KPTH FOX 44: Local News and Entertainment for Sioux City and Siouxland | Construction Workers Rally for Iowa's Roads

Road construction season may be over, but Monday fixing Iowa's main arteries was a hot topic, tThe people who make those projects happen say they need help.

Driving over a bridge or down a highway is something nearly all of us do every day, but are those roads and bridges safe?

That's the question one labor group is asking, and they're hoping Iowa's roads get what they're calling some much needed attention.

The Laborers' International Union of North America is saying Iowa's highways, roads and thousands of bridges need to be fixed up, and that work would be a step in the right direction for fixing the economy too.

On Monday LIUNA was rallying for roads.

"Investment in highway infrastructure is a priority," says Kim Triggs, Vice President and General Manager of Godbersen-Smith Construction of Ida Grove, Iowa.

The group's hoping congress passes a new highway bill. They say it would boost the economy and get back some of the 12,000 construction jobs Iowa's lost since 2008.

"Good roads spur economic development, everyone here knows that," says Triggs. "In addition the highway construction dollar turns over a local economy through wages paid to construction workers as well as equipment and materials purchased."

If it doesn't pass some worry a lack of funding could put a halt to construction that's going on right now, like on I-29 through Sioux City.

"We don't want to have to stop this project, we don't want to have to stop Highway 20," says Sioux City Mayor Pro-Tem Tom Padgett. "We want these things to continue, they mean safety for Iowans, they mean jobs for Iowans, it means economic development."

The group says the safety of Iowa travelers is another reason to pass the bill soon, the labor union's saying nearly 6,600 Iowa bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.

"I'm sure this bridge isn't going to collapse in the next couple of days but it still needs to be fixed," says Richie Schmidt, with the Great Plains Laborers District Council. "Because if it's not fixed when will it collapse or when is it going to do damage to somebody's car?"

Citizens pushing to rebuild Iowa's highways and bridges, which some hope will help build a better future.

The union's also launching a billboard campaign throughout the state, you'll be seeing one right along I-29 soon.

There are actually two highway bills out there right now. The senate has a bill that would see steady investment for two years, the house has a bill that would cut funding by about 30%.

The union supports the senate bill.

Part of Monday's demonstration was just to bring awareness of this issue to GOP Presidential candidates before Thursday's debate.