The legislature has sent the governor a bill that would give more medical professionals authority to recommend patients be permitted to park in handclapped spaces. Under the bill, licensed physical therapists and occupational therapists would be able to recommend the Iowa DOT issue license plates … [Read more...]
Transportation secretary says Iowa bridge repair a priority for new infrastructure dollars
The U.S. Transportation Secretary says addressing safety concerns is the highest priority for the $3.9 billion in new federal infrastructure money for Iowa roads, bridges, and airports. Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with Iowa reporters during an online news conference. "When you have these … [Read more...]
Governor distributes $100 million in federal funds to eight Iowa airports
Governor Kim Reynolds is using $100 million in federal pandemic relief money for upgrades at the state's eight commercial airports. "While COVID was a massive disruption for air travel, traffic is projected to grow significantly moving forward," Reynolds said this morning. "...Now is the time to … [Read more...]
Bill would expand number of paved routes for ATVs in Iowa
A compromise plan to let all-terrain vehicles travel on more county and state highways has cleared the Iowa House. Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton said new safety measures are incorporated in his original plan. "At the end of the day, it comes down to personal resposibility and there's … [Read more...]
Speaker says Iowa lawmakers unlikely to back gas tax holiday
As gas prices surge, the Republican governors of Maryland, Virginia and Florida are supporting gas tax holidays. The State of Iowa's gas tax is around 30 cents a gallon. House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican, said it's unlikely the Iowa legislature would vote to temporarily suspend the state … [Read more...]
Highway 30 Coalition pressing for four-lane expansion
A coalition of Iowa cities along U.S. Highway 30 has hired a consultant to study the economic impact of widening the highway to four lanes in congested areas. The U.S. Highway 30 Coalition is hoping a study of traffic flow from DeWitt to the edge of Cedar Rapids and from Ogden to Carroll could … [Read more...]
Auto dealers propose generic license plates with no county name listed
A Senate committee may soon debate the concept of leaving the county name off the bottom of some Iowa license plates. Iowa is one of five states that have county names listed on the standard state license plate. Brad Epperly, a lobbyist for the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association, said the … [Read more...]
Another push to ban handling a cell phone while driving in Iowa
There's another effort in the legislature to make it illegal for motorists to use hand-held smart phones for any purpose while driving. A law passed in 2017 made texting while driving illegal, but drivers are still allowed to hold their phone to make calls or check navigation apps. Police say … [Read more...]
Bill bans traffic camera contracts with out-of-state companies
The long debate over automated traffic enforcement cameras has resumed at the state capitol. A bill that's cleared a Senate subcommittee would prohibit Iowa cities from using out-of-state companies to install and maintain the cameras or to issue the tickets for speeding and running red lights. … [Read more...]
Iowa’s record 2022 corn harvest spurs rail car surge
Iowa's record 2021 corn harvest led to a significant increase in traffic on the rail lines that run through Iowa. "The car loads of grain in 2021 were the most since 2008. This is mostly due to the high volumes that were being exported. That's a great spot for our state here in Iowa," says Iowa … [Read more...]