end of U.S. Highway 32. US 275, which was designated in the latter half of 1931 as a shorter route between Omaha, Nebraska, and St. Joseph, Missouri, joined US 34 near Glenwood and ended in downtown Council Bluffs. However, the two highways would only share an endpoint for a few years. An automobile club in Nebraska sought to have US 34 extended through their state. In 1935, AASHO consented and the highway was rerouted west at Glenwood to cross the Missouri River at Plattsmouth and end at Grand Island, Nebraska. The relocated highway replaced Iowa 134, which had been designated five years prior. Paving of the highway was completed in 1930 and US 34 was recognized as the first highway to be completed across the state. A celebration marking the occasion was held at the Iowana Hotel in Creston attended by over 5,000 guests, including Governor John Hammill. The Glenwood-to-Plattsmouth section, which became part of US 34 in 1935, was paved in 1946 and 1947. The original pavement was wide, which was sufficient for the automobiles and traffic levels of the 1930s. By the 1950s, increased traffic and wider vehicles took their toll on highways. In some parts of the state, highways were widened to withstand modern vehicles. In 1951, road widening cost around (equivalent to $/mi or $/km in ). A statewide project began in 1955 to widen roads on each side to a total width of . In some instances, it was more cost effective to build a new road than to improve the older road. Between Emerson and Corning, a new road was going to be $2 million cheaper (equivalent to $ in ) than rebuilding the existing road. Between Albia and Ottumwa, an section of new highway to the south of the older road cost just over $1.8 million (equivalent to $ in ). After two floods inundated Ottumwa in 1947, the city created an ambitious public works project beginning in 1955. The main part of the project was the straightening and widening of the Des Moines River through the city. The main channel of the river was an oxbow that curved into the southern half of the city; a smaller channel bordered the northern half. The smaller northern channel was to be widened to accommodate the full river. Dirt excavated for the new channel was to be used to build levees and to provide fill