Julien D Bridge - Hwy 20 BridgePrepared by: Michael C. Van Milli,qen Address: 50 W. 13m Street. Dubuque, IA 52001-4864
RESOLUTION NO. 251-01
Whereas, Iowa Department of Transportation highway projects are vitally
important to the development of Dubuque and in particular transportation on U.S. 20
easterly from Rockford and Chicago, in terms of an improved four-lane facility; and
Whereas, Highway 61, Highway 151, Highway 20 and Highway 52 all converge
to cross over into Illinois at the Julien Dubuque Bddge; and
Whereas, the existing U.S. 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge is near its capacity today
and is forecast to be far in excess of capacity in the City's 2020 transportation plan; and
Whereas, the Honorable Representative Jim Nussle has successfully obtained
$28 million in federal funding to construct an additional two lanes and the State of Iowa
and the State of Illinois have committed the required match; and
Whereas, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study has made
4-1aning the bridge one of their priority projects.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Dubuque strongly supports the
development of an additional two-lane bridge for U.S. 20 across the Mississippi River
and commits itself to work aggressively with Iowa's congressional delegation and the
Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation toward the additional funding for the
bridge.
Attest:
Passed, approved and adopted this 4th day of
June, 2001
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk
D U B U Q U E A R E A
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
May 18, 2001
The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Governor
State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Mohres, IA 50319
Dear Governor Vilsack:
On behalf of the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to share our organization's continued
support and commitment to the expansion of the Julien Dubuque Bridge (U.S. 20) in Dnbuque.
As you know in 1998 Congress approved and the President signed the surface transportation
reattthorization legislation (TEA-21). This legislation included $28 million in federal funds earmarked
towards the development of a four-lane U.S. Highway 20 bridge over tixe Mississippi River. Subsequent
studies have detm'rnined ttmt a two-lane structure similar to the cun'ent bridge structure should be
constructed adjacent to the Julien Dubuque Bridge.
Dubuqne is a city on the move. With the help of the state's Vision Iowa grant for the America's River
project, nearly $200 million of development along our iiverfront just north of the Julien Dubuque Bridge
will be completed in two years. An estimated 1.5 million tourists, 500,000 more than cun'ent numbers, will
visit the Dubuque area each year. As we welcome families from surrounding states and fi'om around the
world, it wiIl be necessary to get them to Dnbuque in the safest most efficient manner.
While our members understand that the feasibility, design, and environmental studies on a project of this
magnitude take considerable time, we also would appreciate knowing that the state of iowa is co~rnuitted to
seeing this project through to completion. We are asldng you to share your support of the bridge expansion
project with the Iowa Department of Transportation Commission.
I appreciate your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Chairman of the Board
The Honorable Jim Nussle
The Honorable Chares Grassley
The Honorable Tom Harkin
Iowa Department of Transportation Commission
The Honorable Terry Duggan, Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study Chair
Mr. Mike Van Milligen
770 TOWN CLOCK PLAZA P.O. BOX 705 DUBUQUE, IA 52004-0705 (319) 557-9200 FAX (319) 557-~59~
e-mai[: chamber@mwci.net web site: http://www, dubuque.org.
JIM NUSSLE
CHAIRMAN
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
Home Page Address:
COMMITTEE ON WAYS
AND MEANS
TRADE
202:225-2911
The Honorable Terry M. Duggan
Mayor
City of Dubuque
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
of toe i Initel tat s
of
~i~ta~ington. ~ 20515-1502
May 18, 200I
DISTRICT OFFICES:
TOLL FREE HOTLINE
(800) 927-5212
Dear Terry:
On May 17, 2001, I met with Mark Wandro and Dan Franklin of the Iowa Department of
Transportation to discuss transportation priorities for Iowa's Second District. As I have in the
past, I again brought up the issue of the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge with Mr. Wandro.
Attached are some observations fi:om that meeting that I wanted to pass along to you and others
who are committed to the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge project. I invite you to share my
notes with all those interested in the project.
Mayor Duggan, I know this project has been and is a priority for you, for myself, and for
the community of Dubuque. However, I am skeptical about the level of importance being given
to this project by the IDOT. I would like to suggest that you and I set up a meeung with the
Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, the Highway 20 Coalition, and any other parties interested in
the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge project as soon as possible. I think it is crucial that we
invite IDOT, discuss the importance of the project and work out a timeline that we can all agree
on.
I trust your judgonent on how best to proceed from here, but I wanted to make sure you
are aware of my meeting and that I am ready and willing to assist you in the advancement of this
project. I look forward to heating form you on how- we can make this project happen.
