A delegation of 18 people from the Iowa Lakes Corridor region traveled to Sioux City today to present priority projects and updates to the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) commissioners during their public input meeting. The delegation consisted of representatives of each of the four counties -- Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet -- as well as Sen. David Johnson and Rep. Mike May.

Kathy Evert, president and CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation introduced the Corridor region to the commissioners and staff and outlined priorities for the region. They included: Completion of US Highway 20 west of Fort Dodge to Correctionville; completion of the Highway 4 reconstruction project south of Estherville from Highway 9 to the UPRR bridge (scheduled for bid letting in November); completion of the upgrade to Highway 86 from Highway 9 north to the Minnesota border; installing a signaled railroad crossing on C-29 in Albert City (adjacent to Vera Sun ethanol plant) and significantly improving the roadway, shoulders and constructing a turn lane to Superior Ethanol on Highway 9 in Superior. The presentation also included an update on the West Spencer Beltway.

"This is just a first step of many over the next several years by all of us to see these projects through to completion," said Evert.

"Having a delegation of our size and presenting a set of top priorities for the entire region, instead of advocating them alone, sends a strong message that we're working together and that each of these projects is important to the region as a whole. This is also true when we take a delegation to Washington, DC each year," she said.

Representing the region were: Dale Ahrends, Buena Vista County Supervisors; Scott Rinehart, Clay County Engineer, Bob Fagen, Spencer City Manager; Bob Rose, Spencer Area Chamber of Commerce; Bonnie Vetter, Spencer; Steve Grell, Spencer; Tom Manley, Spencer; Dr. Harry Rasdal, Spencer; Doug Doorn, Spencer Hospital; Dan Eckert, Dickinson County Engineer; Curt Johnson, Chair, Iowa Lakes Corridor; Kathy Evert, Iowa Lakes Corridor; Terry Yarns, Spirit Lake; Herman Richter, Milford; Jim Jenson, Emmet County Supervisor; and Doug Archer, Superior Ethanol.

* The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is the regional economic development agency for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. It is organized to foster, encourage, promote, assist or otherwise aid in the economic growth and development of the four-county region. For more information about the Corridor, visit www.lakescorridor.com.