Policy Addressing Civil Rights/Discrimination Complaints, January 3, 2011

The Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination, as well as the State of Iowa’s Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Anti-Discrimination Policy for Executive Branch Employees (Section 2.40 of Iowa Department of Administrative Services Managers and Supervisors Manual). Federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals or groups, either in employment or in the delivery of services or benefits, on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or disability. State law prohibits discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education. Under the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965, discrimination, or different treatment, is illegal if based on race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, physical disability, mental disability, retaliation (because of filing a previous discrimination complaint, participating in an investigation of a discrimination complaint, or having opposed discriminatory conduct), age (in employment and credit), familial status (in housing and credit) or marital status (in credit). State policy requires all employees and applicants for employment in the executive branch be afforded equal access. The intent of this policy is to ensure that employment opportunities, within the executive branch of state government, are accessible to all persons, and that executive branch agencies do not discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or physical or mental disability.

Environmental Assessment: IA 12 in Mason City From S. Monroe Ave to S. Carolina Ave, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, NHSX-122-1(14)--3H-17, 2013

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This EA informs the public and interested agencies of the proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action in order to gather feedback on the improvements under consideration. Proposed Action The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are evaluating potential alternatives to improve IA 122 in the City of Mason City. IA 122/Business US 18 is a primary east-west travel route through the City that transitions from a 4- lane undivided roadway, to 2-lane one-way pairs, then back to a 4-lane undivided roadway (Figure 1-1). The Iowa DOT proposes to flatten the tight reverse curves on the east end of the project. The one-way pairs will be narrowed by eliminating on-street parking along the corridor to more clearly define travel lanes. This will serve to calm traffic flows and reduce crashes along the highway. Additionally, improvements to intersections as well as consolidating or removing access points to improve traffic operations are proposed within the project corridor. A new access road for the Mason City Fire Department on the west end of the project will allow emergency trucks better access to travel south and east. Study Area The primary area of investigation for the Project is generally bounded by IA 122 through Mason City, known locally as 5th and 6th Street Southwest from South Monroe Avenue to South Carolina Avenue. US 65, known locally as Federal Avenue, bisects the study area. At this intersection of US 65 and Iowa 122, the 5th and 6th Street SW changes to 5th and 6th St SE. For the purposes of this discussion, this area will be referred to collectively as the IA 122 corridor. The Study Area boundaries were established to allow the development of a wide range of alternatives that could address the purpose and need for the project. The Study Area is larger than the area proposed for construction activities for the Project. However, some impacts may extend beyond the Study Area; where this occurs, it will be noted and addressed in the Environmental Analysis Section (Section 5). Figure 1-1 outlines the Study Area of the proposed action.