More than two dozen community leaders convened near North Cascade Road west of Dubuque today to commemorate the start of construction on the $159 million Southwest Arterial project.

The road will extend from U.S. 20 in the area of Seippel Road to U.S. 61/151 south of Olde Davenport Road, near Tamarack Business Park.

Dubuque Assistant City Engineer Bob Schiesl said a two-lane Southwest Arterial is slated to open for two-lane traffic by the end of 2019. Plans call for it eventually to be expanded to four lanes.

“This is being designed and constructed to freeway standards, which means there will not be any at-grade intersections, no stoplights and no stop signs,” he said. “There will be free flow from 20 to 61/151. The only way to get on or off will be at the interchange locations.”