Author Archives: Jeff

Apr 27

Newton bridge replacement going nowhere slowly

Iowa Highway Commission blueprints from 1926 show plans for a bridge at North 4th Avenue East across Elk Creek. A tiny, nearly-century-old bridge on the east side of Newton has no firm replacement plans despite being closed for years. The … Continue reading

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Apr 25

Floyd intersection gets stoplights for construction

August 5, 2017: This intersection of southbound US 218 at the US 18/IA 27 four-lane in Floyd is being turned into an interchange. The Avenue of the Saints is getting another stoplight, but it’s only going to be around for … Continue reading

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Apr 22

Old 20 concrete in Jesup staying in place

The original turn of US 20 in Jesup became so accident-prone after the highway was paved in 1922 (as IA 5) that the Highway Commission had a special project to create a curve in the road in 1929. That curve, … Continue reading

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Apr 20

South Page exploring partial sharing with Bedford

A month ago, the Clarinda school district voted to end a partial-day sharing arrangement with South Page High School that had students from the latter coming to the former in the afternoons. According to the Clarinda Herald-Journal and KMA, increased enrollment … Continue reading

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Apr 18

O’Brien County grant to bring bloggers

July 17, 2020: Paullina has a welcome sign with digital message board on the north end of downtown. O’Brien County, in northwest Iowa, has received a $5,300 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The county plans to use the … Continue reading

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Apr 15

North Liberty breaking up Dubuque Street again

Dubuque Street in Johnson County might seem like an exception to the rule of city-named streets in rural areas going to the city in question. The first route between Iowa City and Dubuque, Dillon’s Furrow, is along the IA 1 … Continue reading

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Apr 13

Analysis of 2022 RAGBRAI route

The full RAGBRAI XLIX route map was released March 27. It is abundantly clear to me that the map was drawn with assistance from Google Maps, based on the absence of certain county road markers and especially the presence of … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Maps | Comments Off on Analysis of 2022 RAGBRAI route
Apr 11

Traer Fire Department hosts grain bin rescue exercise

On Thursday, the Traer Fire Department and other rural fire departments participated in grain bin accident training. The department and local insurance agencies brought in special equipment for showing how to rescue someone trapped in a bin. The story led … Continue reading

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Apr 07

Town of Hepburn to disincorporate

Hepburn, in Page County, the 932nd-largest town* in Iowa in 2020, is discontinuing its official existence. The Clarinda Herald-Journal reports that the process has been underway for months. The county will take over the streets and individuals will have to … Continue reading

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Apr 04

Elkader Keystone Bridge undergoing major rehab

The Keystone Bridge in downtown Elkader is the town’s only bridge across the Turkey River except for the IA 13 bypass. The bridge closes to vehicular traffic today for a rehabilitation project. Work is expected to last until October. The … Continue reading

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