Aug. 22, 2003
For more information contact:
Dena Gray-Fisher
515-239-1922
dena.grayfisher@dot.state.ia.us
U.S. 20 opens from U.S. 65 to Iowa 14
AMES,
Iowa – At approximately 2 p.m. today, the Iowa Department of
Transportation will open U.S. 20 from the junction of U.S. 65 to Iowa 14. The
opening follows a special ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony.
Guests
gathered at the Steamboat Rock Schoolhouse for early morning refreshments and
viewing of displays prior to being transported by bus to U.S. 20 near the new
Iowa River Bridge for the formal ceremony.
At
the event, Governor Tom Vilsack, U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, U.S. Rep. Steve King and
Federal Highway Administration Associate Administrator Charles D. “Chip”
Nottingham shared remarks. They were joined by Floyd Magnusson, president of the
U.S. 20 Corridor Association, and Iowa DOT Director Mark Wandro. Members of the
Iowa Transportation Commission and other local officials were also present.
Iowa
River Bridge
The
Iowa River Bridge within this newly completed section of U.S. 20 spans the Iowa
River Greenbelt. It was built using a unique construction method, known as
“launching,” that minimized the impact to the environmentally-sensitive
river bottom area. Using this
technique, the bridge’s steel understructure was “launched” from the east
embankment onto a series of concrete piers until it reached the west side.
This
was the first bridge constructed using this method in the United States. The
Iowa River Bridge was named one of the top 10 bridges in the United States by a
respected industry publication.
U.S.
2
U.S.
20 has played a prominent role in the economic development of Iowa since its
construction in the early 1930s. The completion of relocated U.S. 20 through
Hardin and Grundy counties marks a major milestone in the enhancement of this
corridor by now providing Iowans with a four-lane highway from Dubuque to Fort
Dodge. Just 95 miles of U.S. 20 in western Iowa remain to be completed as a
four-lane facility.
Once
completed, the U.S. 20 four-lane corridor in Iowa will connect with Nebraska 35,
I-29, U.S. 151 in Wisconsin, and U.S. 20 in Illinois, all of which are being
expanded to four-lanes.
Although this portion
of the roadway is now open, some finish work will continue along the route.
Motorists should expect to see construction signs, contractors’ vehicles and
road workers. The work involved will be completing gaps in the right-of-way
fence, erosion control work such as seeding, watering, and mowing, and placing
some delineators and milepost markers. As in all work zones, use extra caution
when traveling in these areas.
For
more information on the U.S. 20 Corridor Association, please contact: Shirley
Phillips at 712-662-7383 or setd@pionet.net,
or Ann Trimble-Ray at 712-273-5745 or ann@heartmkt.com; for information about
the highway project contact Dena Gray-Fisher of the Iowa DOT at 515-239-1922 or
dena.grayfisher@dot.state.ia.us.
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