Author Archives: Jeff

Sep 23

With flyover open, where are the other not-quite-cloverleafs?

Posted on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This is a little late, but hey, so was the completion date of the project! The flyover ramp from northbound I-35 to westbound US 30 in Ames opened two days before the Iowa State-Iowa game, alleviating one long-standing traffic headache … Continue reading →

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on With flyover open, where are the other not-quite-cloverleafs?
Sep 20

The Big WHAT kickoff?

Posted on Friday, September 20, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In yet another attempt by Fox to differentiate itself from ESPN, the early Saturday college football game is getting some higher-profile teams. Let’s ignore for the moment that a talking-head set of Urban Meyer, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Brady Quinn … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on The Big WHAT kickoff?
Sep 19

US 34 in Ottumwa: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Posted on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Last month the Iowa DOT had a meeting in Ottumwa to talk about plans for US 34 through the city. Part of it is urban arterial, part of it is super-early freeway style. There are three suggested paths forward (PDFs): … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on US 34 in Ottumwa: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Sep 18

RVTV for Traer: Start the campaign now

Posted on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

^ A highway-related segment from last week’s RVTV. It’s obvious that Traer is never going to be a pass-through town on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa because of its lack of county road access. But there is … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports, Tama County | Comments Off on RVTV for Traer: Start the campaign now
Sep 17

Missouri Valley bypass will stay close to existing 30

Posted on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

About a month ago in Missouri Valley the Iowa DOT updated its plans for construction of a future bypass. Story here. Extremely bells-and-whistles, overproduced online meeting here. (Just because it’s an “online meeting” doesn’t mean you can’t give us a PDF. Really.) Please … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Missouri Valley bypass will stay close to existing 30
Sep 16

The most Iowa State ways possible, continued

Posted on Monday, September 16, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Matt Campbell could be Iowa State’s Earle Bruce. The second Earle Bruce, I mean. The first Bruce won eight games at ISU three years in a row, but couldn’t get over a conference hump. He left ISU to go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on The most Iowa State ways possible, continued
Sep 13

Clutier blacktop getting repaved

Posted on Friday, September 13, 2019, at 10:11 AM by Jeff

County Road E36 between Clutier and IA 21, formerly IA 318, has been one of the worst stretches of county road I’ve driven in recent times. It turns out the last paving job on it was almost 35 years ago. … Continue reading →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on Clutier blacktop getting repaved
Sep 12

Orlando columnist still really, really hates Iowa State

Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

During Conferencepocalypse, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi questioned the justification of multiple non-blue-blood teams, including Iowa State, in major-college football. Well, more than questioned. He railed to anyone who would listen (and those of us in existential angst) that teams … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Orlando columnist still really, really hates Iowa State
Sep 11

Iowans really, really hate the current license plate

Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A couple of days after I was seeing “blackout” style license plates showing up in regular alphanumeric sequence, WHO had a story about expansion of the program. The blackout plates rolled out on July 1st, and Lowe said just a … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on Iowans really, really hate the current license plate
Sep 10

100 years of St. Joseph’s Fall Festival

Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Last week was St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chelsea’s 100th annual fall festival with chicken and ham dinner. The Homegrown Iowan website has a writeup about the event, held the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. I don’t think we went … Continue reading →

Posted in Tama County | Comments Off on 100 years of St. Joseph’s Fall Festival