Secretary LaHood Visits Dubuque to Talk About New Transit Hub

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

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By Lisa Kunkel

Story Created: May 18, 2012 at 6:53 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 18, 2012 at 7:18 PM CDT

DUBUQUE, Iowa - The City of Dubuque is ready to get started on a new hub of activity.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stopped in Dubuque to talk about the new home for cars, buses and possibly trains. LaHood helped celebrate the completion of a streets project in Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District.

Dubuque received more than $5. 5 million federal dollars to re-do the streets in that part of the city. Now comes another major transportation project, a transportation hub near the Historic Millwork District. It’ll be the central location for buses, taxis, and possibly Amtrak trains.

$8 million dollars in federal grants will get the hub and the parking facility started here. The second phase includes the Amtrak station.

"It will include a parking facility for people who need to leave a vehicle or who need to park a vehicle to catch a train or a bus," said Dubuque Economic Development Director, Dave Heiar.

It will be a central location for all mass transportation. The city has the money to build a terminal for all 30 city buses and a 300 stall parking garage. But the project doesn’t end there. The city is working to secure state and federal funding for a passenger train platform.

"Part of the commitment that we need to make as a community is that a platform needs to be in place by the end of 2014," Heiar said.

Secretary LaHood says the U.S. Department of Transportation has already committed billions of dollars nationwide for Amtrack projects, including two billion in Illinois. He says now it’s up to Iowa and Illinois to commit money for the project.

"We need strong leadership from the Governor and the Legislature if Amtrack is going to take place," LaHood said.