Ames City Council | July 21, 2026

The Ames City Council held a workshop on July 21, 2026, focusing primarily on two major projects: the Duff Avenue Corridor study and the Ames Municipal Energy Center expansion. The Duff Avenue study presented long-term traffic and safety improvement concepts, including a proposed road diet converting a four-lane undivided roadway to a three-lane section with a center turn lane and shared use paths. Public feedback was mixed, with concerns about traffic delays, train crossing impacts, and emergency vehicle access. Council discussed potential alternatives and next steps, emphasizing the study's role as a guiding document for future phased implementation through the city's Capital Improvement Program. The energy project update detailed plans to add three large reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) units at a $192 million cost, with staff recommending contract awards for the engines and a transformer. Two vendor proposals were evaluated, with Wartsila recommended for a $75.8 million contract. Council was briefed on financing plans involving bonding and projected rate increases, as well as technical and maintenance considerations. No formal votes were taken during the workshop, but staff sought Council's comfort with proceeding to contract awards at the upcoming meeting. The meeting concluded with acknowledgments of staff efforts and no additional procurement actions.