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