Author Archives: Jeff

Jul 05

Three-lane projects pushed in Des Moines, Sioux City

Posted on Friday, July 5, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Three-lane conversions are still getting substantial advocacy from the Iowa DOT. In Des Moines, the city council has approved a pilot project to change Euclid Avenue (US 6) from four lanes to three for 10 blocks in the Oak Park … Continue reading →

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Jul 03

‘Tama County Rejects Good Roads Program’

Posted on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Traer Star-Clipper, July 4, 1919, non-capitalization in original: “Tama county voted against hard roads Monday by 1,165 majority. Everybody familiar with what was going on knew several days before what the result would be. When the highway commission rejected Toledo’s … Continue reading →

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Jul 02

100th anniversary of Iowa ratifying 19th Amendment

Posted on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Today marks 100 years since Iowa ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, extending the right to vote to women. The amendment would be approved in time for the 1920 presidential election. Here’s what Ella Taylor, wife and mother of … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Tama County | Comments Off on 100th anniversary of Iowa ratifying 19th Amendment
Jul 01

Partial archives of Traer, Toledo papers posted online

Posted on Monday, July 1, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The whereabouts of probably the only remaining existing copies of the Traer Star-Clipper dating back to its founding remain unknown since the newspaper office closed more than a year ago. But about four and a half years after I discovered … Continue reading →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Partial archives of Traer, Toledo papers posted online
Jun 28

More detailed US 30 corridor study released

Posted on Friday, June 28, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 6, 2013: Clarence is the only town between Missouri Valley and besides Clinton in eastern Iowa where US 30 still runs through its heart. How long will that remain the case? Upgrading US 30 to four lanes between Lisbon and De … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on More detailed US 30 corridor study released
Jun 27

DOT’s document portal redesign has some bugs

Posted on Thursday, June 27, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

It’s entirely possible that the number of non-Iowa DOT employees who regularly visit the online construction plans archive can be counted on one hand. (The link only works if you make sure the www is at the beginning.) But, as … Continue reading →

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Jun 26

Photo 34,998

Posted on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 22, 2017: The Iowa Welcome Center outside Missouri Valley is Lincoln Highway-themed. Included near the recreation area is a ground-mounted map of Iowa with the Lincoln Highway represented as a raised line across the state. 2017 was full of … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Sequences, Trip Reports | Comments Off on Photo 34,998
Jun 25

Missouri makes clinching US 61 more difficult for me

Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 23, 2014: Facing south, but heading north, on US 61 at I-55, Scott City, Missouri. US 61 in Missouri is two very different highways. North of St. Louis, it is part of the Avenue of the Saints, a project that … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Missouri makes clinching US 61 more difficult for me
Jun 24

A note on Hampton-Dumont-CAL

Posted on Monday, June 24, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I hope the superintendent of the district with the high school in Hampton won’t mind me lifting from the school’s November/December 2018 newsletter (PDF) regarding the status of naming things in light of CAL sending its junior and senior high … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on A note on Hampton-Dumont-CAL
Jun 21

Whataburger edged closer to Iowa

Posted on Friday, June 21, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The news last week that famous Texas restaurant chain Whataburger has been sold by the founding family to an investment firm, and associated hand-wringing about what an expansion could do to quality, made me think of a blog post I … Continue reading →

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