The City of Perry was recently approved for a Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) grant through the Department of Transportation, which will help pay for an upcoming downtown construction project.

The exact total the City will receive from the DOT is currently unknown, but City Administrator Sven Peterson says it should be around $1.7 million. It will be used to cover the cost of an estimated $2.1 million project to widen Bateman Street between 1st and 4th streets in downtown Perry. Peterson points out, the difference between the grant and project cost will be covered by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. The City applied for the RISE grant in August, with the construction spurred on by the impending expansion of Progressive Foundry. Also included in the project is closing off 2nd Street between Bateman and Rawson streets.

Peterson adds, by widening Bateman Street the City will accommodate the heavy semi traffic to and from the Foundry. The project is expected to begin in the spring of 2020 at the earliest.