Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 11

Minnesota drops two spur routes

Posted on Friday, October 11, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

 2017 Iowa map Minnesota turned over MN 253 and MN 254 to Faribault County on Oct. 1. Both of these routes ran south of I-90, to Bricelyn and Frost, respectively. Minnesota still has spur routes going to not just small … Continue reading →

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Oct 10

Submarine Veterans Highway dedication Monday

Posted on Thursday, October 10, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Submarine Veterans Highway, running from the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown to the State Capitol, will be dedicated Monday. The Marshalltown Times-Republican has more. A Marshalltown native died when a submarine sank off the coast of New Hampshire in 1939. … Continue reading →

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Oct 09

The core dilemma for rural revitalization

Posted on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This story from Stateline/Pew Charitable Trusts about disappearing rural grocery stores is mostly about areas with lower population density than Iowa, but there’s some Iowa stuff in here. An important quote comes from Drake University’s Jennifer Zwagerman: “How do you … Continue reading →

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Oct 08

Website does everything my booklet did — statewide

Posted on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Obviously, I need to write something about this. I haven’t had time to. But I did want to put the story up before it got too much older.

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Schools, Sports | Comments Off on Website does everything my booklet did — statewide
Oct 06

How old is Olde Davenport Road?

Posted on Sunday, October 6, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT says that Olde Davenport Road’s connection to US 61/151 will be closed permanently this week, and a month later, the new interchange between 61/151 and the Southwest Arterial will open. (The Southwest Arterial itself, however, will not … Continue reading →

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Oct 04

Final part of Sioux City I-29 project removes original concrete

Posted on Friday, October 4, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The first segment of interstate highway to open in Iowa was not signed as an interstate highway. Recent research from Jason Hancock has revealed that when the Combination Bridge interchange in Sioux City opened at the end of 1957, there … Continue reading →

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Oct 03

Iowa’s interstate ‘works of art’

Posted on Thursday, October 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

(Related to yesterday, kind of!) October 7, 2013: The I-80 Tiffin westbound rest area’s theme is “Education”. Notice the ISU logo a matter of miles from the U of I campus. (There’s one for UNI too.) The website Roadtrippers has … Continue reading →

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Oct 02

New Ames flyover ramp has secret message

Posted on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

You know how ancient peoples like the Vikings left communication methods that we’re still trying to figure out today? This is kind of like that, from the Cretaceous Period of computing otherwise known as the 1970s. In fact, the ramp’s … Continue reading →

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Oct 01

Actual fake news about the World’s Largest Cheeto

Posted on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

Despite the Sept. 28 “Saturday Night Live” sketch to the contrary, the World’s Largest Cheeto is not along I-15, but in Algona, Iowa. (At least, at last report?) Or perhaps “biggest” and “largest” are different categories? Fact-checking a comedy show … Continue reading →

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Sep 30

Iowa author has Titanic book coming out

Posted on Monday, September 30, 2019, at 10:04 AM by Jeff

(Oooohhhh….two of my favorite subjects in one.) Author/freelance writer Darcy Maulsby has a book coming out about Iowa’s connections to the Titanic, according to this story by KCHA Radio. (“Known author”? As opposed to “Unknown author?”) Maulsby, who previously wrote … Continue reading →

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