Author Archives: Jeff

Sep 27

Eastern Iowa US 30 to be Super-2

Posted on Friday, September 27, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

After considering the possibilities for upgrading the two-lane stretch of US 30 between Lisbon and De Witt, the DOT appears to be settling on…a two-lane stretch of US 30 between Lisbon and De Witt. In a public meeting on the … Continue reading →

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Sep 25

Wapello half-exit not without drawbacks

Posted on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Or, contra my post from May 2018, Wapello bypass plans UN-finalized. It appears I jumped the gun. Completion of the last four-lane stretch of US 61 in Iowa outside Keokuk has been notable for the unwillingness of the two towns … Continue reading →

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Sep 24

License Plate Letters — ISV

Posted on Tuesday, September 24, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

How, exactly, is the state dividing alphanumeric allocations of blackout vs. standard plates? The newest ones I’ve seen — IQ’s, IR’s, and IS’s — have all been blackout. A Register article about the popularity of the plates said the design … Continue reading →

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Sep 23

With flyover open, where are the other not-quite-cloverleafs?

Posted on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This is a little late, but hey, so was the completion date of the project! The flyover ramp from northbound I-35 to westbound US 30 in Ames opened two days before the Iowa State-Iowa game, alleviating one long-standing traffic headache … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on With flyover open, where are the other not-quite-cloverleafs?
Sep 20

The Big WHAT kickoff?

Posted on Friday, September 20, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In yet another attempt by Fox to differentiate itself from ESPN, the early Saturday college football game is getting some higher-profile teams. Let’s ignore for the moment that a talking-head set of Urban Meyer, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Brady Quinn … Continue reading →

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Sep 19

US 34 in Ottumwa: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Posted on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Last month the Iowa DOT had a meeting in Ottumwa to talk about plans for US 34 through the city. Part of it is urban arterial, part of it is super-early freeway style. There are three suggested paths forward (PDFs): … Continue reading →

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Sep 18

RVTV for Traer: Start the campaign now

Posted on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

^ A highway-related segment from last week’s RVTV. It’s obvious that Traer is never going to be a pass-through town on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa because of its lack of county road access. But there is … Continue reading →

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Sep 17

Missouri Valley bypass will stay close to existing 30

Posted on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

About a month ago in Missouri Valley the Iowa DOT updated its plans for construction of a future bypass. Story here. Extremely bells-and-whistles, overproduced online meeting here. (Just because it’s an “online meeting” doesn’t mean you can’t give us a PDF. Really.) Please … Continue reading →

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Sep 16

The most Iowa State ways possible, continued

Posted on Monday, September 16, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Matt Campbell could be Iowa State’s Earle Bruce. The second Earle Bruce, I mean. The first Bruce won eight games at ISU three years in a row, but couldn’t get over a conference hump. He left ISU to go to … Continue reading →

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Sep 13

Clutier blacktop getting repaved

Posted on Friday, September 13, 2019, at 10:11 AM by Jeff

County Road E36 between Clutier and IA 21, formerly IA 318, has been one of the worst stretches of county road I’ve driven in recent times. It turns out the last paving job on it was almost 35 years ago. … Continue reading →

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