Category Archives: Highway Miscellaneous

Jun 01

Gribblenation drives US 20

Posted on Monday, June 1, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The gribblenation.com website is one of the older surviving roadgeek-related websites, currently with five contributors. One of the contributors, who had very little experience in Iowa, drove a mix of old and new US 20 across the state last year … Continue reading →

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Mar 10

Perry pavement had a good run

Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

While doing research I discovered that Park Street on the northwest side of Perry was still its original concrete with original curbs. Was. Google imagery showed a brand new asphalt overlay on top of that road for its 1-mile length. … Continue reading →

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Mar 03

Black Hawk County joins Historic 20 project

Posted on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 3, 2014: First Street in Cedar Falls, presently IA 57, is the original route of US 20 through that city. This is at the intersection with Franklin/Center streets, old US 218. I have plugged Bryan Farr’s work to promote … Continue reading →

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Feb 18

Wapello bypass issue escalates to Legislature

Posted on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Remember the prolonged struggle between Wapello and the Iowa DOT, and Mediapolis and the Iowa DOT, where the communities are fighting tooth and nail to get multiple exits on a four-lane US 61 and the DOT is having none of … Continue reading →

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Feb 11

Waukon’s downtown intersection gets stoplight overhaul

Posted on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 7, 2006: This photo looking south clearly shows the offset intersection of IA 9 and IA 76 in Waukon. Until 1968, IA 9 turned right (west). The intersection at the core of Waukon has always been a bit off. … Continue reading →

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Feb 05

Farnhamville’s role in Iowa highway history

Posted on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

June 24, 2017: Is this an excuse to post one of the best “welcome to” sign pairs in Iowa? Possibly. At the end of 1939, the expansion of Iowa’s highway system abruptly slowed down at number 372, a spur to … Continue reading →

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Jan 20

Mile of old US 65 turned over

Posted on Monday, January 20, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The only interesting development from last week’s Transportation Commission meeting was a transfer of jurisdiction. The segment in question is a mile or so of US 65 that was left behind when the interchange in Jasper County was built. You can … Continue reading →

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Dec 30

The decade in Iowa roads: Four-lane completions with a WTF cherry on top

Posted on Monday, December 30, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

November 4, 2019: From the Lincoln Highway in 2011 to the Jefferson Highway in 2019, Iowa’s scenic and historic byways received a more uniform, more visible signing scheme in the 2010s. Since the Second Great Decommissioning and completion of four-lane … Continue reading →

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Nov 07

IA 333: The hot-potato highway

Posted on Thursday, November 7, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 2, 2015: The beginning of IA 333 as seen from an I-29 offramp. The entire route, along with the town of Hamburg, was underwater in the spring of 2019. The Great Decommissioning of 1980 was the end result of … Continue reading →

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Nov 06

IA 999: The untold story (5)

Posted on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Looking at state maps in the early 1970s, it seems clear-cut. IA 333 runs from the Fremont/Page county line to 71, there’s a secret designation for the route to College Springs, and the absence of a 333 marker east of … Continue reading →

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