Monthly Archives: December 2013

Dec 31

For the second time since 1956, Iowa added no new four-lane roads

October 19, 2002: View from D Avenue in Grundy County during construction of a 27-mile four-lane segment of US 20. The freeway opened ten months later. It’s time for the five-year update map to the timeline of Iowa’s four-lane highways, … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on For the second time since 1956, Iowa added no new four-lane roads
Dec 31

Census: Iowa has grown 1.45% since 2010

According to the census estimate for 2013 (link to page with Excel spreadsheet which may not have the state names but is in alphabetical order), Iowa has 3,090,416 people, which is an increase of about 44,000 people and 1.45% from the … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Census: Iowa has grown 1.45% since 2010
Dec 30

A year-end wrapup of my travels

July 15, 2013: One of the highlights of my Upper Midwest trip was visiting the north end of “my” highway, US 63. However, construction prevented me from clinching the entire route in Wisconsin. As 2013 comes to a close, here … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on A year-end wrapup of my travels
Dec 28

Speed limit decrease on IA 5 expressway

The Knoxville Journal Express says the speed limit will be dropped from 65 to 55 “on the stretch of Highway 5/92 from the Y intersection to the north, past the Pleasantville exits.” I am confused about where the “Y intersection” … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Speed limit decrease on IA 5 expressway
Dec 27

An unasked question about young drivers

Is there a relationship between the increasing restrictions imposed on teenage drivers, which have been going on for a decade or so, and the “trend pieces” that say millennials are not as interested in getting drivers’ licenses or driving cars … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on An unasked question about young drivers
Dec 26

Big 12 profiles Hallie Christofferson

The Big 12 website profiled ISU women’s basketball player Hallie Christofferson on Christmas. I’m not quite sure how the writer got a population for Hamlin, since it’s unincorporated. Christofferson went to Exira, and led her team to a state championship … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Big 12 profiles Hallie Christofferson
Dec 26

Albion Methodist Church building to be torn down

This isn’t in Tama County, but close, and it’s right there for everyone to see on IA 330 in Albion. I saw the “No Trespassing” sign on the plywood covering the entrance of Albion UMC, and I wanted to find … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Albion Methodist Church building to be torn down
Dec 24

So cold it broke the chart

Readings taken in Marshalltown this morning, from the National Weather Service: Merry Christmas.

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on So cold it broke the chart
Dec 23

No, I will not tweet my face to the cloud

Ouch (from Nieman Lab): Today, teens are about as likely to start a blog (over Instagramming or Snapchatting) as they are to buy a music CD. The linked Atlantic piece about “the stream” is an interesting read, too. The blog is … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on No, I will not tweet my face to the cloud
Dec 23

On really, really small-school football

The Omaha World-Herald’s Dirk Chatelain follows a team taking a 368-mile one-way trip to play a 6-man football game in its last season. There are some parts of this story also applicable to Iowa.

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on On really, really small-school football