Author Archives: Jeff

May 23

Marion-area construction updates

An update and new notice (via a weekend roadgeek meet) about projects near Marion: Linn County’s oldest active bridge is going to be replaced, as this blog post covered earlier. But there’s good and interesting news: The bridge isn’t being … Continue reading

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May 20

North Tama plans revealed during building tour

It’s happening? Maybe? After a few votes and an extra $31 million? Whatever the step or two is after “commencing to proceed to get started,” that’s where North Tama is right now in a master plan that would radically alter … Continue reading

Posted in Schools, Tama County | Comments Off on North Tama plans revealed during building tour
May 18

More about Mount Ayr Community schools, 1957-61

October 17, 2021: The chimney of the Beaconsfield school building is visible at a distance. It’s about all that’s readily visible up close, too, because the deteriorating building is hidden in a grove of trees. In a follow-up to this … Continue reading

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May 16

US 63 closure scrambles routes to Traer

Starting next week, according to a DOT press release, US 63 will be closed between IA 8 and IA 96. It’s for a (very needed) asphalt resurfacing project and discussed more in this blog post. Toledo-Gladbrook traffic is fine, but … Continue reading

Posted in Construction, Tama County | Comments Off on US 63 closure scrambles routes to Traer
May 11

$4.049

May 19, 2004: My first encounter, but not first payment, of $2 gas in Iowa was at this station at the Lime Springs corner on US 63. I managed to avoid that mark for another 10 months. I’ve been keeping … Continue reading

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May 09

IA 8 in Tama County to close for months

Hey, remember this post? I didn’t! But now it’s here: Starting today, IA 8 between Traer and IA 21 is closed through at least late July for culvert construction (news tip: KCRG). The official detour is D65 through Buckingham. The closure … Continue reading

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May 06

A nearly complete timeline of Southeast Valley

The Southeast Valley school district, which will become official in mid-2023, can trace its history to 1914. One of the first experiments in school consolidation, to be tried in this part of Iowa, will be at the town of Lanyon, … Continue reading

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May 04

Southeast Valley consolidation effective in 2023

The Prairie Valley and Southeast Webster-Grand school districts started whole-grade sharing as Southeast Valley in 2014. Almost a decade later they will be officially consolidated. Although the vote was March 1, the merger won’t go into effect until 2023, based … Continue reading

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May 02

US 30 coalition unhappy with Super-2 plan

Central and eastern Iowa counties that are not on the present four-lane section of US 30 are very determined to get on it, and won’t take any half-measures. From “The Center Square”, a news organization focused on “state- and local-level … Continue reading

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on US 30 coalition unhappy with Super-2 plan
Apr 29

IA 25 project will remove US 32 concrete

The last part of the White Pole Road between Anita and Adel under state control is losing its original concrete, but it hasn’t been visible for more than a quarter-century. A 2-mile segment of IA 25 between Casey and Menlo … Continue reading

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