During the closing remarks at last week’s Carroll Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum, Peter Leo, who is running against Republican incumbent, Brian Best, for the District 12 seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, made a bold statement.
Best was not given a chance to rebut the comment made, but says what was missing is a history and the facts about the process it takes to four-lane any highway in the state. He says Highway 20 has taken at least 60 years to be completed, and you cannot start four-laning another highway until the state is done working on the current one. Best has been working with the Highway 30 Coalition and provided them the opportunity to discuss their proposal with state legislators.
Best says the estimated cost of four-laning a highway is about a million dollars per mile.
He adds that there is a little bit of naiveté to believe that a project of this scope could be started and completed in just four years. Discussions with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) have been positive about supporting the need, but the first part of the state to be considered will be the western edge as Missouri Valley has been identified as the most urgent need. Living on Highway 30 and owning a business in Carroll, Best says the section between Glidden and Carroll is a high-traffic area as well, and would greatly benefit from the expansion, not only from a travel perspective.
Changes in the leadership at the Iowa DOT have also pointed to more likelihood that Highway 30 will gain the attention it needs.
Best says he looks forward to work beginning on Highway 30, but says if it goes the way of the latest project, the completion may not be realized yet in his lifetime. Highway 20 was just recently completed and a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held this coming Friday, Oct. 19.
