The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) is the government organization in the U.S. state of

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system. Located in

Ames Ames may refer to: Places United States * Ames, Arkansas, a place in Arkansas * Ames, Colorado * Ames, Illinois * Ames, Indiana * Ames, Iowa, the most populous city bearing this name * Ames, Kansas * Ames, Nebraska * Ames, New York * Ames, Ok ...

, Iowa, DOT is also responsible for licensing drivers and programming and planning for aviation, rail, and public transit. The organization was created in 1904 as the Iowa State Highway Commission, an extension of

Iowa State College Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...

in Ames. In 1913, the commission was spun off from the college and became a government organization. In 1974, the highway commission was folded into a larger transportation department with other modes of transportation.

Organization

Transportation Commission

The decision-making body of the Iowa DOT is the Iowa Transportation Commission. Seven people, of whom no more than four people can represent the same

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...

, make up the commission. Each member of the commission is nominated by the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and confirmed by the

senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for a four-year term.Iowa Code 2009
§307.3
Retrieved April 7, 2010. Each year, the commission creates a comprehensive transportation plan which identifies the transportation needs and creates programs to meet those needs.Iowa Administrative Code 200

Retrieved April 7, 2010. In addition, the commission promotes the coordinated and efficient use of all modes of transportation that are available, including

public transportation Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

, which benefit the state and

ns.Iowa Code 200
§307.10
Retrieved April 7, 2010.

Director

The Iowa DOT is administered by the director, currently Scott Marler. The director is appointed by the

to serve as the

chief administrative officer A chief administrative officer (CAO) is a top-tier executive who supervises the daily operations of an organization and is ultimately responsible for its performance. Government and non-profit A CAO is responsible for administrative management of ...

of the department.Iowa Code 200
§307.11
Retrieved April 7, 2010. Reporting to the director are the deputy director, the bureau of policy and information, the bureau of transportation safety, the bureau of management, the general counsel division, and the divisions listed below. The director's duties are chiefly administrative, but does have an important role in government. The director works with the commission to create transportation policy and transportation plans. By December 31, the director must present the next year's budget to the commission of their approval. By January 15, the director must submit a report to the

Iowa General Assembly The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Repres ...

"describing the prior fiscal year's highway construction program, actual expenditures of the program, and contractual obligations of the program."Iowa Code 2009
§307.12
Retrieved April 7, 2010.

Divisions

Highway division

The highway division is the most visible division in the Iowa DOT. The division is responsible for designing highways, acquiring

rights of way Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by Easement#Easement by prescription, prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another. A similar ''right of access'' ...

, building and maintaining the interstate and primary highway systems. It is divided into six regional districts, each of which responsible for building and maintaining state roads in each respective area of the state. It also issues weather and traffic alerts via the internet.

Planning, programming, and modal division

The planning, programming, and modal division is an umbrella group which houses the other modes of transportation. The planning and research division is responsible for compiling statistical transportation data and assessing the financial impacts of legislation and programs upon the state.

Motor vehicle division

The motor vehicle division is responsible for

licensing A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

drivers, including commercial and chauffeur's licenses. The division regulates height and weight restrictions and handles licensing and titling for all vehicles.

Districts

Iowa is divided into six transportation districts:

History

In 1904, the

passed an act which created the Iowa State Highway Commission (IHC). Originally, the IHC was a part of

where engineering dean

Anson Marston Anson may refer to: People * Anson (name), a give name and surname ** Anson family, a British aristocratic family with the surname Place names ;United States * Anson, Indiana * Anson, Kansas * Anson, Maine ** Anson (CDP), Maine * Anson, Missouri * ...

was the first highway commissioner. The commission had a biennial budget of $7,000 ($, adjusted for inflation). The commission's first home was in Engineering Hall at ISC, known today as Marston Hall. The IHC's first task was to study Iowa's problematic roads; at the time, less than 2% of which had been improved with gravel or broken stones. While Iowa's dirt roads were fine roads when dry, they were impassibly muddy when wet. This work was done by the staff which included H.M. Bainer, J.T. Hoover and

Thomas Harris MacDonald Thomas Harris "Chief" MacDonald (July 23, 1881 – April 7, 1957) was an American civil engineer and politician with tremendous influence in building the American Interstate Highway System. He served as chief of the Iowa State Highway Commissi ...

(who later became Commissioner of Public Roads for the Federal Government. For the next ten years, the commission served as an information agency, showing county supervisors the best ways to build and construct roads. In 1913, the Iowa State Highway Commission was spun off from Iowa State College. The newly independent IHC's first task was to eliminate the

price gouging Price gouging is a pejorative term used to describe the situation when a seller increases the prices of goods, services, or commodities to a level much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. Usually, this event occurs after a demand or ...

that was occurring across the state. Private supply and bridge companies had divided the state into

monopolistic A monopoly (from Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situation where a spec ...

areas where they could charge the county boards of supervisors unusually high prices for needed supplies. The commission was also given supervisory control over the public road system, although each county was still in charge of managing their road system. In 1974, the 65th

reorganized the highway commission into a larger Department of Transportation with other modes of transportation. The larger department was an effort to create a more balanced transportation system.

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control State agencies of Iowa Transportation in Iowa State departments of transportation of the United States Motor vehicle registration agencies 1904 establishments in Iowa