Roadside Chat with the Iowa DOT

In this ninth episode of Roadside Chat, hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh sit down with Iowa DOT transportation planner Sarah Tracy and Traffic Operations and Safety Bureau safety specialist Greg Karssen to answer some of the most common questions about roundabouts. They cover: Why and when Iowa DOT considers a roundabout. How roundabouts compare with traffic signals for safety, operations and lo...

In this eighth episode of Roadside Chat , hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh invite listeners to visit the Iowa DOT's booth at the Iowa State Fair. Communications Specialist Zhaia Wineinger shares how the fair gives the department a chance to connect with thousands of Iowans, answer questions, and highlight the many ways transportation impacts everyday life. Get a preview of this year's booth them...

In this seventh episode of Roadside Chat, hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh sit down with two leaders from the Iowa DOT’s Motor Vehicle Division: Mary Demuth , Public Service Manager, and Charles Cunningham , Service Delivery Bureau Director, to explain how Iowa's personalized license plate process works. They cover: Types of license plates in Iowa The most popular specialty license plates in...

In this sixth episode of Roadside Chat , hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh explore Iowa’s rest areas and truck parking system with David Bollenbaugh , Public Service Supervisor for Iowa DOT Rest Areas, and Adrianne Knight , Transportation Planner with the Iowa DOT. Together, they discuss the services Iowa’s rest areas provide today and the plans underway to improve them for future travelers. They...

In this fifth episode of Roadside Chat , hosts Debbie McClung and Daniel Yeh tackle a question many Iowans ask each spring: why does it seem like construction season never ends? They’re joined by Frank Leong , District Construction Engineer for central Iowa, to explain what really goes into planning and delivering major highway projects. They cover: Why some highway and bridge projects take multip...

In this fourth episode of Roadside Chat , hosts Jenny Butcher and Debbie McClung explore how the Iowa DOT is honoring America’s 250th anniversary with Brennan Dolan, Cultural Resource Team Leader and Tribal Liaison in the Iowa DOT’s Location and Environment Bureau. Together, they dive into Iowa’s America 250 celebration and the Scenic Byway Road Trips initiative connecting transportation, history,...

Roadside Chat , hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh explore the reconstruction of the iconic Lansing Bridge with Clayton Burke, Iowa DOT project manager for the Mississippi River River Bridge at Lansing project. The conversation takes a deep dive into why the nearly 100-year-old bridge must be replaced and why it cannot remain open during construction. They cover: Why the historic Lansing (Black Ha...

In this second episode of Roadside Chat , hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh explore the behind-the-scenes work of Iowa’s winter maintenance operations with Craig Bargfrede, Winter Operations Administrator for the Iowa DOT, and guest Tina Greenfield from the Iowa DOT winter operations team. They cover: What winter operations look like across the state and how the DOT prepares before a storm. How c...

In this first episode of Roadside Chat, hosts Jenny Butcher and Daniel Yeh explore the ins and outs of Iowa’s Parent-Taught Driver’s Education program with Vania Boyd, Driver Education Manager for the Iowa DOT. They cover: What “parent-taught” driver’s education meansand who qualifies. How to enroll and complete the required 30 hoursof driving practice. Common mistakes that can cause an applicatio...