Paving for Progress is highway robbery

According to the “Our CR” city publication of August 2025, Paving for Progress “launched in 2014 … more than a decade in, it has improved over 112 miles of mostly residential streets.” Easy math says it is paving 10 miles per year. According to online sources, the State of Iowa paves 1,000 to 1,200 miles each year.

True, the state doesn’t do sidewalks and bike lanes, but neither should Paving for Progress. Cedar Rapids has approximately 1,200 miles of streets. Based on Paving for Progress statistics, it will take the City 107 years to pave all of our streets. That means that we are paying a 1% tax that many of us will see very little benefit from.

We were sold, with the understanding that Paving for Progress was for streets, not bike lanes and sidewalks. I have nothing against bike lanes and sidewalks, but the priority was sold as streets. Isn’t this “highway robbery? I think it is.

Larry Milroy

Cedar Rapids