Congress is considering a new version of the Highway Bill that could bring the Hawkeye State another half-million dollars a year for road projects. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, says the legislation is a five-year extension of the current bill with a number of modifications, some targeting Iowa. Grassley says the funding formula would result in an increase of 518-million dollars for Iowa highways per year over five years of construction. Iowa’s share over that time would be nearly two-billion 170-million dollars. He says Iowa has been slighted in previous highway bills and this one would even things up.Grassley says “Federal formulas have often shortchanged our state, but now…(Iowa is) getting a fairer share.” Grassley is urging swift passage of the bill so state D-O-T officials can plot out plans. He says being in the “frost belt,” road construction can only be done for about eight months out of the year.
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