Sioux City, IA – In his ongoing effort to improve transportation for western Iowans, U.S. Congressman Steve King (IA-05) today urged the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) Commission to make western Iowan transportation projects a priority.

At the IDOT Commission meeting, King spoke on the importance of a four-lane Highway 20 to Northwest Iowa.

“The western third of Iowa is number one in biodiesel, number two in ethanol and in the top ten for wind energy production,” said King. “That means more grain on the road, more livestock being moved in to consume the dried distillers grains and more resources being shipped to support the growing energy industries.”

Since he was a state senator, King has pushed to four-lane the last ninety miles of Highway 20 that remain two lanes.

“I often tell my wife if I die before it’s finished, just put me in a box and drive me down four-lane Highway 20. I want to be at the ribbon cutting,” King added.

King also spoke about the importance of opening the Council Bluffs area through the airport expansion project and a U.S. 34 Bridge to connect Southwest Iowa to the metropolitan Omaha area.

“Transportation issues are a critical component of economic development for western Iowa. New technologies, new knowledge and new ways of doing business are propelling industries all across Iowa’s economic landscape to achieve even stronger growth and prosperity.  As the economy grows, the transportation system must grow with it and work even better to provide essential mobility to people and products,” said King.

King has worked to bring federal funding to these projects since he has been in Congress. In appropriations bills for fiscal year 2007, he was successful in securing $500,000 for the Highway 20 project, $1,000,000 for the U.S. 34 Bridges and $1,000,000 for the Council Bluffs Airport. This is in addition to securing funds in other appropriations bills and ensuring the projects’ inclusion in the long-term authorization bill.