Washington, D.C.—Rep. Steve King and U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced funding of $146,400 under the Scenic Byways Program for the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. The 220-mile byway runs from Akron south to Hamburg on bluff top roads paralleling the Missouri River.

“There are three major backbones to the 5th District, the Missouri River, Interstate 29, and the Loess Hills,” said King. “This project helps to highlight one of the most beautiful areas in America and the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark’s discovery expedition.”

The primary grant of $146,400 will fund interpretive exhibits to be located at the Hitchcock Nature Center in Pottawattamie County along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway in western Iowa.

This project is part of a long-range plan to develop interpretive exhibits in each of the seven counties (Freemont, Mills, Pottawattamie, Harrison, Monona, Woodbury, and Plymouth counties) of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. The Hitchcock Nature Center will focus on raptor (eagle) migration and the unique biological communities, including the tall grass prairies and oak-hickory savannas that once covered Iowa. The exhibits will encourage visitors to explore the Loess Hills and appreciate its natural environment.