Iowa Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan, September 2006

In Iowa, hundreds of people die and thousands more are injured on our public roadways each year despite decades of efforts to end this su�ffering. Past safety e�efforts have resulted in Iowans bene�fiting from one of the best state roadway systems in the nation. Due to multi-agency e�efforts, Iowa has achieved 90 percent compliance with the state’s mandatory front seat belt use law, earned the nation’s second-lowest percent of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes and made safety gains in system-wide roadway design and operational improvements. Despite these ongoing e�efforts, the state’s annual average of 445 deaths and thousands of life-changing injuries is a tragic toll and an unacceptable public health epidemic in our state. To save more lives on our roadways, Iowans must be challenged to think �differently about lifesaving measures addressing young drivers, safety belts, and motorcycle helmet use and accept innovative designs such as roundabouts. Iowa must apply evidence-based strategies and create a safety culture that motivates all citizens to travel more responsibly. They must demand a lower level of tolerance for Iowa’s roadway deaths and injuries. The Iowa Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP) engages diverse safety stakeholders and charts the course for this state, bringing to bear sound science and the power of shared community values to change the culture and achieve a standard of safer travel for our citizens. How many roadway deaths and injuries are too many? Iowa’s highway safety stakeholders believe that, “One death is one too many” and e�effective culture-changing policy and program strategies must be implemented to help reduce this death toll from an annual average of 445 to 400 by the year 2015.

Archaeology on the Road, July 2011

Not only are we excited that Team Archaeology is back for our third ride, we are energized to be part of a “Human and Natural History” partnership that allows us expanded opportunities to share the story of Iowa’s amazing past. Once again there will be archaeologists along for the ride, as well as at Expo and this year at roadside locations Day One, Five and Six. Don’t hesitate to ask about the history of the first people to travel this landscape as well as the stories of each generation that has contributed to what we know of ourselves today. We will also feature information about the landscape and natural resources of Iowa you will encounter along the route through our partnering colleagues specializing in geology, hydrology, and other earth sciences. Enjoy using this booklet as your guide to the week’s activities and please help yourself to free materials from our outreach booth about our shared past and the natural world we depend on. Ride smart, be safe, and when you get home, be sure to tell your friends and neighbors about Iowa archaeology!

Safety and Mobility Impacts of Winter Weather – Phase I, August 2011

Highway agencies spend millions of dollars to ensure safe and efficient winter travel. However, the effectiveness of winter weather maintenance practices on safety and mobility are somewhat difficult to quantify. Phase I of this project investigated opportunities for improving traffic safety on state-maintained roads in Iowa during winter weather conditions. The primary objective was to develop several preliminary means for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) to identify locations of possible interest systematically with respect to winter weather-related safety performance based on crash history. Specifically, metrics were developed to assist in identifying possible habitual, winter weather-related crash sites on state-maintained rural highways in Iowa. In addition, the current state of practice, for both domestic and international highway agency practices, regarding integration of traffic safety- and mobility-related data in winter maintenance activities and performance measures were investigated. This investigation also included previous research efforts. Finally, a preliminary work plan, focusing on systematic use of safety-related data in support of winter maintenance activities and site evaluation, was prepared.

Temporary Traffic Control and Enforcement of Traffic Laws in Closed Road Sections, June 2007

Public travel by motor vehicles is often necessary in road and street sections that have been officially closed for construction, repair, and/or other reasons. This authorization is permitted in order to provide access to homes and businesses located beyond the point of closure. The MUTCD does address appropriate use of specific regulatory signs at the entrance to closed sections; however, direct guidance for temporary traffic control measures within these areas is not included but may be needed. Interpretation and enforcement of common practices may vary among transportation agencies. For example, some law enforcement officers in Iowa have indicated a concern regarding enforcement and jurisdiction of traffic laws in these areas because the Code of Iowa only appears to address violations on roadways open to “public travel.” Enforcement of traffic laws in closed road sections is desirable to maintain safety for workers and for specifically authorized road users. In addition, occasional unauthorized entry by motor vehicles is experienced in closed road areas causing property damage. Citations beyond simple trespass may be advisable to provide better security for construction sites, reduce economic losses from damage to completed work, and create safer work zones.

