Evaluation of a Mobile Rut Depth Device for the Pavement Management Program, HR-248, 1984

With inflation, there is no longer a completely adequate budget for highway construction and maintenance. Restricted budgets have generated development and implementation of pavement management programs. A need for management guidelines generated National Cooperative Highway Research Program Synthesis of Highway Practice 84, "Evaluation Criteria and Priority Setting for State Highway Programs". Traffic volumes and present conditions are two major factors in determining the priority of a proposed highway improvement. The Iowa DOT, Highway Division, Office of Materials has been conducting pavement condition inventory surveys on a three-year frequency since 1969 as input for pavement management. Development of substantial wheel rutting on paved roadways results in a potential hazard to highway safety. During periods of rain, these water-filled ruts may cause hydroplaning and loss of vehicle control. It is, therefore, imparitive that Iowa roadways be continually monitored for rut depths and further that this data be used in a pavement management program to determine priorities for rehabilitation or resurfacing.

Communicating Highway Safety: What Works, 2002

Few topics in transportation are of greater significance, now and in the future, than making today’s roads safe for those who use them. This study aims to assist the formulation of policy by examining the empirical evidence currently available on the ability of several forms of communication efforts and activities to increase knowledge about and affect attitudes and behavior toward highway safety practices. The objective of this effort is to provide a comparative synthesis of what works and what does not in highway safety campaigns across a large number of topical areas that have a mass media component. This was accomplished by conducting an extensive literature review to determine the current state of knowledge concerning what works and what has significant potential for wide use in future highway safety campaigns. An analytic framework for investigating highway safety campaigns was created. The framework includes (1) the types of media components, (2) the types of collaborations, (3) the context in which the campaign is intended to have impact, (4) the structure or procedural steps into which campaigns are organized, (5) the principles for what works in a campaign, and (6) the desired impact of a campaign on its target audience. The report reveals 25 characteristics of successful communication campaigns, strategies that stand a chance of achieving changes in knowledge, attitude, and behavior. The actual impact of mass communication remains unproven because of a perceived lag in the development of adequate evaluation techniques. Education by itself has not generally resulted in significant changes in the behaviors targeted, but education of the public and advocacy groups has often helped enact necessary legislation, transmit knowledge about the provisions and penalties of laws in ways that increase their deterrent effect, and generate public support for law enforcement programs. Even in such cases, however, when enforcement is inconsistent, public compliance frequently decreases with time. Approaches to traffic safety that emphasize the need for long-term individual- and community-based measures are found to be especially crucial for addressing complex problems like drinking and driving that are determined by a myriad of lifestyle and psychosocial factors.

Assessment of Channelizing Device Effectiveness on High Speed/High Volume Roadways, 2007

Part 6 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) describes several types of channelizing devices that can be used to warn road users and guide them through work zones; these devices include cones, tubular markers, vertical panels, drums, barricades, and temporary raised islands. On higher speed/volume roadways, drums and/or vertical panels have been popular choices in many states, due to their formidable appearance and the enhanced visibility they provide when compared to standard cones. However, due to their larger size, drums also require more effort and storage space to transport, deploy and retrieve. Recent editions of the MUTCD have introduced new devices for channelizing; specifically of interest for this study is a taller (>36 inches) but thinner cone. While this new device does not offer a comparable target value to that of drums, the new devices are significantly larger than standard cones and they offer improved stability as well. In addition, these devices are more easily deployed and stored than drums and they cost less. Further, for applications previously using both drums and tall cones, the use of tall cones only provides the ability for delivery and setup by a single vehicle. An investigation of the effectiveness of the new channelizing devices provides a reference for states to use in selecting appropriate traffic control for high speed, high volume applications, especially for short term or limited duration exposures. This study includes a synthesis of common practices by state DOTs, as well as daytime and nighttime field observations of driver reactions using video detection equipment. The results of this study are promising for the day and night performance of the new tall cones, comparing favorably to the performance of drums when used for channelizing in tapers. The evaluation showed no statistical difference in merge distance and location, shy distance, or operating speed in either daytime or nighttime conditions. The study should provide a valuable resource for state DOTs to utilize in selecting the most effective channelizing device for use on high speed/high volume roadways where timely merging by drivers is critical to safety and mobility.

Iowa Department of Public Safety Agency Performance Plan

Agency Performance Plan

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, July 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, June 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, May 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, April 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, February 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, January 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, September 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety. Information in this document has been redacted at the request of one of the named individuals. To examine the unedited document, please contact Iowa Library Services / State Library of Iowa – Main Library, 1112 E. Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319, (515) 242-6542, 1-800-248-4483.

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, November 2001

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, March 2002

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, October 2001

Monthly newsletter for public safety

Missing Persons Bulletin, Iowa Department of Public Safety, September 2001

Monthly newsletter for public safety