Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tara Barney says about $400 million more is needed for the new I-74 Bridge project.
Barney and other Chamber members left for Des Moines on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 around 8 a.m. The Chamber will meet with Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and local legislators to discuss Quad City infrastructure projects. One of those projects is the I-74 Bridge. Barney says funding for the project is almost complete, but more funding is needed from Iowa, Illinois, and the federal government.
"What's really important is that the Chamber is going to continue to support a regular funding plan for infrastructure in the state of Iowa and the state of Illinois for that matter," Barney said Wednesday. "That is crucial to our ability to continue to produce a strong economy here."
Barney says an increase in the Iowa gas tax could support the bridge project, but she is not willing to say whether the Chamber supports it yet.