WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that Iowa will receive $6,064,150 for highway related projects. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration. Harkin is a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the DOT.
“Highway improvements are crucial to improve infrastructure and promote travel throughout Iowa,” Harkin said. “These programs are essential investments to bringing more travelers to our state.”
Details of funding listed below:
I-35 Grade and Replace from Warren County Line to I-80/I-235 – $3,750,000
Funding for the project will reconstruct I-35 over the 4.8 mile length from a 4-lane to 6-lane configuration, a median with concrete barrier rail, intakes, and storm sewer. It will also be used to resurface, restore, rehabilitate and reconstruct a 2.2 mile stretch from the Raccoon River to West Des Moines.
Rest Area at Louisa Interpretive Center site – $160,000
This National Scenic Byways Program funding will provide a rest stop for travelers on the Great River Road. A trail, footbridges, and interpretive panels will be constructed at the site of the future Louisa Interpretive Center. These project benefits byway travelers by offering a place to stop; get out of the car (or off the bike) for a brief walk to learn about the natural resources of Louisa County.
Slattery Bridge on Victor Avenue north of 190th Street – $300,000
This project will replace an existing bridge on Victor Ave., north of 19th St, in Buchanan County. The replacement will use a more efficient and innovative structure supported on a Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) abutments, which are supported by the Federal Highway Administration’s Every Day Counts initiative.
Great River Road, Bee Branch Creek Mississippi River Trail – $1,000,000
This project will create a one-mile off road bike/hike trail section of the Mississippi River Trail through Dubuque. The Bee Branch Creek Mississippi River Trail Route provides an off-road multimodal link to regional trails and the Mississippi River Trail, offering spectacular views of the Dubuque area’s scenic wooded limestone bluffs and Mississippi River Valley. The project interprets the historic, cultural, and archaeological resources of transforming the 100-year-old Bee Branch sewer into a natural, open creek.
Leopold Property Acquisition – $365,000
Funds from this project will be used to purchase and preserve a unique 235-acre property in southeast Iowa. The property is in need of protection because of its potential for wetland and prairie restoration.
Loras College Parkway – $489,150
This project will reconstruct the Loras College roadway and create a pedestrian plaza that will serve as a model of “complete street” construction. The funding will ensure public safety and lay the foundation for Loras College to add retail, parking, a transportation hub and a Veteran’s Memorial into a neighborhood in need of economic growth.
SOURCE: Office of Senator Tom Harkin
