Author Archives: Jeff

Dec 14

Mushrooms will grow in Hamburg school, but intentionally

Posted on Thursday, December 14, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 2, 2015: The original Hamburg High School. Two weeks ago, the Hamburg School District sold their original school building for $25,000, the Valley News of Shenandoah reports. (Second story: KMA.) There was a higher bid but it would have … Continue reading →

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Dec 13

Corrections, updates for IA 415 page

Posted on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I made a graphic a long time ago sketching out the changes to IA 415 between Ankeny and Polk City, but I had based it on incomplete information. Once DOT route descriptions were released, Jason Hancock updated his listing, but … Continue reading →

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Dec 12

Waterville school at risk of closing

Posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

April 17, 2015: Waterville Elementary, on X32 in Allamakee County, has an old-school gym (pun mostly intended) to go with its 1922 building. Trophies inside recall the days when this was a high school. We had made it nearly half … Continue reading →

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Dec 11

IA 100 signs at I-380 to be replaced

Posted on Monday, December 11, 2017, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

Buried in the bid lettings for August 2017 was a sign contract mostly centered around the IA 100 interchange with I-380. There’s a significant difference in the new signs — Cedar Rapids has been replaced with Iowa City for the … Continue reading →

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Dec 08

US 61 Grandview bypass update

Posted on Friday, December 8, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Correcting here and there: The expectation of four-lane US 61 opening around Grandview, extending the four-lane south from the Louisa/Muscatine county line, did not happen until December 1, Jason Hancock says. I should have put a question mark on the … Continue reading →

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Dec 07

1989

Posted on Thursday, December 7, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A streak ended Wednesday night. The last time the Iowa women had won in Hilton Coliseum, Bill Fennelly was not ISU’s coach. The USSR existed; the Big 12 Conference didn’t. Taylor Swift was four days old. (That’s right, she’s eligible … Continue reading →

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Dec 06

School timeline gets some tweaks

Posted on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I finally made good on the first part of a personal New Year’s resolution: I went through my entire timeline of school district and building changes and made year notations on a list of Iowa towns for closed buildings. (The … Continue reading →

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Dec 05

Marshalltown gets its sign back

Posted on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 29, 2009: BGS for the left exit of US 65 NB from I-80 EB. The sign was removed when the I-80/US 65 exit was rebuilt and expanded. After the Great Renumbering of 1969 ended IA 64’s status as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Marshalltown gets its sign back
Dec 04

Give me Liberty or give me…wait a minute

Posted on Monday, December 4, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

December 30, 2012: Scene from the parade on Beale Street a day before the 2012 Liberty Bowl. Will ISU fans overwhelm Memphis again for an underwhelming bowl assignment? Once Iowa State got bowl-eligible this season, hopes were high. A bowl … Continue reading →

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Dec 01

DOT wants US 30 interchange at R70

Posted on Friday, December 1, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Next Tuesday, the DOT will hold a meeting in Ames about closing off intersections on US 30 just east of I-35 in favor of an interchange. Substantial lengths of frontage road will have to be built in order to serve … Continue reading →

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