Access to Markets

A central location, connected to the world

The Greater Dubuque area commands a central North American location in the heart of the Midwest, a convenient distance from major urban areas and large consumer markets. Its many transit and shipping options, including 4-lane connections, rail service, local and regional commercial airports, and Mississippi River barge harbor service. Our location makes it easy to get your product to market.

Major Roadways

The Greater Dubuque area is connected to U.S. Interstates 80 and 90 via four-lane U.S. Highway 61, and to U.S. Interstate 35 via four-lane U.S. Highway 20. Dubuque also has access to Interstate 380 (Cedar Rapids, IA) and Interstates 39 and 94 (Madison, WI) via four-lane U.S. Highway 151.
View map of major roadways »

Air Service

The Dubuque Regional Airport serves the Greater Dubuque area with daily commercial jet service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via American Airlines. Convenient and cost-effective, the Dubuque Regional Airport offers one-stop connections to the world.

In the summer of 2016, the Dubuque Regional Airport completed a $37 million new terminal project.  This project provides the airport the capacity to house multiple airlines, if needed, provide additional parking, and offer an improved experience to business travelers. 

Airlines Serving Dubuque Regional Airport:
American Airlines
1.800.433.7300

The Greater Dubuque area is also located within an easy 90-minute drive of the Quad City International Airport (Moline, IL), The Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids, IA), the Dane County Regional Airport (Madison, WI), and the Chicago Rockford International Airport (Rockford, IL), all of which offer connections to major hubs such as Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, New York, Newark, Salt Lake City, Washington DC, Charlotte, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Phoenix/Mesa, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, and Los Angeles.

Rail Service

The Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad Corp. (IC&E) operates the rail line along the Mississippi River. With tracks that run north/south through Dubuque with daily switching service. The Canadian National/Illinois Central (CN/IC) offers intermodal facilities and daily switching service in Dubuque.

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company (BNSF) operates a line across the Mississippi River from Dubuque and serves the Dubuque area via trackage rights over another railroad.

To learn more about Iowa's railways, visit the Iowa Department of Transportation's Office of Rail Transportation Web site.

Barge Service

Dubuque is strategically located adjacent to the Mississippi River, offering area industries the advantage of barge transportation. Barges provide a low-cost, important means of shipment for coal, grain, fuel, chemicals, iron, steel, and more.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers maintains a 9-foot shipping channel and manages the series of locks and dams between St. Paul, MN, and St. Louis, MO. Lock and Dam #11 is located at Dubuque. Eight river terminals in Dubuque and two fleeting/harbor services provide navigational assistance to the barge industry.

To learn more about barge service in our region, visit the US Army Corps of Engineers – Rock Island District Web site.