Infrastructure Annual Status Report, January 2010

Per legislative requirement, attached is the Iowa Department of Transportation’s summary of project status for infrastructure projects that have been appropriated revenue from various funds including Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure, Health Restricted Capitals, Bridge Safety, Revenue Bonds Capitals, and Revenue Bonds Capitals II. In addition, we have included status reports for the FY11 passenger rail appropriation from the Underground Storage Tank Fund and the FY2010 Commercial Service Vertical Infrastructure appropriation from the General Fund.

2011 Annual Employment Report on All Projects Let by the Iowa DOT Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Females, September 15, 2011

The following data was derived from 1391 reports of participating contractors for the annual 2002 through 2011 reporting periods. The workforce data is reflective of one peak work week for highway contractors during the most active time of the season, the last full week of July. The summary data on pages 4 and 5 was compiled by Iowa DOT staff from the 1391 reports received. Interesting changes and trends have been addressed in the written analysis.

Decision Support Model for Assessing Archaeological Survey Needs for Bridge Replacement Projects in Iowa, 2006

The Bridges Decision Support Model is a geographic information system (GIS) that assembles existing data on archaeological sites, surveys, and their geologic contexts to assess the risk of bridge replacement projects encountering 13,000- to 150-year-old Native American sites. This project identifies critical variables for assessing prehistoric sites potential, examines the quality of available data about the variables, and applies the data to creating a decision support framework for use by the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and others. An analysis of previous archaeological surveys indicates that subsurface testing to discover buried sites became increasingly common after 1980, but did not become routine until after the adoption of guidelines recommending such testing, in 1993. Even then, the average depth of testing has been relatively shallow. Alluvial deposits of sufficient age, deposited in depositional environments conducive to human habitation, are considerably thicker than archaeologists have routinely tested.

Iowa Elder Abuse Initiative Demonstration Projects Fiscal Year 2001-2011

In 2001, the Iowa Legislature approved approximately $475,000 to fund strategies for elder abuse detection, training and services in an effort to evaluate Iowa’s adult abuse system. This endeavor became known as Iowa’s Elder Abuse Initiative (EAI) demonstration projects. These projects were located in 4 of the 13 Area Agencies on Aging and available in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. The EAI focused on the prevention, intervention, detection, and reporting of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation by presenting elders with options to enhance their lifestyle choices.

Osage-Mitchell County RISE projects dedication, September 27, 1989.

Program from the dedication of the Osage-Mitchell County RISE (Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy) paving project on Sept. 27, 1989.

Feasibility of Cooperative Development of Wetland Mitigation Projects, TR-526, 2006

The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) currently performs wetland mitigation on a project-by-project basis. At the same time, other agencies like the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resource Conservation Service are performing wetland restoration projects, and counties and cities may be mitigating wetland losses as well. This project examined the feasibility of developing cooperative wetland mitigation projects in order to utilize state and local resources more efficiently to benefit both Iowa and local communities. The project accomplished the following objectives: (1) Identified and characterized cooperative wetland mitigation programs nationwide; (2) Developed a needs assessment through a survey of state, county, and large city agencies in Iowa to describe wetland mitigation programs and determine challenges with mitigation and program improvements, including long-term risks associated with maintenance and monitoring programs; (3) Surveyed state, county, and city agencies and organizations to identify resources available for developing cooperative mitigation projects and procedures; (4) Developed a conceptual framework for cooperative wetland mitigation.

Power Fund Awarded Projects, 2010

Power Fund Awarded Projects from the Office of Energy Independence.

Iowa Power Fund Approved Projects, June 30, 2011

Power Fund Awarded Projects from the Office of Energy Independence.

Review of Cold In-Place Recycled Asphalt Concrete Projects, HR-392, 1998

Highway Research Project HR-392 was undertaken to evaluate cold in-place asphalt recycled (CIR) projects in the State of Iowa. The research involved assessment of performance levels, investigation of factors that most influence pavement performance and economy, and development of guidelines for CIR project selection. The performance was evaluated in two ways: Pavement Condition Indices (PCI, U.S. Corps of Engineers) were calculated and overall ratings were given on ride and appearance. A regression analysis was extrapolated to predict the future service life of CIR roads. The results were that CIR roads within the State of Iowa, with less than 2000 annual average daily traffic (AADT), have an average predicted service life of fifteen to twenty-six years. Subgrade stability problems can prevent a CIR project from being successfully constructed. A series of Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) tests were conducted on a CIR project that experienced varying levels of subgrade failure during construction. Based on this case study, and supporting data, it was determined that the DCP test can be used to evaluate subgrades that have insufficient stability for recycling. Overall, CIR roads in Iowa are performing well. It appears that the development of transverse cracking has been retarded and little rutting has occurred. Contracting agencies must pay special attention to the subgrade conditions during project selection. Because of its performance, CIR is a recommended method to be considered for rehabilitating aged low volume (<2000 AADT) asphalt concrete roads in Iowa.

