Eight Iowa Communities Will Join Visioning Program
The Iowa Department of Transportation selected eight towns to participate in the 2027 Living Roadways Community Visioning program.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Civic
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The Iowa Department of Transportation has named eight small towns to join the 2027 Living Roadways Community Visioning program. Representatives from these communities will begin the landscape planning process at a celebration in Ames on November 5, 2026.
Why it matters
The program provides essential support for local leaders to assess and improve their town landscapes through expert-led planning. By identifying specific community goals, these municipalities can develop long-term strategies for regional growth.
A total of 275 communities have participated in the program since its inception in 1996. Participating towns must maintain a population under 10,000 residents to qualify for the initiative.
The players
Iowa Department of Transportation
This state agency oversees the planning, development, and maintenance of the transportation infrastructure and programs throughout Iowa.
Trees Forever
This nonprofit organization provides technical expertise to local committees for landscape design and environmental community planning.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
This institution provides research-based education and technical support to citizens and communities across the state of Iowa.
The details
Selected communities include Alta, Clutier, Deloit, Janesville, Manning, Marathon, State Center and Winterset. These areas will work with technical experts from Trees Forever and the Iowa State University Department of Landscape Architecture to create formal implementation plans.
Timeline
The program was originally created in 1996.
Manning participated in the visioning program in 2012 and 2016.
Communities will kick off the process in Ames on November 5, 2026.
Participating towns will undergo the visioning program in 2027.
Industry Dynamics
This selection process reflects a broader trend of state-backed technical support for small-town development and landscape management. By leveraging the expertise of Iowa State University, the program provides rural areas with professional resources typically reserved for larger urban centers.
Residents in the eight selected towns will have direct opportunities to contribute to local landscape planning sessions beginning in 2027. Community members should monitor town hall announcements for meeting dates where they can voice their goals for their municipal environment.
The takeaway
This initiative underscores the importance of institutional partnerships in rural development and landscape design. Residents can leverage these state-sponsored programs to address specific infrastructure needs and enhance the aesthetic appeal of their own local surroundings.
Further reading
For more information on local development, see Iowa Civic.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Times-Republican.
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Do you believe small towns should prioritize local landscape planning projects for their communities?
