By KELLI BLOOMQUIST

The Webster County Roads Department is set to receive more than $21 million in grant funding this year.

According to County Engineer Jamie Johll, most of the grants are from the federal government for bridge replacement projects. He said that the Webster County Board of Supervisors and Iowa’s federal legislators have helped to make the grants possible.

“It all starts with the board supporting my office applying for these grants,” said Johll. “It takes a lot of upfront work to prepare federal grant applications, and although we have been very successful, the grants are highly competitive, and most counties haven’t been as fortunate with their results.”

Johll said the board has also been supportive of trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with Iowa’s Congressional delegation and leaders of various federal departments.

“Getting the support of our senators and House members is a key part of securing federal grants,” said Johll.

The largest federal grant the county received is a Safe Streets For All grant which provides $8.5 million towards a $10.3 million project which includes road paving, widening and paving shoulders, and installing rumble strips. According to Johll, that project will be completed both this summer and next.

A bridge replacement project in Lehigh was awarded grants of $2 million and $1 million for the $9.2 million project. Last year, the county was awarded a BUILD grant to cover the remaining $6.2 million.

According to Johll, U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley’s office was helpful in obtaining the BUILD grant, which has a bid letting scheduled for later this year and construction which may begin as early as next winter, lasting about one year.

Other recent grants for the Webster County Road Department include a $500,000 grant to replace a bridge by Gowrie, $500,000 towards the roundabout at Nelson Avenue and 170th Street, a $485,000 grant for Des Moines River streambank repairs and several smaller grants.

Webster County recently joined with other counties and the Iowa Department of Transportation to apply for a Competitive Highway Bridge Program grant. Last week the Trump administration announced that 12 states were awarded funding, including Iowa. Webster County will receive $1.7 million for two bridges.

“On the backend, my staff will survey, design, and inspect the projects,” said Johll. “Last year, Polk County, with a staff of 14, did the most local construction at $6.9 million, of any county. We’ll exceed that both this year and next with an office staff of only four. My staff will be pushed to their limits as we build these projects.”

According to Johll, the total local, Farm to Market, and Federal Aid construction that the Webster County Road Department has planned in 2026 and 2027 is more than $27 million.