Virtually showing Iowa initiatives on the world stage

December 11, 2019

We all know Iowa is an amazing place to live, but how can we communicate that to the world? Location and Environment Bureau Director Tammy Nicholson was recently able to show Iowa nice to more than 42,000 scouts from all over the world at the 2019 World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.

Nicholson and her husband, Kent, who works in the Bureau of Design, are no strangers to scouting. Both of their sons are Eagle scouts and the couple has led countless scout groups over the years, but this experience was once in a lifetime for Tammy.

U.S 52 - Dubuque's SW Arterial - They said it couldn’t be built

December 9, 2019

Nearly 40 years after it was originally proposed, the U.S. 52 project, known to locals as the Southwest Arterial, in Dubuque is nearing completion. The joint project between the Iowa Department of Transportation and the City of Dubuque proves that perseverance pays off.

Connecting local industrial centers to each other and the rest of the Midwest and the world is the driving force for completion of this 6.1-mile, four-lane divided freeway that will provide and modern transportation alternative through southwestern Dubuque, linking the Dubuque Technology Park on US 61/151 with the new Dubuque Industrial Center West and the existing Dubuque Industrial Center near U.S 20.

Where mobility and history intersect

November 12, 2019

Although many people don’t think of a department of transportation in this way, we are really a mobility company. Our jobs revolve around providing safe and reliable ways for people to get where they want to go. But there are a lot of facets to transportation that most people don’t even consider. Finding interesting ways to let people in on what we do and why we do it can be challenging.

MVE Officer Dahm on national award-winning team

November 1, 2019

Officer Ryan Dahm from Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement recently participated in the 2019 North American Inspectors Championships held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance holds the North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) to test, recognize, and award commercial motor vehicle inspector excellence. Each jurisdiction is invited to send an officer to compete against other top inspectors from jurisdictions all across North America. Dahm was chosen by his management team to represent Iowa. A total of 51 people participated.

Strategic Highway Safety Plan outlines strategies to reduce crashes on Iowa roadways

October 14, 2019

When you leave your home, get into your car, and set a course for a certain destination, you expect to have a safe trip on reliable roads and bridges. That expectation only happens with a lot of behind-the-scenes planning from a network of professionals who use a variety of tools.

One of the tools traffic safety professionals use is a Strategic Highway Safety Plan. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, an SHSP is a “statewide coordinated safety plan that provides a comprehensive framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.”

The Iowa DOT has long been a national leader in traffic safety. Our long-term, strategic approach dates back several decades, so the development of a formal plan is second nature to us. Earlier this year, the Iowa DOT and our safety partners released the fourth version of the plan covering 2019-2023.

REAL ID deadline one year away, but there’s no need to wait to get your gold star

October 1, 2019

One year may seem like a long time, but the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Iowa Airports came together today to encourage anyone who plans on flying on a commercial airline or entering a federal building after Oct. 1, 2020, to consider obtaining a REAL ID sooner rather than later.