Milford City Council determined the fate of Highway 71

MILFORD, Iowa (KTIV) - City leaders, in Milford, Iowa, have voted down a motion to adopt a resolution reducing Highway 71 through the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes from four lanes to three. The council’s split vote was influenced by public opinion. Many opposed the lane reduction through Milford.

Some believe that for safety the traffic needs to be slowed down. Others argue that a lane reduction will make travel through the Iowa Great Lakes difficult, especially through the busy summer season.

In a survey conducted to gauge public opinion, over 70 percent of responses favored keeping the highway as is. But, in that same survey, only 15-percent of responses represented a person who lives or owns a business directly on Highway 71. Many business owners believe their success has been impacted by customers who are hesitant to park in front of their establishments.

One business owner, who once owned a business right off the highway explained that the location was great for visibility, but she had to move because her customers didn’t feel comfortable getting out of their cars with the heavy traffic.

“When you are parking in front of those businesses along a busy highway, if you have children jumping out of the car, if you yourself happen to miss seeing a car coming from behind, there is always the concern that you are going to get hit, and I think that is something that needs to be taken into consideration,” said Jill Harms, Owner and President of Blink Marketing.

Following the decision, the Milford City Council will now work with the Iowa Department of Transportation on safety enhancements... including the replacement of traffic lights. Mayor Steve Anderson said those changes won’t happen until 2030 when the highway is scheduled to be repaved.

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