You may have recently heard of community identification card programs being implemented to assist individuals in obtaining cards specific to a geographic area. But did you know that every Iowan already has access to a low-cost, universally accepted, and easy-to-obtain ID card issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation?
Most Iowans already know that their state issued driver’s license can be used as an ID. But what about those who can’t or don’t want to obtain driver’s license?
If you’ve ever commuted on Interstate 380 through Cedar Rapids, you may have passed over an interesting piece of Iowa history and the location of a unique investigation for the Iowa Department of Transportation. While investigating a sinkhole late last summer, the Iowa DOT identified a beer/ice cave below an off-ramp of I-380. This cave is part of a larger network of man-made beer caves that were once part of Magnus Brewing Co., which through much of the 1870s was the largest brewery west of the Mississippi. The beer/ice cave could date as early as 1859. Although exposed in 1977 by construction workers, the extent of the network of beer/ice caves is not fully known. Recent geophysical investigations have now been completed that have helped Iowa DOT staff better assess the expansiveness of this historic brewing network. Currently, the caves pose no immediate threat to the safety of the interstate or the off-ramp.
Welcome to the second week of our Q&A series - thank you to everyone who wrote in last week! Each Thursday we are selecting three questions to answer on our blog. We recognize that transportation is a vast subject and can get confusing, so we are here to better explain our policies and procedures. If you have a question you would like answered, tag it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #Thurs3DOT for the chance to be featured on the blog!
By now, many Iowans are used to getting regular updates from the Iowa Department of Transportation via Facebook or Twitter. For the last few years, the Iowa DOT’s social media platforms have steadily developed into some of our most popular communication tools. For those with a more visual inclination, the agency has recently delved into the photo sharing world of Instagram.
“Our vision is to become a more customer-driven agency,” said Andrea Henry, director of the Office of Strategic Communications, the office in charge of the DOT’s social media. “We have been using social media to interact with customers and answer their questions or concerns quickly. When we first started using social media, it was common for people to be surprised when we responded on Twitter or Facebook. Now, the public has come to expect quick responses to their questions. In adding Instagram, we want to tell the story of the important role transportation plays in the daily lives of our customers. We plan to give the owners of Iowa’s transportation system a peek inside how the agency works to continuously improve the system to better meet their needs.”
With summer vacation season in full swing, more vehicles are on our nation’s highways between July 4 and the start of school than any other period of the year. With this increase in travelers, some drowsy drivers push the limits and try to get to the next town without falling asleep behind the wheel.
Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in getting to that next town. In Iowa, eight people died last year due to crashes involving drowsy or sleeping drivers. Additionally, over the last 10 years in Iowa, an average of 783 crashes per year have happened because drivers fell asleep at the wheel.
When you begin to feel any of the drowsy driving symptoms listed here, pull over and take a break.
Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids.
Daydreaming or wandering thoughts.
Trouble remembering the last few miles driven.
Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes.
Trouble keeping your head up.
Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip.
Have a burning question for the Iowa Department of Transportation? We realize that transportation is a complicated subject and you may have questions you want to ask, but aren’t sure how. That is why we have launched a new series featuring three questions and answers every Thursday. Think of it as a “have your people call our people” type of situation: you ask us questions, we get you an expert answer. Whether they are general questions or an in-depth look at the procedures we use, we want to hear what is on your mind. Submit through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #Thurs3DOT for the chance to be featured on the blog.