Sincerely,
Jim Nussle
Member of Congress
This mailing was preparecL published, and matiecl at taxpayer expense,
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER --~c~
JIM NUSSLE
CHAIRMAN
of the i Initd tate5
of epresentati
as ington. 20515-1502
May 25, 2001
DISTRICT OFFICES:
TOLL FREE HOTLINE
(800) 927-5212
Mr. Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
City of Dubuque
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
Dear Mike:
Knowing of your interest in the expansion of the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge, I
wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a letter I recently sent to the Director of the
Iowa Department of Transportation, Mark Wandro.
On May 17, 2001, I met with Mark Wandro and Dan Franklin of the Iowa Department of
Transportation to discuss transportation priorities for Iowa's Second District. As I have in the
past, I again brought up the issue of the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge with Mr. Wandro to
get his thoughts about progress and funding. Based on his responses in that meeting, I am
concemed about the level of importance being given to this project by the Iowa DOT. Attached,
please find a follow up letter to Mr. Wandro expressmg my continued support for the Highway 20
Julien Dubuque Bridge.
Mike, [ know this project has been, and is, a priority for the commuBity of Dubuque.
Please be assured that I will continue to keep you informed should further information regarding
the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge become available to me.
/s/ Jim Nussle
Member of Congress
JIM NU$$LE
CHAIRMAN
MMn'rEE ON THE BUDGET
Mr. Mark F. Wandro
Director
Iowa Department of Transportafien
800 Lincoln Way
Ames. Iowa 50010-6993
TOLL FREE HO'rUNE
E.mdl Addr~
Dear Director Wandro:
I want to take this opportunity to follow up on our meeting last week,, and to reiterate my
support for the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge project. I ask that you ensure this project is a
priority for the Iowa DOT.
At our first meeting on February 2, 2000, and again last week, I expressed my strong -_--- :: ~ ..
support for thc Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge. Expansion of the Highway 20 Julien
Dubuque Bridge has been a priority for many communities, including Dubuque, for several years
and a priority of mine since I took office in 1991. As I noted in our meetint I am concerned .
about the level of importance being given to this project by the Iowa DOT. It was disturbing tO
mc4n our recent meeting that you insisted the Highway 20 Julien Dubuque Bridge was not a . ~ ..........
priority to thc people ~nd elected officials in Dubuque let alone the communities which depend
on the improvements to Highway 20.
I have grave concerns over the lack of attention thh project is now receiving by the Iowa
DOT. The Highway 20 lulien Dubuque Bridge is anintegral part of the Highway 20 four lane
improvement project and is vital to the people of Iowa.
Thank you for your attent/on to th/s matter.
Since. ely,
UMmnber of COngress
Transportation Priorities Memorandum
TO: All Interested Parties
FR: Congressman Jim Nussle
DT: May 17, 2001
RE: Meeting with I-DOT Director Mark Wandro
******************************************************************************
After meeting on May 17z with the Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation, Mark
Wandro, it has become abundantly clear that the Highway 20 Jnlien Dubuque Bridge is not a
priority for Z-DOT. I was extremely troubled by this meeting and I wanted to make you aware of
what was discussed.
Mr. Wandro informed me that nobody he has spoken with in Dubuque has told him that
the Highway 20 JD Bridge is a priority.
He told me that the bridge is only a priority for me.
He told me that he has spoken with Mayor Duggan about transportationprojects
in Dubuque on several occasions and the bridge has never come up. He
concluded that the Mayor doesn't consider the bridge a priority. However, Mayor
Duggan has brought the bridge project up with me sev~al times.
Mr. Wandro informed me that now an additional $100 million is needed before this
bridge can be built.
· There were no prol ections or estimates on when the bridge will be complete and
no new cost estimates presented but Mr. Wandro informs me that it will cost an
additional $100 million.
· There was $28 million provided under the High Priority Projects of the TEA-21
Act, passed in 1998, specifically designated for the Highway 20 JD Bridge.
· This was the only bridge project in Iowa included in TEA-21. It is my
understanding that I-DOT now has put this project behind bridges in the
Quad-Cities, Lansing and Clinton.
· TEA-21 provided Iowa with a 42.8% increase in gas tax formula funds it would
have not received otherwise - yet I-DOT feels that they need more federal money
for completion of the bridge.
I asked Mr. Wandro for a time-line on the Highway 20 JD Bridge project and he said that
he couldn't give me one.
Obtaining the $28 million for the bridge took a lot of hard work, not just mine, but the work of
Mayor Duggan, Senator Grassley, Sister Catherine Dunn, and a host of others. It is clear that you
and I, and all those interested in seemg this project completed, are not being heard and are going
to need to work together. I strongly suggest that we get all interested parties, including Mr.
Wandro, together to discuss the future of the Highway 20 JD Bridge project.