Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 26

A ‘reduced-conflict intersection’ by any other name

The Iowa DOT’s “Transportation Matters” blog has a post extolling the virtues of a new type of intersection southeast of Fort Dodge. It is a new type of intersection in Iowa, but it’s not the first time one like this … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on A ‘reduced-conflict intersection’ by any other name
Oct 24

Congressional district table updated

The Legislative Services Agency’s second map of 2021 made things annoying when it came to numbers. The designation for the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts flipped. There’s something about a rule of “easternmost.” Eyeballing the map, the geographic center of the … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on Congressional district table updated
Oct 21

A new name in the records

State football playoffs for the four smallest classes begin today. It seems wrong to me that they start so early, but that’s what happens when you have to wedge in an extra round but also only play one game a … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on A new name in the records
Oct 18

NT volleyball begins quest for state

The high school volleyball postseason began Monday for the smaller classes. Six teams in Class 1A received byes, in alphabetical order: Ankeny Christian, Burlington Notre Dame, Don Bosco, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, North Tama, and Springville. The cluster of four teams in a … Continue reading

Posted in Sports, Tama County | Comments Off on NT volleyball begins quest for state
Oct 17

Huebinger’s Glidden map is wrong

Corrections are important, even if they come 110 years late. This one affects stuff I’ve written recently. Huebinger’s Map and Guide for Iowa Official Trans-Continental Route, published in 1912, draws Glidden’s business district in the wrong place. Huebinger puts the … Continue reading

Posted in 1920 Highway Sytem, Maps | Comments Off on Huebinger’s Glidden map is wrong
Oct 14

IA 17 construction prolonged

What was originally promised as a 15-month construction project appears to have been extended to two full construction seasons. In March 2021, the closure of IA 17 east of Boone was announced. At the time, it was expected to be … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on IA 17 construction prolonged
Oct 12

Lincoln Way Burger King in Ames closed

Last week I drove on Lincoln Way through downtown Ames for the first time in a while. There have been changes since I was doing that regularly — though not nearly as many as US 65 through Bondurant — but … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Lincoln Way Burger King in Ames closed
Oct 10

Build for nine, stripe for four

An I-80 construction project in Cedar County is designed for the long-term future. The Oct. 18 DOT letting includes both bridges over Sugar Creek. That’s between the IA 38 exits, by the rest areas. This is one of the two … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Build for nine, stripe for four
Oct 07

Meanwhile in Marietta

There is a tiny parcel of the Marshalltown school district, half a square mile, that isn’t directly connected to the rest of the district. It is connected via what, in the Iowa legislative redistricting process, is called “point contiguity” — … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Meanwhile in Marietta
Oct 05

Old I-74 bridge won’t go out with a bang

Deconstructing the twin spans that carried I-74 over the Mississippi River is going to be a seven-year job. Big blasts are not planned to be part of the process. KWQC and WQAD have news stories, neither of which I can … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Old I-74 bridge won’t go out with a bang