their vehicles with optional high-end features such as satellite radio and in-vehicle Wi-Fi service.
People who commute to or from the service areas of Siouxland Regional Transit System and are interested in joining the program can visit:
https://simpco.org/divisions/siouxland-regional-transit-system/ and click on landing page link: https://www.commutewithenterprise.com/content/commute/en/partners/SRTS.html
For more information, contact Brian Pearson with Siouxland Regional Transit System at BPearson@simpco.org or Abby Wilcox with Commute with Enterprise at abigail.e.wilcox@ehi.com.
The Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA) FY 24 Transportation Planning Work Program
Both the SIMPCO MPO and the SRTPA are in the process of developing the Draft FY 2024 Transportation Planning Work Programs (TPWP) with approval scheduled for the MPO on May 4, 2023 and May 25, 2023 for the SRTPA. The TPWP describes the transportation planning activities staff will undertake during the next fiscal year. Each major activity is described in detail to include the task, objective, previous work, project description, future products, and budgets on each activity. Draft FY 2024 TPWPs are now available for public comment. The documents may be viewed at SIMPCO: 1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City IA 51105. The documents may also be viewed on the SIMPCO website: https://simpco.org/divisions/transportation-planning/transportation-planning-work-programs-tpwp/
The SIMPCO MPO planning area includes the Sioux City Metro: Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, portions of Woodbury Co., and portions of Plymouth Co. in Iowa; South Sioux City, Dakota City, and portions of Dakota County in Nebraska; and North Sioux City, Dakota Dunes, and portions of Union Co. in South Dakota.
The SRTPA planning area includes the rural portions of Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida and Monona counties in Iowa.
Please submit all comments on the Draft FY 2024 TPWPs on or before April 30, 2023 to Erin Berzina, Regional Planning Director, SIMPCO 712-279-6286 or by email at erinb@simpco.org
The SIMPCO MPO Policy Board meeting will be held on May 4, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. in the SIMPCO conference room (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City) AND via Zoom video/conference call. The SRTPA Policy Board meeting will be held on May 25, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. in the SIMPCO conference room (1122 Pierce Street, Sioux City) AND via Zoom video/conference call. To participate electronically please contact SIMPCO by email at simpco@simpco.org or 712-279-6286 to obtain Zoom meeting ID and passcode.
The MPO and SRTPA Policy Board meetings are open to all individuals. Any person with a special need requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in a Policy Board meeting should contact the SIMPCO office at 712-279-6286 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.