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Point 7: Safety and accident record

Point 7 provides a general review of the Iowa high within the corporate limits of Belle Plaine, The least-safe portions of the Byway are the
Valley Scenic Byway’s safety and accident Tama, and Marengo, where the Byway follows segments through Marengo, Belle Plaine,
record to identify any correctable faults in heavily-trafficked streets through these towns, and Tama, where local and commercial traffic
highway design, maintenance, or operation. particularly in Belle Plaine. Between the major leads to increased congestion and accident
Annual average daily traffic volume data, population centers, on the rural highways, risk. High traffic volumes in the Amana
obtained from the Iowa Department of traffic volumes are typically between 647 and Colonies, in part, reflects their popularity as
Transportation, are summarized as follows. 1,672 vehicles per day. tourist and visitor destinations, but also are
inflated by commuter traffic, particularly from
Traffic volume is highly variable, ranging from According to data from the Iowa Department of the Whirlpool appliance factory in Middle
647 vehicles per day between Tama and Transportation for the ten year period 2001– Amana. Most of the traffic entering the Amana
Chelsea (14.5 mi), to 4,956 vehicles a day 2010, about 146 vehicle accidents per year loop, both visitor and commuter, is via U.S.
on the 16-mile loop that connects six of the have occurred along the Byway. Highway 151, which leads northeast to Cedar
Amana Colonies. Byway traffic volume is also
Rapids and south to I-80, and U.S. Highway 6,
which leads southeast to Iowa City/Coralville.

Traffic Volume, Iowa Valley Scenic Byway.

Annual Daily
Segment Mileage
Traffic Count
Accidents, 2001–2010.
1. US 30 to Montour 800 1.5
2. Montour corporate limits 788 0.9 Severity Number
3. Montour to Tama 699 6.5
4. Tama corporate limits 3,805 2.2 Fatal 13
5. Tama to Chelsea 647 14.5 Major Injury 43
6. Chelsea corporate limits 766 1.0
7. Chelsea to Belle Plaine 1,126 5.1 Minor Injury 109
8. Belle Plaine corporate limits 3,081 1.9 Possible or Unknown 119
9. Belle Plaine to Marengo 1,465 13.9
10. Marengo corporate limits 3,101 3.5 Property Damage Only 1,177
11. Marengo to South Amana 3,363 4.7 Total Crashes 1,461
12. Marengo to West Amana 1,672 6.6
13. Amana loop 4,956 15.9