KSFY Live In The Morning anchors Chris Studer and Valerie Gutierrez talk with city leaders throughout South Dakota about their towns, what's happening there and what's new

They talked to Councilman Dennis Wheeler from the city of Mobridge. It has a population of about 4,000, it's in the north central part of the state, in Walworth county.

City leaders are trying to grow the community and expand tourism in the area. Councilman Wheeler says they are moving in that direction with a couple of key projects.

Councilman Wheeler--the principal chair of the group--and members of the Mobridge community make up the Dakota Expressway Expansion Task Force. They’ve proposed the an expansion of U.S. Highway 12 from the two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway from Aberdeen to Mobridge

The project could cost about $100 million but he said it's vital to the to the economic growth of the region. Councilman Wheeler created a report detailing the need of the expansion, and how it will benefit South Dakota. Now Mobridge residents have to convince the South Dakota Congressional Delegation and Department of Transportation there is a need for the expansion.

Wheeler said, his group (DEETF) is looking to secure funding. Wheeler said its vital to the growth of South Dakota because businesses like the proposed power plant that may be built in Walworth County could increase traffic flow in that area.

The Councilman said they're could be an announcement very soon on the location of a $1.7 billion coal-fired power plant. Mobridge is trying to lure the Basin Electric Cooperative power plant to South Dakota's Walworth County. The only two sites still in contention are one near Selby and another near Stanton, North Dakota.

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