Mobility and Safety Impacts of Winter Storm Events in a Freeway Environment Final Report, February 2000

Several factors influence a driver’s decision to travel, choice of vehicle speed, and the safety of a particular trip. These factors include, among others, the trip purpose, time of day, traffic volumes, weather and roadway conditions, and the range of vehicle speeds on the roadway. The main goal of the research project summarized in this report was the investigation of winter storm event impacts on the volume, safety, and speed characteristics of interstate traffic flow.

Business Plan Chicago to Iowa City Intercity Passenger Rail Route, March 21, 2012

Overview of the Passenger Service Connects Iowa City, Quad Cities and Chicago, 219.5 miles Twice‐daily service each way, 4 hours and 15 minutes travel time 246,800 passengers first year (676 per day) Project construction cost $310 million (80% federal, 14.5% Illinois, 5.4% Iowa) On‐time performance 90% or better (trains arrive within 10 minutes of schedule) Competitive passenger rail service operator selection Iowa’s annual share of operating cost support averages $3 million

Federal Highway Administration Finding of No Signification Impact, September 2011

Description of the Proposed Action The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) propose to improve a 3.9-mile segment of Iowa Highway 86 (IA 86) from Iowa Highway 9 (IA 9) to near the Minnesota border within Dickinson County, Iowa (the Project). The existing IA 86 has narrow travel lanes and shoulders, steep foreslopes, and poor vertical alignment. Environmental Assessment Availability The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project was signed on June 30, 2011, and distributed to selected federal, state, and local resource agencies on July 5, 2011, for review and comment. A Notice of Public Hearing and Environmental Assessment Availability was published in the legal section of the Estherville Daily News on July 5, 2011, and the Ocheyedan Press-Melvin News and Dickinson County News on July 6, 2011. Review and Comment Period A review and comment period was established for receipt of comments on the EA, with an expiration date of August 8, 2011. A public hearing for the Project was held at the Dickinson County Courthouse on July 21, 2011. The public hearing used a combined open forum and formal format. A transcript of this meeting has been prepared and is available upon request.

Chicago to Iowa City Passenger Rail Project Financial Plan, September 2009

The Chicago to Iowa City Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Program) is a joint undertaking of the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT). The purpose of the Program is to reestablish passenger rail services from Chicago to Iowa City, independently and in concert with the MWRRI (Midwest Regional Rail Initiative). The Chicago to Iowa City Corridor is one part of the vision established by the MWRRI to expand existing and develop new regional passenger rail service to meet existing and future travel demands in the Midwest. This project will expand and create a rail transportation alternative to supplant private automobile, bus, and air travel between Chicago and Iowa City, and intermediate points, and to create new transportation opportunity and capability for people who cannot meet their transportation needs with private automobile, bus and air modes.

Signing on Very Low Volume Rurd Roads Iowa DOT Project HR-262, July, 1984

Research was undertaken to define an appropriate level of use of traffic control devices on rural secondary roads that carry very low traffic volumes. The goal of this research was to improve the safety and efficiency of travel on the rural secondary road system. This goal was to be accomplished by providing County Engineers with guidance concerning the cost-effective use of traffic control devices on very low volume rural roads. A further objective was to define the range of traffic volumes on the roads for which the recommendations would be appropriate. Little previous research has been directed toward roads that carry very low traffic volumes. Consequently, the factual input for this research was developed by conducting an inventory of the signs and markings actually in use on 2,069 miles of rural road in Iowa. Most of these roads carried 15 or fewer vehicles per day. Additional input was provided by a survey of the opinions of County Engineers and Supervisors in Iowa. Data from both the inventory and the opinion survey indicated a considerable lack of uniformity in the application of signs on very low volume rural roads. The number of warning signs installed varied from 0.24 per mile to 3.85 per mile in the 21 counties in which the inventory was carried out. The use of specific signs not only varied quite widely among counties but also indicated a lack of uniform application within counties. County officials generally favored varying the elaborateness of signing depending upon the type of surface and the volume of traffic on different roads. Less elaborate signing would be installed on an unpaved road than on a paved road. A concensus opinion was that roads carrying fewer than 25 vehicles per day should have fewer signs than roads carrying higher volumes. Although roads carrying 0 to 24 vehicles per day constituted over 24% of the total rural secondary system, they carried less than 3% of the total travel on that system. Virtually all of these roads are classified as area service roads and would thus be expected to carry only short trips primarily by local motorists. Consequently, it was concluded that the need for warning signs rarely can be demonstrated on unpaved rural roads with traffic volumes of fewer than 25 vehicles per day. It is recommended that each county designate a portion of its roads as an Area Service Level B system. All road segments with very low traffic volumes should be considered for inclusion in this system. Roads included in this system may receive a lesser level of maintenance and a reduced level of signing. The county is also afforded protection from liability arising from accidents occurring on roads designated as part of an Area Service Level B system. A uniform absence of warning signs on roads of this nature is not expected to have any discernible effect on the safety or quality of service on these very low volume roads. The resources conserved may be expended more effectively to upgrade maintenance and traffic control on roads carrying higher volumes where the beneficial effect on highway safety and service will be much more consequential.

