DES MOINES – Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) announced that she secured $21,901,000 in direct funding for Iowa infrastructure improvements within the House’s surface transportation authorization legislation that advanced to the House floor June 10.
The funding secured by Axne will support projects that range from a bridge replacement in Red Oak, a Traffic Incident Management Center at Camp Dodge, and bus facility improvements for transit agencies which cover all sixteen counties of Iowa’s Third District.
“Repairing our bridges and roads, improving commuter routes, and upgrading our mass transit systems are all critical to ensuring Iowa has the infrastructure it needs to grow and thrive for decades to come,” Axne said. “This year, I had the chance to bring Iowa’s tax dollars directly back to our communities to fund the projects we need – and I’m proud to have successfully secured over 21 million dollars in improvements that will impact all 16 counties of Iowa’s Third District.”
Axne successfully pushed to include six projects for Iowa’s Third Congressional District in the legislation that authorizes spending on highway and transit projects, including:
• $700,000 for the replacement of the Red Oak Creek Bridge in Red Oak
• $7,000,000 for upgrades to the Southeast Connector connecting S.E. 30th Street to US Route 65 near Des Moines and Pleasant Hill
• $5,000,000 for bus and bus facility upgrades at the Southwest Transit Agency, Western Iowa Transit, Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency, Southwest Iowa Trolley, and the Des Moines Regional Transit Authority
• $4,880,000 for Phase 1 of construction on a Traffic Incident Management Center at Camp Dodge in Johnston
• $2,321,000 for construction of a new Regional Transit Facility for the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency in Waukee
• $2,000,000 for improvements to the Mills Civic Parkway at S. 91st Street and S. Grand Parkway in West Des Moines
Earlier this year, Axne requested funding for transportation projects from throughout the Third District and formally submitted requests for these six and other projects to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The requested projects are posted publicly on her website at axne.house.gov.
The funding secured by Axne is included in the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act, which will cover the surface transportation portion of the infrastructure negotiations occurring between both chambers of Congress and the White House and is expected to receive a vote before the full U.S. House later this month.