The Iowa Transportation Commission approved state funding for three cities Tuesday to build or improve roadways with the promise of the creation of new jobs. DOT spokesman, Craig Markley, says the City of Ottumwa was awarded just over $1.1-million for roadway improvements that will help Cargill Meat Solutions.
“They’re going to create 120 new full-time jobs and they are also going to have just shy of $100-million in associated capital investment,” according to Markley. He says the project will add a right turn lane on U.S. Highway 34 and also reconstruct part of a local road past the plant.
The Ottumwa project has a secondary benefit as he says it will also provide access to about 37 acres of industrial area that the city wants to redevelop.
The City of Clarion won up to $127,000 to make upgrades to Highway 3 to improve access to Hagie Manufacturing Company which makes crop sprayers. “This project is to help create 50 new full-time jobs along with 22-million in associated capital investment. This project is going to be located on the west side of Clarion and this projects involves constructing about a 400-foot turn lane on Iowa 3,” Markley says.
The other funding went to Allison to extend a city street. He says the new roadway would support Steel Ridge Ammunition, a new business that will create 20 new full-time jobs. It will also open up 10 acres in the city for industrial purposes and the possible addition of new businesses. The award was nearly $156,000.
The three grants are all part of the RISE, or Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy program.
