Dubuque County Presses Data-Center Developers to Pay for Roads and Emergency Strain

According to KCRG, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors used a dedicated work session Oct. 26 to question law enforcement about how narrow secondary roads and emergency crews would handle years of industrial data-center construction. Sheriff Joe Kennedy told supervisors that operating facilities rarely require police assistance, but construction brings hundreds of workers, heavy machinery and deliveries onto two-lane routes such as Sundown Road. Kennedy urged rules requiring developers to pay for off-duty law enforcement for traffic control. The county is several months into a one-year moratorium on large-scale facilities, running through July 2027, with water consumption, cooling systems and groundwater protections scheduled for upcoming sessions. Draft proposals would limit construction to daytime hours and weekdays. The issue is live in the county election: Supervisor Ann McDonough is not seeking re-election, and incumbent Wayne Kenniker is on the ballot.