Author Archives: Jeff

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
Oct 03

Algona, Lu Verne consolidation approved

The final assimilation of what used to be the shared but unmerged Corwith-Wesley-Lu Verne schools into Algona will happen next year. Voters last month overwhelmingly approved the merger of Algona and Lu Verne, KICD radio reports. The latter had officially … Continue reading

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Sep 30

Radio interference

Daily Iowan, October 4, 1927: Radio audience protests silence of station WSUI Broadcast games cut receipts at field says council Protests from radio listeners in Iowa and other middle-western states have been flooding WSUI, the university radio station, during the … Continue reading

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Sep 28

Tama Lincoln Highway bridge contract to be let

June 17, 2022: The slab edge on the north rail of the Lincoln Highway bridge (under the letters) shows severe wear and is one of the areas slated to get work done. The Iowa DOT is playing a role in … Continue reading

Posted in Construction, Tama County | Comments Off on Tama Lincoln Highway bridge contract to be let
Sep 26

Rockwell lost its newspaper

The continuing decline of rural newspapers is creating conflicts with state regulations. The last edition of the Rockwell Pioneer-Enterprise was September 8. The Iowa Newspaper Association website listed its circulation at 174 — and a mailing address in Buffalo Center. … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Rockwell lost its newspaper