Developer Bucky Wolford has announced his plans for a “lifestyle mall” at the intersection of 13th Street and Interstate 35. I have calculated some estimates — being careful to avoid overstating the costs to the people of Ames and to include all related revenues.

According to Wolford’s traffic study, the number of trips to the mall would be 9,965 per day. Rounding that to 10,000, and assuming 360 days, because the lifestyle center/interstate mall would be closed for some holidays, this means people in Ames will make 3.6 million trips per year.

The Internal Revenue Service reimburses people 36 cents per mile. A round-trip distance from 13th Street and Duff Avenue to a likely entrance to the lifestyle center/mall is about 4.4 miles.

That means each trip would cost $1.58. Given that Wolford projects 3.6 million trips by people in Ames, then annual vehicle costs would equal about $5.7 million.

The average hourly wage in Story County is $15.20, according to Iowaworkforce.com. The approximate time to travel the 4.4 miles is 8 minutes. The cost in lost time per trip is therefore $2.02.

Assuming as Wolford does that residents will make 3.6 million trips, that comes to $7.3 million.

CyRide’s Web site shows that to avoid any decline in current bus service and extend service to the mall, the annual operating cost would be $842,700. The three costs total $13.8 million.

Estimated property tax at the interstate mall/box center would be $1.9 million. Taxes lost from North Grand are $823,000, leaving a net estimated increase of $1.1 million.

The increase in sales at the mall/box center over sales at North Grand will be $60 million at the most. The local option sales tax is 1 percent of that — $600,000. The Ames portion of the county school tax is $258,000.

Thus, the net cost to taxpayers in Ames is $11.8 million.

If you are as concerned as I am, it is not too late.

Contact the mayor and City Council now.

Pam Sargent

Resident

Ames