Author Archives: Jeff

Mar 22

Women’s work in the Iowa Highway Commission (1)

Posted on Monday, March 22, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This clip of a blueprint for a project on IA 24 in New Hampton in 1964 is emblematic of the style used in Iowa Highway Commission documents from the mid-1920s to 1970s. Pre-1925 documents have more embellishment of some labels. … Continue reading →

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Mar 19

Photo 38,000

Posted on Friday, March 19, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 26, 2018 Well, they can’t all be winners. This is on the Kansas Turnpike at the somewhat recently reconstructed I-70/I-470 split on the east side of Topeka, on a weeklong vacation to the Dallas-Fort Worth area that included significant … Continue reading →

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Mar 17

When the calendar stopped

Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

On Sunday, March 8, 2020, in the final game of the regular season, the Iowa State women spoiled Baylor’s perfect conference record in front of 10,000 people at Hilton Coliseum. It would be the last collegiate sporting event in Iowa for … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on When the calendar stopped
Mar 15

Part of IA 17 closing for 15 months

Posted on Monday, March 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A project to move IA 17 off E41 east of Boone, which originally came to public light five years ago, starts turning dirt today. The highway closes today with a detour right by the area. According to the press release, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Part of IA 17 closing for 15 months
Mar 12

Catchup on stateline pages

Posted on Friday, March 12, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 24, 2019: I-80 meets I-29 right as it comes into Iowa. Technically, this gantry is on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River. Ahead is the current highway welcome sign. Some members of the Iowa Legislature see a need … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Catchup on stateline pages
Mar 10

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts

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

Normally, at this time of a year ending in 1, the Legislative Services Agency would be hard at work carrying out the nation’s best mapping exercise. This will be the fifth time the LSA has drawn up boundaries for Iowa’s … Continue reading →

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Mar 08

Linn Grove bridge to be replaced

Posted on Monday, March 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The bridge across the Little Sioux River just north of Linn Grove will be replaced in 2022, the Storm Lake Times reports. The state will chip in about half the $2 million replacement cost. The bridge dates back to 1940, … Continue reading →

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Mar 05

2021 Lincoln Highway conference cancelled

Posted on Friday, March 5, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 13, 2011: Route 66 Visitors Center at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, in a city I will not be visiting this summer. The 2021 Lincoln Highway Association conference, which was going to be in Joliet after the 2020 conference set … Continue reading →

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Mar 03

Why does ‘Nomadland’ use old license plates?

Posted on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In the embedded tweet is a poster for the streaming movie Nomadland. It should take about five seconds to see where I’m going with this post. The states are ordered by their admission to the Union, which is a neat thing … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on Why does ‘Nomadland’ use old license plates?
Mar 01

Lincoln Highway, Historic 20 get special designations

Posted on Monday, March 1, 2021, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

September 28, 2014: A painting of Youngville Station in Benton County, inside Youngville Station, at the now-interchange of US 30 and US 218. The Historic 20 Route Association is Bryan Farr’s brainchild, and his decade of work has paid off: … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on Lincoln Highway, Historic 20 get special designations