Iowa Rail Route Alternatives Analysis, June 1998

The development of new rail systems in the first part of the 21st century is the result of a wide range of trends that are making it increasingly difficult to maintain regional mobility using the two dominant intercity travel modes, auto and air. These trends include the changing character of the economic structure of industry. The character of the North American industrial structure is moving rapidly from a manufacturing base to a service based economy. This is increasing the need for business travel while the increase in disposable income due to higher salaries has promoted increased social and tourist travel. Another trend is the change in the regulatory environment. The trend towards deregulation has dramatically reduced the willingness of the airlines to operate from smaller airports and the level of service has fallen due to the creation of hub and spoke systems. While new air technology such as regional jets may mitigate this trend to some degree in medium-size airports, smaller airports will continue to lose out. Finally, increasing environmental concerns have reduced the ability of the automobile to meet intercity travel needs because of increased suburban congestion and limited highway capacity in big cities. Against this background the rail mode offers new options due to first, the existing rail rights-of-way offering direct access into major cities that, in most cases, have significant capacity available and, second, a revolution in vehicle technology that makes new rail rolling stock faster and less expensive to purchase and operate. This study is designed to evaluate the potential for rail service making an important contribution to maintaining regional mobility over the next 30 to 50 years in Iowa. The study evaluates the potential for rail service on three key routes across Iowa and assesses the impact of new train technology in reducing costs and improving rail service. The study also considers the potential for developing the system on an incremental basis. The service analysis and recommendations do not involve current Amtrak intercity service. That service is presumed to continue on its current route and schedule. The study builds from data and analyses that have been generated for the Midwest Rail Initiative (MWRI) Study. For example, the zone system and operating and capital unit cost assumptions are derived from the MWRI study. The MWRI represents a cooperative effort between nine Midwest states, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) contracting with Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. to evaluate the potential for a regional rail system. The 1 The map represents the system including the decision on the Iowa route derived from the current study. Iowa Rail Route Alternatives Analysis TEMS 1-2 system is to offer modern, frequent, higher speed train service to the region, with Chicago as the connecting hub. Exhibit 1-1 illustrates the size of the system, and how the Iowa route fits in to the whole.

Benefiting Iowa’s Economy, 2012

The Midwest Regional Rail System is a transportation network for the 21st Century. - 3,000-mile rail network connecting Iowa with 8 other Midwest states - Significantly reduced travel times - Increase in train frequencies - Improved on-time performance

Interstate 74 Quad Cities Corridor Study Scott County, Iowa and Rock Island County, Illinois Project Number IM-74-1(122)0-13-82 FHWA-IOWA-EIS-09-01-F, February 2009

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Iowa and Illinois Departments of Transportation (Iowa DOT and IDOT) have identified the Selected Alternative for improving Interstate 74 (I-74) from its southern terminus at Avenue of the Cities (23rd Avenue) in Moline, Illinois to its northern terminus one mile north of the I-74 interchange with 53rd Street in Davenport, Iowa. The Selected Alternative identified and discussed in this Record of Decision is the preferred alternative identified in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The purpose of the proposed improvements is to improve capacity, travel reliability, and safety along I-74 between its termini, and provide consistency with local land use planning goals. The need for the proposed improvements to the I-74 corridor is based on a combination of factors related to providing better transportation service and sustaining economic development.

