“The federal government, through earmarks, has been very good to us,” he said.

Still, Ploehn and other transportation officials say they are placing a lot of emphasis going forward on reauthorizing a new long-term federal transportation bill as a way to get funding for the I-74 corridor.

Transportation officials hope a new bill will contain a section for “mega-projects,” which they hope would pay for a chunk of the corridor’s estimated $800 million to $1 billion cost.

Conservatives have been aiming at earmarks for years, and Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s concession Monday to ban the practice was a turning point.

McConnell had been a chief GOP defender of earmarking.

The ban doesn’t extend to Democrats, who still hold the majority in Senate, and it doesn’t appear it will change.

Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he is proud of the money he brings back to his state.

House Republicans won’t vote until next week on whether to enact a ban on their members asking for earmarks. Last year, they banned them in their caucus.

Democrats enacted only a limited ban, forbidding members from asking for them for for-profit businesses.