Coalition Turns Attention To Four-lane Highway 34

By Lexi Deagen

RED OAK - After a successful 21-year-long project to get the Highway 34 bridge built over the Missouri River, the Southwest Iowa Coalition (SWICO) has decided to take on a new project.

SWICO members met Jan. 15 in Red Oak to discuss steps necessary to expand about 100 miles of Highway 34 to four lanes from Glenwood to Osceola.

Iowa Department of Transportation District Engineer Troy Jerman joined the meeting to advise the coalition on the most efficient ways of getting the highway expansion into IDOT’s five-year plan. 

Jerman recommended the coalition present their idea to the IDOT commission in an open, public meeting in June.

“The first thing I would encourage the group to do is get some kind of presentation, some kind of spokesman, to the commission meeting” Jerman said. “I think you need to be creative on how you present the needs of this corridor and what it can do for the rest of the state’s corridor.”

However, Glenwood State Bank President Larry Winum, who spearheaded the bridge project, believes the most important way to get started is to find a way to raise revenue to fund the project.

“It’s all about the dollars and quite frankly, there are no dollars,” Winum said.

Transportation Day is being held Jan. 28 in Des Moines. Advocates for revenue generation for roadways in the state will meet then to discuss methods of raising funds for road repairs, bridges and other transportation work.

One idea that has sparked interest at the meeting in years’ past is a gas tax. According to Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson, a tax of 10 cents per gallon of gas would cost the average Iowa driver $7 a month.
Winum believes if you ask citizens if they would be okay with a gas tax, they would say no because they believe the money is going to the state. However, if citizens realize the tax is going back to the county to fix roads, they may support it.

While gas prices are low, Winum believes “it’s time to do something.” He wants to urge legislators to bring the idea to the floor whether they are for or against a gas tax.

“We’ve heard in the past ‘Well, gas prices are too high, this isn’t the time to do it,’” Winum said. “Well, they’re not high now.”

Members of SWICO plan on participating in Transportation Day to advocate for a way to generate revenue to fund the new long-term project, followed by a capitol visit Feb. 7 to meet with legislators.