(Radio Iowa) — A 400-million dollar spending plan for one state agency has gotten final approval in the legislature and is headed to the governor for approval. All the money for the Iowa Department of Transportation’s next budgeting year comes from the state’s tax on motor fuels. The House and Senate have approved hiring eight new D-O-T employees who will be based in central Iowa.

Representative Gary Mohr of Bettendorf, the Republican in charge of shepherding the D-O-T’s budget through the House, says “We are establishing, as more people move to the western suburbs of the Des Moines metropolitan area, a new drivers license location in Dallas County.” As Radio Iowa reported earlier this week, the D-O-T’s budget plan includes nearly nine-million dollars extra to restock the road maintenance sheds where salt is stored for NEXT winter.

“Our choice is either use more salt or drive on icy roads,” Mohr says. “I think all of us as legislators, on behalf of the people of Iowa, would prefer to have salt so we’re not driving on ice.” Lawmakers have also approved a 27-million dollar plan to consolidate five D-O-T facilities in the Sioux City area into one location.