Former Carroll Mayor and owner of Computer Concepts of Iowa, Adam Schweers was recently named President of the Highway 30 Coalition. As a dues-paying member for the past six or seven years, Schweers says he is ready to do the work necessary to help the organization and the communities along the corridor reach their goals. He wants to make sure the website and social media are up-to-date and expanded, conduct more surveys for input, set up traffic counts and environmental study money programmed into Hwy. 30 and work with legislatures statewide and federally to make sure the highway has the attention it deserves. The growth and care are of upmost importance, with an end-goal of a four-lane highway. This is a process, he says, that takes time.
Twenty-five to 30 members of the Hwy. 30 Coalition, including Schweers, will be making a trip to the State Capitol on Monday, April 4 to meet with various legislators and leaders. They are scheduled to meet with Senate Minority Leader, Bill Dix, Gov. Terry Branstad, House Minority Leader Rep. Mark Smith, Director of Iowa Economic Development Authority Debi Durham and Majority Leader Senator Mike Gronstal. The focus is on the future of Highway 30.
The major competition is that it appears the state and, DOT Director, Paul Trombino, are lobbying for lane expansion on Interstate 80. Schweers says the 10 cent gas tax has brought $220 million extra dollars to the state, and about 38 percent is allowed for corridor-related projects. The first few years of dollars will go to finish Highway 20. After that, it appears the director wants to push those dollars to 80.
Schweers is asking all businesses and individuals along Highway 30 to support the coalition by talking with their representatives and considering paying dues to become a member. Getting this project off the ground is crucial to everyone who lives or has enterprise along the corridor funding, he says. It has long been stated that a community that does not have a four-lane road within a short number of miles will not get projects from the Iowa Economic Development Authority or through companies that do site and business recruitment.
