Dakota Access Pipeline Construction Making Economic Impact

The walk to get to dinner or a movie in downtown Cherokee has gotten a little longer since late spring, when parking became harder to come by. With a number of construction workers involved with the Dakota Access oil pipeline and other major projects taking up temporary residence here, businesses in Cherokee and other Northwest Iowa cities and towns are seeing a healthy revenue boost. “In the evenings, there are very few parking spots available,” Cherokee city manager Sam Kooiker said. “There are a lot of people downtown in the evenings. It’s been exciting.”