Pole Line Road signs spark questions from readers

(Last Wednesday's story about the signs along Pole Line Road has led to questions from three different readers)

--Gert e-mails: "It would have been nice if in this story there was a photo of the signs the story is about that are located on Pole Line Road."

--Mr. Answer Person says: "OK, you caught us.  It was REALLY cold that day!  But you're right, so here are photos of the sign.

--Harold e-mails: "First of all, how much did the signs cost "completely"? Not just the sign itself but the labor, fuel, tools, etc. it took the worker/workers to put them up?  Second, when did the gas tax increase take effect?  It was only passed in February of 2015.  Everyone knows that funding for any construction project needs to be in place long before it actually starts."

--Mr. Answer Person says: "The two signs cost $1,600.  However, the signs are designed to be reusable and will be put up along future road construction routes. 

Winneshiek County supervisors and the Winneshiek County Engineer wanted to put up the signs for two reasons--first, because of comments from some county residents that they didn't think the road use tax increase was making much of a difference (decorahnews.com reported earlier that the gas tax hike will result in an additional $898,291 in state funds for Winneshiek County).  Secondly, the Iowa Legislature when it passed the bill authorizing the higher gas tax also included a measure in the legislation requiring the Iowa DOT, with help from counties, to show how the money was used.

The higher gasoline tax went into effect March 1st of 2015.  At that time, Winneshiek County had federal funding in place to pay a good share of the cost of resurfacing Pole Line Road.  But it did not qualify under state rules for state DOT funding until the revenue from the higher gas tax starting coming in.  Winneshiek County Engineer Lee Bjerke says about the Pole LIne Road project, "The gas tax increase made that go."

--Dan e-mailed five questions similar to Harold's:
1.  Only 28 percent of the 'new gas tax' goes to road repair- - 72 percent was earmarked for new construction, mostly in central Iowa.   (The gas tax increase resulted in an additional $898,291 in state funds for Winneshiek County)

2.  The Pole Line Road resurfacing was budgeted long before the 'new gas tax' went into effect.  (Federal funds were in place, but the project had not qualified for state funds)

3. A large portion of funding for this project is from 'farm to market' road funds, which originate from the Federal gas tax.  (Federal funds were in place, but the county had not qualified for state funds)

4. The sign is misleading and very political...What's next--putting up signs after a snowstorm saying "plowing of this road is paid for by your gas tax?"  (See the answers to Harold's questions)

5.  Who ordered the signs--the Ia DOT or Winneshiek Engineer?  (The county board and the Winneshiek County Engineer approved the signs)

For more on the gas tax increase's impact on Winneshiek County, visit
http://www.decorahnews.com/archived-stories/2015/11/12336.html

The sign will be moved from project to project

Parts of the sign are bolted on--so they can be replaced by other messages in the future