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Letter of Support_Upgrade of US Hwy 20 to Four LanesTHE CITY OF DUBUQUE Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque All-American City 2007 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Upgrade of U.S. Highway 20 to Four Lanes DATE: April 28, 2009 City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending approval of a resolution of support for the upgrade of U.S. 20 in Illinois to four lanes. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM?jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer THE CITY OF DUBQUE Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque All-American City 2007 TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer DATE: April 27, 2009 SUBJECT: Upgrade of US Highway 20 to Four Lanes INTRODUCTION This memorandum is to request support to upgrade US Highway 20 to four lanes, particularly the Freeport Bypass and Galena Bypass. BACKGROUND The Jo Daviess/Stephenson 4-Lane 20 Association (Association) is an advocacy group of governments, individuals, and businesses that formed in the mid-1980s to promote a four-lane US 20 initiative from the west side of Freeport to the west side of Galena. A key aspect of the project is to convince states to allocate funding since the current highway is "unsafe and unsupportive of the needs of Illinois and the country". It is estimated that the total cost of the project is more than $1 billion. There has been some construction work already completed on the Freeport Bypass; the remaining one- third of the Freeport Bypass project will cost approximately $33 million to complete. It is estimated that the Galena Bypass portion will cost a total of $200 million. DISCUSSION As noted by the attached April 9, 2009 letter, the Jo Daviess/Stephenson 4-Lane 20 Association is requesting the City of Dubuque support its efforts to upgrade Highway 20, particularly the Freeport Bypass and Galena Bypass, through a resolution of support and/or a monetary contribution to its lobbying efforts. It is the intent that such support will allocate funding from the newly-proposed Illinois "Capital Bill", a public works construction program. ACTION TO BE TAKEN respectfully request that the City Council approve the attached resolution of support to update Highway 20, particularly the Freeport Bypass and Galena Bypass. cc: Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager RESOLUTION NO. 143-09 RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR °TFiE UPRAOE OF US HIGHWAY 20 TO FOUR LANES Whereas, the City of Dubuque has been informed by the organization, JDS 4- Lane 20 Association" that the State of Illinois Governor and legislature will be considering projects for its newly-proposed Capital Bill plan; and Whereas, the funding of the upgrade of US Highway 20 to four lanes, including the Freeport Bypass and Galena Bypass, should be included in its Capital Bill plan; and Whereas, the successful passage of such funding for the upgrade of US Highway 20 to four lanes, will improve the safety and traffic needs for the State of Illinois, State of Iowa, as well as the entire United States transportation system. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA: Section 1. The City of Dubuque supports the upgrade of US Highway 20 to four lanes, including the Freeport Bypass and Galena Bypass, through the State of Illinois Capital Bill plan. Passed, adopted and approved this 4tn day of May, 2009. Roy D. Buol, Mayor Attest: Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk JDS 4-LANE 20 ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 252 Galena, IL 61036 (815) 777-8180 Apri19, 2009 Mr. Roy Buol Mayor of Dubuque City Hall 50 West 13th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 Dear Mayor Buol: As you know, significant and renewed efforts have begun in an attempt to have Highway 20 included in the new Capital Bill proposed by the Governor and being considered by the State Legislature over the next few months. I am writing to request that you have the City Council of the City of Dubuque approve a Resolution endorsing the upgrade of Highway 20 to four lanes. In addition, it would be most helpful if the Resolution could include a reference to funding for completion of the Freeport Bypass and the Galena Bypass through the dollars allocated in the newly proposed Capital Bill. The actual language of the Resolution is less important than the statement of your endorsement of the upgrade of Highway 20 and, particularly, the Freeport Bypass and the Galena Bypass. As the Capital Bill is currently being considered by the legislature, it is somewhat urgent that this Resolution be approved and a copy forwarded to me at your earliest possible convenience. In that the Association has committed to a $100,000 campaign to pay the costs of lobbying and other activities with the Governor and the State Legislators, I am also requesting that your City Council consider a contribution to the Association to assist in meeting that fundraising goal. If you have any questions concerning any of the above, please do not hesitate to call me on my cell phone at (815) 275-2295. Thank you. Sincerely, JDS 4-LANE 20 ASSOCIATION BY: John W. Cox, Jr., President JWC:crm