Author Archives: Jeff

Oct 20

Taking a run through every town

Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For all the hubbub about the two Nebraska guys going to every BUT NOT EVERY town in Iowa, there’s another cross-state trekker out there, and he’s doing it the hard way. For the last six years, Tyler Sullivan of North … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Taking a run through every town
Oct 18

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (10)

Posted on Monday, October 18, 2021, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

Mock 26: The X-rated gerrymander Is it possible to gerrymander Polk and Johnson counties together? There is, in fact, a workable (if no way compact) population-match district with that five-county span, plus Boone and Warren. Envision (or draw) it on … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps | Comments Off on Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (10)
Oct 15

School timeline mega-update: Multi-high-school rural districts

Posted on Friday, October 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For forward-moving history, it’s “and then the Sixties happened.” For this timeline, it’s “but first, the Sixties happened.” These notes mostly, but not exclusively, relate to the middle of the 1960s as Iowa’s era of one-room schools ended and consolidated … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on School timeline mega-update: Multi-high-school rural districts
Oct 13

Auburn intersection becoming all-way stop

Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The intersection of US 71 and IA 175 on the north side of Auburn will be turned into an all-way stop later this month, the DOT says. At this intersection, northbound 71 turns from northbound to westbound while IA 175 … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Auburn intersection becoming all-way stop
Oct 11

DOT taking ramps out of Sioux City interchange

Posted on Monday, October 11, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 12, 2005: This “ghost ramp,” built in 1979 and never used, would have been for (future) southbound US 75 to eastbound US 20. Instead, this area will have its existing ramp removed for a stoplight around where the car … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on DOT taking ramps out of Sioux City interchange
Oct 08

School timeline mega-update: 1966-67

Posted on Friday, October 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

November 15, 2013: “Hayesville Independent School, West Lancaster #9, Est. 1897, Closed 1966, Added to National Register of Historic Places 1990; Memorialized 2011.” The modern school district era in Iowa began on July 1, 1966. Starting with the 1966-67 school … Continue reading →

Posted in Schools | Comments Off on School timeline mega-update: 1966-67
Oct 06

Back to the drawing board

Posted on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa Senate dropped more work on the LSA yesterday by rejecting the first proposed redistricting maps. The above map wouldn’t qualify for what the agency has been ordered to come up with — a total variance of less than … Continue reading →

Posted in Maps | Comments Off on Back to the drawing board
Oct 04

Traer bridge once carried IA 58

Posted on Monday, October 4, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 13, 2021: The 1st Street bridge over Coon Creek is used to get to the Traer airport, although “airport” is generous for the grass strip. In deep background is an old elevator damaged (I think) in the 2020 derecho. … Continue reading →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Traer bridge once carried IA 58
Oct 01

Louisa County stops paying the ferryman

Posted on Friday, October 1, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The distinction between farm-to-market and local roads once mattered to a great degree in highway systems. Even now, the designation is maintained, and the former is described as roads that “provide all-weather routes to destination points”. So when a county … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Louisa County stops paying the ferryman
Sep 29

Bella Vista bypass opens this week

Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

One of the Midwest’s longest-promised highway projects that never seemed to get off the ground for years is opening this week. The Bella Vista bypass will go across the Arkansas-Missouri state line and create a full four-lane I-49 from Fort … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Bella Vista bypass opens this week