Category Archives: Highway Miscellaneous

Jan 18

Two of Iowa’s shortest state highways may be on way out

Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2014, at 12:57 PM by Jeff

September 8, 2010 Iowa Highway 98, a road that serves little purpose except to provide a state-maintained bridge across the Des Moines River to the unincorporated village of Leando*, was the only spur highway that was not decommissioned on July … Continue reading →

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Jan 17

Contractors, wide shields, and the 2009 MUTCD

Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014, at 12:56 PM by Jeff

The presence of wide shields on the north extension of IA 196 to new US 20 has been documented here already. It’s not a good look. Notably, these shields were not put up by the state, but by a contractor. … Continue reading →

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Jan 15

Fort Dodge business route pages updated

Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at 10:59 AM by Jeff

I’ve cleared out the “proposed” section of the Fort Dodge Business 20 page, and replaced it with a lot of pictures of the new interchange at the west end. My previous rough sketch, based on the DOT’s 2005 proposal, ended … Continue reading →

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Jan 09

Southwest Arterial update

Posted on Thursday, January 9, 2014, at 12:37 AM by Jeff

From KWWL. KWWL – Eastern Iowa Breaking News, Weather, Closings

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Jan 07

The weirdest interstate shields you’ll ever see

Posted on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at 2:13 PM by Jeff

August 4, 2010: Where should I begin about these oddly shaped shields? This gantry in Tulsa at the east I-44/I-244 split has the state name on the markers, but that’s the only good thing about them. The font doesn’t look … Continue reading →

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Jan 03

IA 2 no longer runs through Fort Madison

Posted on Friday, January 3, 2014, at 11:00 AM by Jeff

December 18, 2006: Near the foot of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge across the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, all three components of this sign assembly have changed: US 61 is now Business 61, the Hiawatha Pioneer Trail … Continue reading →

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Dec 31

For the second time since 1956, Iowa added no new four-lane roads

Posted on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, at 12:47 PM by Jeff

October 19, 2002: View from D Avenue in Grundy County during construction of a 27-mile four-lane segment of US 20. The freeway opened ten months later. It’s time for the five-year update map to the timeline of Iowa’s four-lane highways, … Continue reading →

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Dec 28

Speed limit decrease on IA 5 expressway

Posted on Saturday, December 28, 2013, at 12:19 PM by Jeff

The Knoxville Journal Express says the speed limit will be dropped from 65 to 55 “on the stretch of Highway 5/92 from the Y intersection to the north, past the Pleasantville exits.” I am confused about where the “Y intersection” … Continue reading →

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Dec 18

On the road to Ollie

Posted on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, at 3:34 PM by Jeff

November 15, 2013 County roads V67 and V5G are both signed on the north-south road between IA 78 and Ollie, pop. 215, which was IA 304 until the Great Decommissioning of 1980. In Ollie, V5G splits off on a northwestern … Continue reading →

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Dec 13

Iowa DOT wants to close interstate rest areas

Posted on Friday, December 13, 2013, at 5:32 PM by Jeff

I don’t have time for a full-fledged writeup about this important issue at this time, but here are some links: Iowa plans to close some rest stops (Des Moines Register) Plan to close rest stops worries truckers (Des Moines Register) … Continue reading →

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