A Multi-Project Scheduling Procedure for Transportation Projects, Part II, HR-339, 1994

The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) has been requiring Critical Path Method (CPM) schedules on some larger or more schedule sensitive projects. The Office of Construction's expectations for enhanced project control and improved communication of project objectives have not been fully met by the use of CPM. Recognizing that the current procedures might not be adequate for all projects, IDOT sponsored a research project to explore the state-of-the-art in transportation scheduling and identify opportunities for improvement. The first phase of this project identified a technique known as the Linear Scheduling Method (LSM) as an alternative to CPM on certain highway construction projects. LSM graphically displays the construction process with respect to the location and the time in which each activity occurs. The current phase of this project was implemented to allow the research team the opportunity to evaluate LSM on all small groups of diverse projects. Unlike the first phase of the project, the research team was closely involved in the project from early in the planning phase throughout the completion of the projects. The research strongly suggests that the linear scheduling technique has great potential as a project management tool for both contractors and IDOT personnel. However, before this technique can become a viable weapon in the project management arsenal, a software application needs to be developed. This application should bring to linear scheduling a degree of functionality as rich and as comprehensive as that found in microcomputer based CPM software on the market today. The research team recommends that the IDOT extend this research effort to include the development of a linear scheduling application.

Development of Benchmark Data for the Iowa Department of Transportation Construction Offices, HR-381, 1996

This report describes the development of performance measures for the Iowa DOT Construction Offices. The offices are responsible for administering all transportation construction projects for the Iowa DOT. In conjunction with a steering team composed of representatives of the Construction Offices, the research team developed a list of eight key processes and a set of measures for each. Two kinds of data were gathered: baseline data and benchmark data. Baseline data is used to characterize current performance. Benchmark data is gathered to find organizations that have excellent performance records for one or more key functions. This report discusses the methodology used and the results obtained. The data obtained represents the first set of data points. Subsequent years will establish trends for each of the measures, showing improvement or lack of it.

Confidential report on lake restoration projects, Iowa conservation plan,1932

This report contains findings on 52 lake restoration projects. It summarizes the interpretation of the detailed project reports, maps, and cost estimates.

Embankment Quality Phase II Final Report, TR-401, 1999

Phase II research included the following: (1) develop and evaluate alternative soil design and embankment construction specifications based on soil type, moisture, density, stability, and compaction process; (2) assess various quality control and acceptance procedures with a variety of in-situ test methods including the Dual-mass Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP); and (3) develop and design rapid field soil identification methods. At the start of the research, soils were divided into cohesive and cohesionless soil types, with each category being addressed separately. Cohesionless soils were designated as having less than 36% fines content (material passing the No. 200 sieve) and cohesive soils as having greater than 36% fines content. Subsequently, soil categories were refined based not only on fines content but soil plasticity as well. Research activities included observations of fill placement, in-place moisture and density testing, and dual-mass DCP index testing on several highway embankment projects throughout Iowa. Experiments involving rubber-tired and vibratory compaction, lift thickness changes, and disk aeration were carried out for the full range of Iowa soils. By testing for soil stability the DCP was found to be a valuable field tool for quality control, whereby shortcomings from density testing (density gradients) were avoided. Furthermore, critical DCP index values were established based on soil type and compaction moisture content.

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program 2015-2018: Sorted by MPO and RPA, 2014

Iowa’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) has been developed in conformance with the guidelines prescribed by 23 U.S.C. and 49 U.S.C. The STIP is generated to provide the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration a listing of all projects that are candidates for federal aid from the FHWA and FTA for four federal fiscal years (FFY). The 2015-2018 STIP was approved by FHWA and FTA on September 16, 2014. Preceding the listings of federal-aid candidates are general comments concerning Iowa’s public participation process for selection of federal-aid projects and the basis for funding the proposed projects. Documents evidencing the Iowa Department of Transportation’s authority to act concerning matters related to transportation, federal-aid expenditures and approvals of metropolitan planning organizations’ (MPOs), transportation improvements programs (TIPs) have been provided in past STIPs and can be provided again upon request.

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program 2014-2017: Sorted by MPO and RPA, 2013

Iowa’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) has been developed in conformance with the guidelines prescribed by 23 U.S.C. and 49 U.S.C. The STIP is generated to provide the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration a listing of all projects that are candidates for federal aid from the FHWA and FTA for four federal fiscal years (FFY). The 2015-2018 STIP was approved by FHWA and FTA on September 16, 2014. Preceding the listings of federal-aid candidates are general comments concerning Iowa’s public participation process for selection of federal-aid projects and the basis for funding the proposed projects. Documents evidencing the Iowa Department of Transportation’s authority to act concerning matters related to transportation, federal-aid expenditures and approvals of metropolitan planning organizations’ (MPOs), transportation improvements programs (TIPs) have been provided in past STIPs and can be provided again upon request.