State's 5-year plan focuses on maintenance
8:15 AM
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The Iowa Department of Transportation's proposed five-year highway construction plan focuses on repairs and finishing existing projects.
The $2 billion plan that covers 2008 through 2012 does not include any new projects.
Nancy Richardson, the transportation agency's director, said she was disappointed that the Legislature did not approve any new money for the program, but notes that the plan offers a balanced budget
"We haven't been able to advance any major projects or put anything in, but the program will spend the money that we have, not the money that we wished for," Richardson said.
The Iowa Transportation Commission will consider the plan on June 12.
It includes the completion of a four-lane highway between Des Moines and Burlington by late 2008. It also includes completing a four-lane expressway between Sioux City and the Minnesota border this year.
An average of $310 million will be spent annually on maintenance and preservation of the state's highways, said Jon Ranney, the agency's highway program manager. That will include work on interstate highways in Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Iowa City.
The Interstate 235 project through Des Moines remains on schedule to be finished this year.
The program also includes $100 million for a U.S. Highway 61 bypass around Fort Madison in southeast Iowa, a $65.8 million bypass on U.S. Highway 30 around Tama and Toledo, and nearly $74 million for a four-lane project on U.S. Highway 20 in Webster and Calhoun counties.
On the Net: Iowa Department of Transportation: www.iowadot.gov.
Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
AP-CS-05-10-07 0107EDT
The $2 billion plan that covers 2008 through 2012 does not include any new projects.
Nancy Richardson, the transportation agency's director, said she was disappointed that the Legislature did not approve any new money for the program, but notes that the plan offers a balanced budget
"We haven't been able to advance any major projects or put anything in, but the program will spend the money that we have, not the money that we wished for," Richardson said.
The Iowa Transportation Commission will consider the plan on June 12.
It includes the completion of a four-lane highway between Des Moines and Burlington by late 2008. It also includes completing a four-lane expressway between Sioux City and the Minnesota border this year.
An average of $310 million will be spent annually on maintenance and preservation of the state's highways, said Jon Ranney, the agency's highway program manager. That will include work on interstate highways in Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Iowa City.
The Interstate 235 project through Des Moines remains on schedule to be finished this year.
The program also includes $100 million for a U.S. Highway 61 bypass around Fort Madison in southeast Iowa, a $65.8 million bypass on U.S. Highway 30 around Tama and Toledo, and nearly $74 million for a four-lane project on U.S. Highway 20 in Webster and Calhoun counties.
On the Net: Iowa Department of Transportation: www.iowadot.gov.
Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
AP-CS-05-10-07 0107EDT
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