Farmington has been selected as one of eight Iowa communities to participate in the 2026 Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program, a prestigious initiative that will help shape the community’s transportation infrastructure and landscape identity for years to come.
The announcement, made on September 30, 2025, places Farmington alongside Albion, Dumont, Kalona, Lake Mills, Murray, Sioux Rapids, and Volga in next year’s cohort. The selection comes as the award-winning program celebrates its 30th anniversary, having worked with 269 Iowa communities since its inception in 1996.
The Community Visioning program represents a collaborative effort between the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development, and Trees Forever, an Iowa-based nonprofit environmental advocacy organization.
“To qualify for the visioning program, a community must have a population of fewer than 10,000 residents, existing transportation-related issues and a committee of volunteers willing to dedicate their time and talent to the visioning process,” explained Sandra Oberbroeckling, Community Visioning project manager and ISU Extension and Outreach program specialist.
Community Visioning integrates technical landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action, empowering local leaders to make informed decisions about their community’s landscape. The program’s goal is to create a transportation enhancement plan that reflects Farmington’s unique values and identity.
The process officially begins on November 7th, when representatives from Farmington and the other 2026 communities gather in Ames for the Iowa’s Living Roadways Annual Celebration. This kickoff event provides an opportunity to network with program sponsors, representatives from past visioning communities, and experts on community engagement and placemaking.
Past projects have resulted in tangible improvements that continue to benefit communities years after completion. Volga’s limestone entrance sign with a water feature, completed after their 2004 participation, stands as just one example of the lasting impact these visioning projects can have on a community’s identity and appeal.
As Farmington embarks on this journey, residents can look forward to being part of a planning process that has helped shape Iowa communities for three decades—a process that empowers local voices while providing professional expertise to turn community dreams into achievable realities.
For more information about Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program, contact Sandra Oberbroeckling at Iowa State University (515-294-3721, soberbr@iastate.edu) or Brad Riphagen at Trees Forever (515-370-1291, briphagen@treesforever.org).
