Woodbury County Seeks Grant for D-12 Road Improvements

County commits to local matching funds and project management for $3 million overlay project.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to seek a Surface Transportation Block Grant to help fund an 8-mile overlay project on County Road D-12 between Iowa Highway 140 and Pierson, Iowa. The county will provide 20% of the estimated $3 million project cost and commit to maintaining the completed work for at least 20 years.

Why it matters

This project aims to address the deteriorating condition of a major county road that has not seen an overlay in over 20 years. Securing grant funding will help the county complete this critical infrastructure upgrade without placing the full financial burden on local taxpayers.

The details

The proposed overlay project would cover an 8-mile stretch of County Road D-12 between Iowa Highway 140 and Pierson, Iowa. County Engineer Laura Sievers says the road is in need of resurfacing, as the last overlay was completed over 20 years ago. The total project is estimated to cost $3 million, with the county committing to provide 20% of the funding and take on project management responsibilities.

  • The grant application will be submitted by February 13, 2026.
  • If approved, the overlay project would begin construction in the summer of 2031.

The players

Woodbury County Board of Supervisors

The governing body of Woodbury County, Iowa that unanimously approved the resolution to seek grant funding for the D-12 road improvement project.

Laura Sievers

The Woodbury County Engineer who stated the road has not seen an overlay in over 20 years and the project is necessary to address the deteriorating condition.

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What they’re saying

“The last time this road was overlaid was over 20 years ago, and so when you're looking at 2031 funding, now we're looking at the road being 25 years old and that's about the right time that we need to do a HMA overlay.”

— Laura Sievers, Woodbury County Engineer (KTIV)

What’s next

The county will find out by the end of March 2026 if the grant funding is approved. If approved, the overlay project would begin construction in the summer of 2031.

The takeaway

This project demonstrates Woodbury County's proactive approach to maintaining its critical infrastructure through strategic grant funding and local investment. Securing this grant will allow the county to complete a major road improvement without placing the full financial burden on taxpayers.