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Celebration planned next week to open new 4-lane stretch of Hwy 20 in NW IA

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November 17th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Thanksgiving is coming a little early for motorists who routinely traverse northwest Iowa. One of the final segments of the Highway 20 widening project will open next week. Shirley Phillips, president of the U-S 20 Association, says this summer’s long dry spell helped crews finish their work much earlier than planned. There’s a grand opening celebration and dedication planned on Wednesday at 10-AM just east of the Highway 20/71 intersection. It marks the opening of the 26-mile stretch of four-lane highway which is being completed a full year ahead of schedule. Phillips says there’s a big line-up of dignitaries who will be there.

Attendees include: Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, Congressman Steve King, the director of the Iowa DOT and several other state, county and local officials. Phillips says there remains a single gap to complete the four-lane roadway. That gap cuts across parts of Woodbury, Ida and Sac counties.

That stretch is about 30 miles and it will cost $374-million to complete. She says the acquisition for the continued expansion of Highway 20 in Woodbury County between Moville and Correctionville is underway. Grading work is to begin in the near future.

(Radio Iowa)