Evaluation of Rumble Stripes on Low-Volume Rural Roads in Iowa—Phase II Final Report, November 2011

Single-vehicle run-off-road crashes are the most common crash type on rural two-lane Iowa roads. Rumble strips have proven effective in mitigating these crashes, but the strips are commonly installed in paved shoulders on higher-volume roads that are owned by the State of Iowa. Lower-volume paved rural roads owned by local agencies do not commonly feature paved shoulders but frequently experience run-off-road crashes. This project involved installing rumble stripes, which are a combination of conventional rumble strips with a painted edge line placed on the surface of the milled area, along the edge of the travel lanes, but at a narrow width to avoid possible intrusion into the normal vehicle travel paths. The research described in this report was part of a project funded by the Federal Highway Administration, Iowa Highway Research Board, and Iowa Department of Transportation to evaluate the effectiveness of edge-line rumble strips in Iowa. The project evaluated the effectiveness of rumble stripes in reducing run-off-road crashes and in improving the longevity and wet-weather visibility of edge-line markings. This project consisted of two phases. The first phase was to select pilot study locations, select a set of test sites, install rumble stripes, summarize lessons learned during installation, and provide a preliminary assessment of the rumble stripes’ performance. The purpose of this report was to document results from Phase II. A before and after crash analysis was conducted to assess whether use of the treatment had resulted in fewer crashes. However, due to low sample size, results of the analysis were inconclusive. Lateral position was also evaluated before and after installation of the treatment to determine whether vehicles engaged in better lane keeping. Pavement marking wear was also assessed.

Use of Incentive/Disincentive Contracting to Mitigate Work Zone Traffic Impacts, 2012

Incentive/disincentive clauses (I/D) are designed to award payments to contractors if they complete work ahead of schedule and to deduct payments if they exceed the completion time. A previously unanswered question is, “Did the costs of the actual work zone impacts that were avoided justify the incentives paid?” This report answers that question affirmatively based on an evaluation of 20 I/D projects in Missouri from 2008 to 2011. Road user costs (RUC) were used to quantify work zone impacts and included travel delays, vehicle operating costs, and crash costs. These were computed using work zone traffic conditions for partial-closure projects and detour volumes and routes for full-closure projects. Conditions during construction were compared to after construction. Crash costs were computed using Highway Safety Manual methodology. Safety Performance Functions produced annual crash frequencies that were translated into crash cost savings. In considering an average project, the percentage of RUC savings was around 13% of the total contract amount, or $444,389 of $3,464,620. The net RUC savings produced was around $7.2 million after subtracting the approximately $1.7 million paid in incentives. In other words, for every dollar paid in incentives, approximately 5.3 dollars of RUC savings resulted. I/D provisions were very successful in saving RUC for projects with full-closure, projects in urban areas, and emergency projects. Rural, non-emergency projects successfully saved RUC but not at the same level as other projects. The I/D contracts were also compared to all Missouri Department of Transportation contracts for the same time period. The results show that I/D projects had a higher on-time completion percentage and a higher number of bids per call than average projects. But I/D projects resulted in 4.52% higher deviation from programmed costs and possibly more changes made after the award. A survey of state transportation departments and contractors showed that both agreed to the same issues that affect the success of I/D contracts. Legal analysis suggests that liquidated damages is preferred to disincentives, since enforceability of disincentives may be an issue. Overall, in terms of work zone impact mitigation, I/D contracts are very effective at a relatively low cost.

Evaluation of Variable Advisory Speed Limits in Work Zones, TPF-5(081), 2013

Variable advisory speed limit (VASL) systems could be effective at both urban and rural work zones, at both uncongested and congested sites. At uncongested urban work zones, the average speeds with VASL were lower than without VASL. But the standard deviation of speeds with VASL was higher. The increase in standard deviation may be due to the advisory nature of VASL. The speed limit compliance with VASL was about eight times greater than without VASL. At the congested sites, the VASL were effective in making drivers slow down gradually as they approached the work zone, reducing any sudden changes in speeds. Mobility-wise the use of VASL resulted in a decrease in average queue length, throughput, number of stops, and an increase in travel time. Several surrogate safety measures also demonstrated the benefits of VASL in congested work zones. VASL deployments in rural work zones resulted in reductions in mean speed, speed variance, and 85th percentile speeds downstream of the VASL sign. The study makes the following recommendations based on the case studies investigated: 1. The use of VASL is recommended for uncongested work zones to achieve better speed compliance and lower speeds. Greater enforcement of regulatory speed limits could help to decrease the standard deviation in speeds; 2. The use of VASL to complement the static speed limits in rural work zones is beneficial even if the VASL is only used to display the static speed limits. It leads to safer traffic conditions by encouraging traffic to slow down gradually and by reminding traffic of the reduced speed limit. A well-designed VASL algorithm, like the P5 algorithm developed in this study, can significantly improve the mobility and safety conditions in congested work zones. The use of simulation is recommended for optimizing the VASL algorithms before field deployment.