Transportation Matters for Iowa

Personnel updates for Oct. 30 – Nov. 12, 2020

November 20, 2020

Information supplied by the Bureau of Budget and Business Systems

Message Monday on hiatus due to COVID-19

November 20, 2020

The Iowa Department of Transportation has suspended the Message Monday public information campaign temporarily to allow the message boards to be used for public safety messages related to COVID-19. Message Monday blogs and social media posts will resume once COVID-19 conditions lessen.

Weigh-in-motion systems save industry time and money, make roads safer for everyone

November 19, 2020

Large trucks carry goods to every corner of the globe. Without dedicated commercial drivers and the companies they work for, we wouldn’t have access to the items we depend on every day. But with all that truck traffic comes wear and tear to our roads. Over the years, engineers have developed specifications for roadbuilding that can accommodate the weight of these large trucks, but trucks that exceed the design weight can cause extensive damage to the roads, making for unsafe conditions and costing us all taxpayer dollars for repairs.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement is a team of certified peace officers dedicated to motor carrier safety. Part of that mission includes weighing large trucks to ensure they don’t exceed prescribed weight limits. New technology being utilized by Iowa DOT’s MVE includes mobile technology to allow officers to “weigh-in-motion.”

Collaboration leads to more efficient replacement of county bridges

November 17, 2020

If there’s one thing we’ve solidified in 2020, it’s that we’re all in this together, no matter what “this” might be. Old boundaries have been broken down and new collaborations have been formed that will benefit us for generations to come.

One such collaboration between the Federal Highway Administration, Iowa Department of Transportation, and county road departments allows federal funding for new construction methods utilized on the construction of new county bridges.

Message Monday - All the leaves are brown & sky's gray. Check tires today

November 16, 2020

Heading into the winter, air temperatures in Iowa can change drastically. Since the air in your tires is a gas, it expands when heated and contracts when cools. According to www.goodyear.com, for every 10 degrees of temperature drop, tires will drop 1-2 pounds of pressure.

An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 pounds per square inch, it could lead to tire failure and you could experience a significant loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, remember, it usually represents about 20 percent of the tire's recommended pressure. In addition, this reduction in air pressure can also impact your fuel economy.

Garner, Algona, and Swea City shops tackle Engagement with a whiteboard

November 10, 2020

Since we began with our first Gallup Q12 engagement survey nearly two years ago, Iowa DOT Engagement Champions have been meeting with teams and working to connect with each other and our workplaces. There have been challenges along the way, but some interesting solutions are starting to emerge that could benefit many others.

New 511 site improvements with your comments in mind

November 9, 2020

Getting you there – that’s what we’re all about at the Iowa Department of Transportation. For nearly two decades, our online traveler information system, 511, has provided winter road conditions, summer construction detours, and general information about incidents or other diversions that impact travel both online and over the phone. Over the years the website has undergone many refinements and a recent update is making significant changes to make the 511 experience better based on input from users like you.

Message Monday - Rut Roh Shaggy, deer can dent your Mystery Machine

November 9, 2020

Since the cartoon first debuted in 1969, the lovable mystery solvers from Scooby Doo have relied on the Mystery Machine to sweep them away from danger. But traveling in your own “mystery machine” can be dangerous this time of year if you unexpectedly encounter a deer. Dusk and dawn are when you’re most likely to say “Jeepers!” as a deer darts out of the ditch.

To help you stay safe, remain alert, driver sober, slow down and continuously scan your surroundings to watch for any animals in your path before you get too close. But if a deer does happen to end up in your path, don’t veer to avoid hitting it.