Author Archives: Jeff

Apr 28

Is CR’s Eighth Avenue bridge 82 years old, or 50?

Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Once again, the annual list of Iowa’s structurally deficient bridges includes Eighth Avenue over the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids. The list comes from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, a “nonpartisan federation” promoting investment in infrastructure. It pegs … Continue reading →

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Apr 26

Some school timeline cleanup

Posted on Monday, April 26, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Connections and corrections made recently on my school timeline page: Burt and Sentral had a sharing agreement for five years (1988-93) before Burt went with Algona. Sentral had the high school and Burt grades 6-8. This is another case of … Continue reading →

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Apr 21

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (3)

Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

After reading parts 1 and 2 of my attempts to create 2020s U.S. House districts for Iowa using 2019 population estimates, someone might ask: These districts are too practical. Can you do something weird? Something that an unscrupulous non-Iowa legislature … Continue reading →

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Apr 20

Porker up

Posted on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The principal at Duncombe Elementary in Fort Dodge (not Duncombe) kissed a pig to make good on a student fundraiser promise. It wasn’t a piglet, either. Come for the fourth-grader’s shocked face, stay for the pigs doing…what pigs do. From the … Continue reading →

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Apr 19

The (Volunteer) Corn State

Posted on Monday, April 19, 2021, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

August 18, 2020: Flattened corn near Keystone, Benton County. Last year’s derecho sowed the seeds of a weed that is Roundup Ready, extremely visible, and scattered across most of Iowa. Volunteer corn is going to be all around this season, … Continue reading →

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Apr 16

There’s a creek there?

Posted on Friday, April 16, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

From the DOT’s website: The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input for proposed improvements on Iowa 8 in Tama County. OK, pertinent to my interests. The proposed project includes the removal and replacement of an existing 12’ x … Continue reading →

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Apr 14

US 20 concrete in Waterloo getting replaced

Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT has announced that starting tomorrow, US 20 between the US 63 and IA 21 exits will move to head-to-head traffic to remove and replace the pavement in the eastbound lanes. (Is it Infrastructure Week here? — Ed.) The … Continue reading →

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Apr 12

I-35 bridge project creates detours for US 30

Posted on Monday, April 12, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Two years after a permanent change to the I-35/US 30 interchange in Ames, a temporary one is here, and this time it will affect some football gameday traffic. Starting last week, the DOT closed some ramps at the interchange in … Continue reading →

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Apr 09

Iowa’s 1920 Highway System: The short and winding road

Posted on Friday, April 9, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Iowa Highway Commission 1919 map. Notice the absence of a primary road southeast of Waukon and the town of “North McGregor,” which did not become Marquette until March 29, 1920. IA 51 has never been outside of Allamakee County, but … Continue reading →

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Apr 07

Mocking Iowa’s 2020s congressional districts (2)

Posted on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

The Iowa State Fair does not have a redistricting contest. There are no awards for Most Politically Balanced, Fewest Counties, Best District Made With Bacon, etc. Nevertheless, I have a hankering to be the Robin Tarbell-Thomas of submissions. In my first set of … Continue reading →

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