A project in the City of Perry was recently completed, and City Administrator Sven Peterson describes the funding behind it.

Willis Avenue in Perry is now a nice paved road for residents to drive on. The city was working on smoothing out the road due to its condition, which cost a significant amount of money. According to City Administrator Sven Peterson, the project was 100 percent funded through the Iowa Department of Transportation for close to $1,500,000. He elaborates on the state’s increase of the fuel tax back in 2015 in how that benefited the road work done in 2024.

“We have really strategically set that aside and budgeted that for physical street repairs. Some of our other road use tax funds go to paying the street department, staff and benefits. Those overhead things but then also some equipment and upkeep and things like that.”

Peterson indicates that the amount adds up $130,000 each year to assist the City of Perry. He continues that the city goes back to budget money to revisit street repairs previously done in other projects. Peterson mentions that it’s the third overlay the City of Perry has done in the community.