In 2016, I mentioned that Arkansas wrangled an exception into a federal highway bill that enabled a newly built four-lane road from Jonesboro to I-55 to be designated an interstate. The provision was to allow farm traffic to use a portion of the road since there was no easy alternate route. Immediately afterward, the road became I-555 and US 63 was eventually rerouted away from it.
(Much more recently, when it comes to highway designations, Arkansas has, as is its wont, again done something SO INCREDIBLY STUPID that it will have to be blogged about to be believed [at a future time]).
When the I-555 exception happened, I said that was the perfect thing for Iowa to do as well. Such an exemption is needed to get the Des Moines beltway designated an interstate with a unified number, ideally I-435. I-835 might also be an option (and a unique number in the country).
Last week, the Iowa House Commerce Committee approved a bill, House File 2145, now HF 2455. It specifically exempts farm equipment (“implements of husbandry”) from the minimum 40 mph speed limit for interstates on a specific road — US 65 around Des Moines — and allocates $250,000 from the general fund to study an alternative route for the farm equipment.
That would be one good thing to happen in the Statehouse this year.