Author Archives: Jeff

Aug 10

IA 141 flyover nearly complete

Posted on Monday, August 10, 2020, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

The flyover ramp from northbound I-35/80 to IA 141 in Urbandale should be open by the end of this month, KCCI reported recently. (Like too many TV stations nowadays, unfortunately, I am unable to embed the video.) Lanes will be … Continue reading →

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Aug 07

Iowa’s oldest active four-lane has refreshment plans

Posted on Friday, August 7, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

US 75 between the north side of Sioux City and Merrill is the oldest four-lane road in the state system, in use for 70 years. But, as a road from 1949, it was not built to anything resembling expressway standards … Continue reading →

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Aug 06

I-74 bridge update: Illinois bridge begins

Posted on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Story from WQAD.

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Aug 05

Southwest Arterial has a month to go

Posted on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The long-awaited, long-under-construction Southwest Arterial in Dubuque County is nearing the finish line. KCRG reports the city is intending to open it around September 1, which would slightly beat the Labor Day expectation issued at the beginning of the year. … Continue reading →

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Aug 03

Old Dubuque Road intersection closes permanently

Posted on Monday, August 3, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Old Dubuque Road will have its north end at its intersection with four-lane 151 blocked off permanently today, reports the Anamosa Journal-Eureka. This will sever a link (or modern version of a link) in the path of 1920’s IA 28. … Continue reading →

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Jul 31

The private bracket and the not-quite-public bracket

Posted on Friday, July 31, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For the second time in two school years, 2020-related asterisks notwithstanding, a state tournament for Iowa’s smallest class has involved five private schools. An entire side in the Class 1A baseball tournament was a private playoff, with Mason City Newman … Continue reading →

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Jul 29

2010s state travel recap, a town view

Posted on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Originally written shortly after Christmas 2019, then fell down the line. You will see why that’s important. — Ed. July 26, 2016: Joice is 11 miles from the state line and half an hour from the nearest Wal-Mart (Albert Lea and … Continue reading →

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Jul 27

The ‘last’ of the astronaut wives

Posted on Monday, July 27, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Rene Carpenter, the wife of Mercury 7 astronaut Scott Carpenter during the Space Age, died Friday (obit: Washington Post). (She was born in Iowa, hence the very tenuous hook for this blog post.) I say “during the Space Age” because, … Continue reading →

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Jul 26

Iowa’s 1920 highway system: The smallest routes

Posted on Sunday, July 26, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I used an unscientific formula to “rank” the primary routes from 1920, from the least to the most important. That will be a framework for blog posts about the system. The smallest spurs to the smallest towns, not surprisingly, fill … Continue reading →

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Jul 23

A cure worse than the disease?

Posted on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Spanish Influenza yields to old-fashioned remedy Recent research tells us that the Spanish influenza germ and the Grippe germ are much alike. The sneezing, the racking cough and the inflammation in chest and throat of Spanish influenza is swiftly relieved … Continue reading →

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