(Holstein) — It took 60 years to complete, but northern Iowa now has a four-lane highway that stretches from the Missouri River at Sioux City all the way across the state to the Mississippi River at Dubuque. Dedication ceremonies were held Friday at Holstein for the completion of Highway 20.
Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg was the first of several dignitaries to speak about the completion of Highway 20.
Gregg says it was the passage of the fuel tax bill to make the four-lane highway a reality.
Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King says the completion of Highway 20 fills one of his long-term goals. King says he was worried when federal earmarks were discontinued, believing that it may have meant the end of federal funding for the Highway 20 project.
King says those earmarks allowed for the purchasing of right-of-way, the funding for engineering design studies, and environmental and archaeological studies which made the final 47 miles between Highway 71 and Moville, “shovel ready.” Shirley Phillips serves as the president of the Highway 20
Association. She says the Highway 20 Association became known at legislative transportation committees as a tenacious organization that wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Each of the dignitaries agree the completion of the four-lane highway will mean additional economic growth for the state.
(Holstein) — Highway 20 is now completed as a four-lane highway across the state. Dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held near Holstein on Friday. Iowa Department of Transportation Committee Member Charese Yanney
of Sioux City says she often would get frustrated when budget cuts dictated the Highway 20 project would be further delayed. However, Yanney says the completion of the four-lane transportation corridor highway will help local businesses and industries.
Yanney, who is a former Vision Iowa director believes tourism will increase to those communities along Highway 20 since the four-lane highway is now completed.
Yanney credits the passage of the increase fuel tax in securing enough funds to complete the Highway 20 project.
The Iowa D-O-T Committee member was asked when she plans to travel the new Highway 20 across the state?
There was also a “Taste of Highway 20” at the dedication ceremonies, featuring several food vendors including, Cookies BBQ Sauces, Jolly Time Popcorn, Tiefenfelter Quality Meats, Storm Lake Bakery, Palmer’s Candies, Noble Popcorn, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream offering food samples to the attendees.
