Day One: Sioux City to Storm Lake
Click here to review the investments made in the communities along the day one route at RAGBRAI
This week as riders cross the state for RAGBRAI, the Des Moines Register’s Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, they will take in beautiful scenery and friendly hospitality from Iowans. They’ll also be riding through communities that have benefited tremendously from investments made by the Biden administration.
A broad-based coalition of community organizations have published IowaAtWork.com, an online resource to provide ongoing information about the Biden administration’s investments in Iowa. You can also visit IowaAtWork.com/RAGBRAI to see a map of each day’s route and where the Biden administration improved the lives of Iowans.
The first day’s route will take riders from Sioux City to Storm Lake, where more than $155 million has been invested.
“The Biden administration wants to see Iowa at work,” said Alex Watters, a city councilmember in Sioux City. “The rescue plan allowed Sioux City to replace failing infrastructure such as our 140 year old water main on Pierce Street and put nearly $2 million in infrastructure in place for affordable housing developments. In addition to infrastructure programs, the Emergency Connectivity Fund provided the Sioux City Public Library with 2,000 internet-connected devices for people of Sioux City that were in need of internet access. Finally, the Homelessness Prevention Program kept 71 families from becoming homeless, 31 of which have children.”
Below are descriptions of the investments made by the Biden administration in Sioux City and Storm Lake.
Iowa At Work on RAGBRAI – Sioux City
Briar Cliff University was awarded $2 million in a $3.6 million project by the EDA to support the renovation and expansion of a former residence hall at Briar Cliff University.
The project aims to transform a former residence hall into an academic building and central hub for health sciences programs. The renovated space will bring together existing health sciences programs under one roof, providing new classrooms, labs, learning studios, faculty offices, and a pediatric clinic for hands-on learning. The project addresses staffing shortages in the healthcare industry, particularly in the Sioux City area and surrounding rural critical access healthcare facilities, which have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. By expanding training and educational capacity, the initiative contributes to the region’s healthcare workforce strategy and supports market growth and resilience. The new center for health sciences programs will accommodate around 500 students, nearly doubling current enrollment and allowing for future expansion. Over the next nine years, the university anticipates educating and placing up to 913 graduates in high-demand, well-paying healthcare positions within the Sioux City tri-state region, across Iowa, and nationwide.
Iowa at Work on RAGBRAI – Storm Lake
For a small investment under $12,000, two low- to moderate-income rural households were able to maintain stable housing through loan subsidies through the Rural Housing Service. The Rural Housing Service within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) focuses on providing financial assistance and support for housing in rural areas. The RHS offers various loan and grant programs to help individuals and families with low to moderate incomes obtain safe and affordable housing in rural communities. Its primary goal is to promote rural development, increase homeownership opportunities, and improve the quality of life for rural residents.
Blog For Iowa 