Highway Helper program keeps Iowans moving in four metro areas

April 29, 2021

This week we are focusing on the safety of our workers in work zones and getting you through those areas without incident. However, work zones aren’t the only dangerous place to be on the roadway.

A stalled vehicle may not be viewed as a major safety hazard. But the Iowa DOT conducted a three-year study and found that 759 crashes occurred near or with stalled/abandoned vehicles. These crashes resulted in 16 fatalities and 249 injuries. 

No one leaves on a trip expecting their vehicle to have a breakdown or be involved in a crash. Being stranded on the side of the road, especially a busy interstate in a metro area can rattle even the most seasoned traveler and become as shown above can be a major safety hazard for both you and your fellow travelers. So if you find yourself on the side of the road in the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Council Bluffs, or Quad City metro areas, you just might find one of our Highway Helpers coming to assist you.

Traveling in Iowa? 511 has made some updates to help you through construction season and beyond

April 27, 2021

Whether you’re a master travel planner or just learning to navigate Iowa’s winter and construction travel seasons, Iowa’s hub for traveler information, www.511ia.org or the Iowa 511 app, is one tool to help you find the most reliable, up-to-date, traffic-related information in the state.

Personnel updates for April 2 to April 15, 2021

April 26, 2021

Information supplied by the Bureau of Budget and Business Systems

Message Monday - Work zones = no phone zones

April 26, 2021

Today marks the beginning of the 2021 National Work Zone Awareness Week. If you’ve driven anywhere in Iowa in the last few weeks, you’ve likely noticed highway work zones popping up all over. These work zones can be temporary, like the ones that are set up to patch potholes, or longer-term for things like replacing a bridge. But whatever the work zone might look like, there’s very little room for error on the part of passing motorists.

Nationally and in Iowa, rear-end crashes are the most common type of work zone incident. These types of crashes happen most often when a driver isn’t paying attention or is going too fast and doesn’t realize traffic ahead has slowed down.

Message Monday - Only the casserole should be baked. Don't drive high

April 19, 2021

Since the state of Colorado legalized the use of recreational marijuana in 2014, that state has continued to see an increase in cannabis-related traffic crashes and fatalities. In 2018, 13.5 percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado tested positive for cannabis. It’s important to remember that even if marijuana use is legal in a state, driving impaired is not. As Iowa’s neighboring states legalize recreational marijuana, we’re bracing for an uptick in impaired driving crashes and fatalities here, too.

Personnel updates for March 19 to April 1, 2021

April 12, 2021

Information supplied by the Bureau of Budget and Business Systems

Message Monday - The power to slow down is in your foot

April 12, 2021

As you may have heard on the news, excessive speed has been a dangerous issue on America’s roadways, especially in the last year. While we can’t be sure what these drivers are thinking, we can assume they are going so fast because they think there is less risk with fewer cars on the road. Or maybe they have heard rumors that law enforcement officers are not out on the roads due to the pandemic. Neither of these assumptions is true.

Message Monday - Be a champion for your family. Put the phone down.

April 5, 2021

What does it mean to be a champion? One definition is “a person who fights or argues for a cause or on behalf of someone else.” We need “champions” in the fight against distracted driving. 

In your family, be the one who takes the lead to protect your clan. Stowing your phone when you’re driving shows your family and others riding with you that you’re serious about their wellbeing and models the kind of behavior you would like to see from them.

Iowa DOT addresses imminent road dangers head-on with light and sound

April 2, 2021

This time of year, our Iowa Department of Transportation maintenance crews turn their focus from plowing snow to making roadway repairs like patching potholes and painting. These activities often take our people out of their trucks on to the roadway, dangerously close to speeding traffic.

The sound and vibration of cars and trucks whizzing by you at 70+ miles per hour is something we learn to live with as we get the job done, but the fear of being hit by an inattentive or speeding driver is real and it takes a toll.

April 2021 Service awards

April 1, 2021

Information provided by the Budget and Business Systems Bureau