Celebrating partnerships that save lives

August 15, 2019

Do you take your birthday for granted? For those folks waiting for an organ transplant, getting to that next birthday can be one more goal to achieve on a long journey.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has been a champion for organ donation for many years. Becoming an organ donor in Iowa is easy. You simply have to say “yes” to the question when asked at a driver’s license service center. We take it from there, getting your name listed on the organ donor registry.

In early August, we were able to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the Iowa Donor Network, the group we have been working with since 2015 to register organ donors and raise awareness about organ and tissue donation.

Prehistoric creatures abound in Iowa roadways

July 23, 2019

Did you know the limestone that goes into many Iowa roadways is full of prehistoric creatures? Throughout millions of years of geologic history, when present-day Iowa was covered by oceans, sea creatures were everywhere. Fossilized fragments of sea creatures were left behind in the rocks that were deposited by these oceans.

One of most prominent groups of fossils are the crinoids. Also referred to as sea lilies, researchers say the fossils have survived about 500 million years of Earth history and crinoid skeletal fragments make up a significant portion of Iowa's limestone deposits. This limestone is used for road base, as agricultural lime, as building stone, and as a component in concrete.

Beyond the plastic

May 15, 2019

Do you remember when you got your first driver’s license or state-issued identification card? If you’re like most of us, there was a sense of pride and dignity in holding that piece of plastic. For many in Iowa’s correctional institutions, that sense of pride has been lost due to a loss of driving privileges. Regaining that sense of identity, whether that’s a driver’s license or an ID card, provides a fresh start and a vital element of future success.

The reasons behind the loss of a license are varied from the card simply expiring while someone is incarcerated to traffic offenses and fines that have caused driving privileges to be suspended. Working with the Iowa Department of Corrections to renew driver’s licenses or IDs to offenders on the path to release is one of the programs the Iowa Department of Transportation has championed for many years.

Recent awards highlight collaboration between state agencies

May 7, 2019

We’re all in this together. All Iowa state agencies have a goal of serving our citizens in the most effective and efficient manner possible. This goal is reached even more quickly when we work together.

Recently the Iowa Department of Transportation was honored to receive awards for two collaborative programs. Being recognized was great, but an even larger sense of accomplishment comes from knowing we’re doing all we can to make Iowa a great place to live.

Iowa’s long-range transportation plan comes to life

February 12, 2019

Government agencies are well known for developing plans. But a plan is only as impactful as its implementation. At the Iowa Department of Transportation, our award-winning planning teams work diligently to analyze data, review public input, and create plans that come to life to keep people and goods moving safely and efficiently through our state.

The Iowa DOT’s long-range transportation plan, Iowa in Motion 2045, addresses federal requirements and serves as a transportation investment guide. Getting the most out of every tax dollar and providing a safe, reliable transportation system well into the future are critical elements for economic development and job creation throughout the state.

The awards are just a bonus

February 8, 2019

“Getting you there safely, efficiently and conveniently” is the mission of the Iowa DOT.  That mission starts off with the people who use mountains of data to look far into the future and put together plans with, and for, various groups within the agency to use as guidelines. Historically, plans haven’t gotten a lot of attention because they were fairly high-level policy documents that were more theoretical in nature. That’s all changing with a new school of thought that puts action to these planning efforts.

“I view our team as a little like Mighty Mouse,” said Garrett Pedersen of the Office of Systems Planning. “We are a small team of eight, but with a lot of planning muscle.”