A Review of the State's Leased Space and the Leasing Process, General Services Enterprise of the Department of Administrative Services, July 1, 1998 through June 30, 2003

Other Audit Reports - State Leasing

Development of a Mix Design Process for Cold-in-Place Rehabilitation Using Foamed Asphalt, December 2005

Report by Iowa Department of Transportation about pavements materials.

Validation of the New Mix Design Process for Cold In-Place Rehabilitation Using Foamed Asphalt, 2007

Asphalt pavement recycling has grown dramatically over the last few years as a viable technology to rehabilitate existing asphalt pavements. Iowa's current Cold In-place Recycling (CIR) practice utilizes a generic recipe specification to define the characteristics of the CIR mixture. As CIR continues to evolve, the desire to place CIR mixture with specific engineering properties requires the use of a mix design process. A new mix design procedure was developed for Cold In-place Recycling using foamed asphalt (CIR-foam) in consideration of its predicted field performance. The new laboratory mix design process was validated against various Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) materials to determine its consistency over a wide range of RAP materials available throughout Iowa. The performance tests, which include dynamic modulus test, dynamic creep test and raveling test, were conducted to evaluate the consistency of a new CIR-foam mix design process to ensure reliable mixture performance over a wide range of traffic and climatic conditions. The “lab designed” CIR will allow the pavement designer to take the properties of the CIR into account when determining the overlay thickness.

Improving Transition Outcomes: CASE (Career And Self Awareness) Prototype: Contact Information

Contact information for the CASE (Career And Self Awareness) prototype.

Relocation Assistance and Advisory Services, March 24, 2009

This brochure provides general information about relocation assistance provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) for those individuals who may be required to move as a result of a highway project. It is not intended to be a legal document that comprehensively explains every right or obligation you have as established by Chapter 316, Code of Iowa; Federal Public Laws 91-646 and 100-17; and 49 CFR. Your relocation adviser will provide the assistance you need to successfully relocate to a suitable replacement property. Your first contact with your relocation adviser will usually occur during the early stages of the appraisal process, and he or she will continue to work with you until you have moved and become established at a new location. Do not hesitate to ask questions so you are sure you understand the process, your rights and the benefits available to you. Please let your DOT relocation adviser know your needs and preferences. If your relocation adviser is unable to help you with a specific problem or concern, he or she may know of another person or an organization that can help you. DO NOT MOVE UNTIL YOU HAVE CONTACTED YOUR DOT RELOCATION ADVISER. Only then will you be sure you are not jeopardizing your potential rights and benefits under this program. No person who lawfully occupies real property will be required by DOT to move without being notified in writing at least 90 days in advance.

Summary of FY 2011 Budget and Governor's Recommendations, February 1, 2010

The purpose of this document is to provide the General Assembly with information concerning FY 2011 General Fund estimated receipts and the Governor’s budget recommendations. The information provides an overall summary of the State budget and is intended to help the General Assembly take a proactive approach to the budgetary process. In addition, the document is intended to provide the General Assembly with an overview of the General Fund, including revenues and expenditures. Information regarding other State appropriated funds is also included. If you need additional information regarding Department requests, Governor’s recommendations, or other fiscal information, refer to the Fiscal Services Division staff listing. The staff listing will indicate the appropriate analyst to contact for detailed information by subcommittee and subject area.

Relocation Assistance and Advisory Services, November 4, 2010

This brochure provides general information about relocation assistance provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) for those individuals who may be required to move as a result of a highway project. It is not intended to be a legal document that comprehensively explains every right or obligation you have as established by Chapter 316, Code of Iowa; Federal Public Laws 91-646 and 100-17; and 49 CFR. Your relocation advisor will provide the assistance you need to successfully relocate to a suitable replacement property. Your first contact with your relocation advisor will usually occur during the early stages of the appraisal process, and he or she will continue to work with you until you have moved and become established at a new location. Do not hesitate to ask questions so you are sure you understand the process, your rights and the benefits available to you. Please let your DOT relocation advisor know your needs and preferences. If your relocation advisor is unable to help you with a specific problem or concern, he or she may know of another person or an organization that can help you.

Iowa Driver’s License Renewal, August 3, 2007

One-on-one communication with driver’s license customers is the most valuable tool Driver Services employees use to help drivers stay independent and safe. Driver Services employees understand that a sense of remaining independent, in everything from running errands to shopping to visits with friends, family and doctors, depends on a driver’s license. There are times when Driver Services personnel, or even the drivers themselves, determine it’s time to stop driving. In those cases, people are given a free identification card. There are also times when the DOT must suspend a person’s driving privilege. This can be caused by vision problems, a medical condition or unsafe driving. If the driver cannot be relicensed, DOT personnel make the commitment to work with the individual by providing information about available transportation alternatives. We are providing this information to make the renewal process understandable and less stressful. We hope that by explaining why the DOT screens vision, requires medical information and requests drive tests, and describing how these all relate to highway safety, drivers will know what to expect. Personnel are available to answer questions or discuss concerns at any of the Iowa Department of Transportation or County Treasurer driver’s license sites. Please contact one of the driver’s license stations listed in this booklet.

