Funding not yet in place for N14 upgrade

Sac County Engineer Ron Haden attended the highway 20 association meeting on Friday
January 15, 2010. At that meeting he spoke with Iowa DOT District 3 Engineer Tony Lazarowicz and passed what he learned on to the Sac County Supervisors at their regular meeting on January 19, 2010.

Mr. Haden learned that the state intends to let the grading for the Highway 20 bypass for the
section between N28 and N14 IN 2010.

He also learned that the paving for the Highway 20 bypass between Highway 4 and N14 will be let in 2011 and is to be completed by the fall of 2012.

Lastly, they will be letting the grading from N14 to Early in 2010, with the paving to be let in 2012
hopefully ending with the completion and opening scheduled for the fall of 2013.

Mr. Haden noted that this all depends on "How funding continues to flow." Sac County Supervisor Rick Hecht remarked that he saw a report out of one of the Sioux City news outlets that suggested that the money would not be there and asked if it was Mr. Haden's impression that Mr. Lazarowicz felt differently. Mr. Haden's answer was that Lazarowicz did not say anything about the funding.

Mr. Haden remarked that there is another $3.2 million in stimulus money that is anticipated from the Federal Government. He said that if approved, that money could be applied towards the
Highway 20 bypass, but that he doesn't actually know what the possibilities will be until after he
meets with the Region XII Council of Governments to get a clarification. There is some confusion regarding the stimulus money and whether the project actually has to have people on the ground working, or if it merely needs to be under contract in order to qualify.

Mr. Haden also reported that funding has yet to be approved for upgrading N14 between the bypass and the highway currently named Highway 20.* The N14 upgrade could include a widening of the shoulders for the entire length of that section, and moving the centerline of at least a segment of that highway to the East which will require a complete reconstruction. Mr. Haden speculated that this easterly move is being contemplated to avoid having to purchase nearby property containing buildings.

*In Webster County, "Old 20" is now called "D20".




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