State D.O.T. leaders say they’re making progress toward completing Highway 20, what promises to become one of Iowa’s main east-west corridors. Iowa Department of Transportation District 3 Engineer Tony Lazarowicz said the new four lane right of way in Webster and Calhoun Counties is nearing completion.

Paving will begin in 2010 and conclude by the end of the calendar year. He also said bids have been let and contracts awarded for the grading of four lane U.S. 20 in western Calhoun and eastern Sac Counties to U.S. 71 at Early.

Grading for the segment from Iowa Highway 4 to County Road N-14 east of Sac City will begin next year with paving planned for 2011 and 2012 when it will finally open to traffic. The grading work from N-14 to U.S. 71 will begin in 2011 with paving to follow. The plans call for this segment of traffic to open at the end of 2013.

While the grading and paving take place east of U.S. 71, survey crews have been at work on the segment between Moville and Correctionville in Woodbury County. By the end of this year all road survey work from Moville to Holstein will be complete. The survey work from Holstein to Early will be done as well. Once completed, Highway 20 will be stretching from Sioux City all the way to Dubuque.

Submitted by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City