Clarifying the Quadrennial Needs Study Process, December 1993

The Quadrennial Needs Study was developed to assist in the identification of highway needs and the distribution of road funds in Iowa among the various highway entities. During the period 1978 to 1990, the process has seen large shifts in needs and associated funding distribution in individual counties with no apparent reasons. This study investigated the reasons for such shifts. The study identified program inputs that can result in major shifts in needs either up or down from minor changes in the input values. The areas of concern were identified as the condition ratings for roads and structures, traffic volume and mix counts, and the assignment of construction cost areas. Eight counties exhibiting the large shifts (greater than 30%) in needs over time were used to test the sensitivity of the variables. A ninth county was used as the base line for the study. Recommendations are identified for improvements in the process of data collection in the areas of road and structure condition--rating, traffic, and in the assignment of construction cost areas. Advice is also offered in how to account for changes in jurisdiction between successive studies. Maintenance cost area assignment and levels of maintenance service are identified as requiring additional detailed research.

Development of a Model for the Ice Scraping Process, October 1996

A laboratory study has been conducted with two aims in mind. The first goal was to develop a description of how a cutting edge scrapes ice from the road surface. The second goal was to investigate the extent, if any, to which serrated blades were better than un-serrated or "classical" blades at ice removal. The tests were conducted in the Ice Research Laboratory at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research of the University of Iowa. A specialized testing machine, with a hydraulic ram capable of attaining scraping velocities of up to 30 m.p.h. was used in the testing. In order to determine the ice scraping process, the effects of scraping velocity, ice thickness, and blade geometry on the ice scraping forces were determined. Higher ice thickness lead to greater ice chipping (as opposed to pulverization at lower thicknesses) and thus lower loads. Behavior was observed at higher velocities. The study of blade geometry included the effect of rake angle, clearance angle, and flat width. The latter were found to be particularly important in developing a clear picture of the scraping process. As clearance angle decreases and flat width increases, the scraping loads show a marked increase, due to the need to re-compress pulverized ice fragments. The effect of serrations was to decrease the scraping forces. However, for the coarsest serrated blades (with the widest teeth and gaps) the quantity of ice removed was significantly less than for a classical blade. Finer serrations appear to be able to match the ice removal of classical blades at lower scraping loads. Thus, one of the recommendations of this study is to examine the use of serrated blades in the field. Preliminary work (by Nixon and Potter, 1996) suggests such work will be fruitful. A second and perhaps more challenging result of the study is that chipping of ice is more preferable to pulverization of the ice. How such chipping can be forced to occur is at present an open question.

Development of a Model for the Ice Scraping Process Iowa Department of Transportation Project HR 361 Final Report, October 1996

A laboratory study has been conducted with two aims in mind. The first goal was to develop a description of how a cutting edge scrapes ice from the road surface. The second goal was to investigate the extent, if any, to which serrated blades were better than un-serrated or "classical" blades at ice removal. The tests were conducted in the Ice Research Laboratory at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research of the University of Iowa. A specialized testing machine, with a hydraulic ram capable of attaining scraping velocities of up to 30 m.p.h. was used in the testing. In order to determine the ice scraping process, the effects of scraping velocity, ice thickness, and blade geometry on the ice scraping forces were determined. Higher ice thickness lead to greater ice chipping (as opposed to pulverization at lower thicknesses) and thus lower loads. S~milabr ehavior was observed at higher velocities. The study of blade geometry included the effect of rake angle, clearance angle, and flat width. The latter were found to be particularly important in developing a clear picture of the scraping process. As clearance angle decreases and flat width increases, the scraping loads show a marked increase, due to the need to re-compress pulverized ice fragments. The effect of serrations was to decrease the scraping forces. However, for the coarsest serrated blades (with the widest teeth and gaps) the quantity of ice removed was significantly less than for a classical blade. Finer serrations appear to be able to match the ice removal of classical blades at lower scraping loads. Thus, one of the recommendations of this study is to examine the use of serrated blades in the field. Preliminary work (by Nixon and Potter, 1996) suggests such work will be fruitful. A second and perhaps more challenging result of the study is that chipping of ice is more preferable to pulverization of the ice. How such chipping can be forced to occur is at present an open question.

Review of the Iowa Department of Human Services Drug Testing Process for Drug Testing of a Person Responsible for the Care of a Child in Child Abuse Cases, December 1, 2008

This report outlines the current drug testing practices, guidelines, programs and initiatives as currently implemented by the Department regarding the process for drug testing of a person responsible for the care of a child in child abuse cases.

Dusproportionate Minority Contact in Iowa's Juvenile Justice System, April 2006

This report was developed to provide summary information to allow state agency staff, practitioners and juvenile justice system officials to access a specific section of Iowa’s Three Year Plan. It includes the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) section of Iowa’s 2006 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act formula grant Three-Year Plan. The complete Three Year Plan serves as Iowa’s application for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act formula grant funding.

Drug Court Process Evaluation Report, February 2008

The Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation conducted a process evaluation in 2007 on the seven adult and juvenile drug courts existing in Iowa in 2003. (A list of adult and juvenile drug courts established in Iowa from 2004 through 2007 appears in the appendix.) The drug courts evaluated in this study differ on several important factors, including the judicial supervision model used, resources available, and the severity level of clients served. The divergent resources and clients should be considered when comparing outcomes across courts. Section 1 provides an overview of each drug court included in this study.