Iowa Highway 32 - Future

Future

For many years, leaders in the Dubuque government and business community have been lobbying state and federal lawmakers to finance an extension of Iowa 32. The extension, to be called the Southwest Arterial, will run 6.1 miles (9.8 km) from U.S. Highway 20 (Dodge Street) in the north to U.S. Route 61 and U.S. Route 151 in the south. The project's main purpose is to relieve traffic congestion on local surface streets and remove thru traffic from city neighborhoods. The completion of the highway is part of the city's long-range transportation improvement plan.

However, construction of the highway has not yet started, and its progression has been plagued with numerous delays. It has been slowed by environmental impact studies, roadway alignment studies, and above all, its massive cost. The extension, originally projected in the range of $50–70 million, has now climbed above $100 million. In 2005, then-Iowa congressman Jim Nussle secured $20 million in federal financing for the project. Preliminary design was completed in March 2008, with final design and property acquisition to commence at that time. Plans call for two lanes with partial interchanges to be built starting in 2010.

Also, there is some controversy over the alignment of the Southwest Arterial. The city has proposed the northern end of the highway meet U.S. 20 at Seippel Road, near the Dubuque Industrial Center West. This is most likely due to the cheaper cost of building the road over flatter, less-developed land, enabling construction to begin sooner. However, this option would not link the highway directly with the northern section of Iowa 32 (Northwest Arterial), thus not providing the "direct" beltline, which was the project's original goal.