[Chad]

Went to Ames last night for the Gene Chizik call in show at Applebee's, and for some reason I didn't notice it so much on the way up but on the way back to Ankeny going south on I-35 there's quite a bit of construction. Doesn't seem like they have a lot of road torn up and maybe they will be gone by Thursday, but there's a lot of one lane traffic right now and I imagine that Thursday around 5pm and then again after the game that stretch of I-35 is going to be very very slow.

[mjones34]

They usually work after dusk and quit before the morning commute. I believe they are widening the shoulders and adding guard rails. Probably because there are so many cars in the winter that veer off into the median.

[BryceC]

This has been going on all summer, but like mjones said it's usually after dark.

They used to completely block off the I-35 exit going north out of Ankeny on 1st street which really, really sucked.

[cyrevkah]

I have been wondering how the gaurd rails will affect other traffic. This last weekend it looked like the fences were really close and would make the car a hazard to oncoming traffic.

??????

[Aclone]

Originally Posted by cyrevkah

I have been wondering how the gaurd rails will affect other traffic. This last weekend it looked like the fences were really close and would make the car a hazard to oncoming traffic.

??????

They repaved earlier, which is good after that red stuff that started deteriorating as soon as they laid it down a decade ago.

But those cable "guard rails", if they're what I remember from the article, go at 100K per mile Your tax money at work.

[mjones34]

They also will prevent a car swerving and causing a head on collision.

[Aclone]

Originally Posted by mjones34

They also will prevent a car swerving and causing a head on collision.

Yes, because we have so many of those. What, every five years? Ten? More? Ever?

[jaretac]

With all the cars that go in the ditch up there during the winter, I'll would be concerned about the cars hitting this railing and staying in the fast lane. Not only will it tie up traffic about it is a hazard. There are allot of fatality rare end accidents.

[Aclone]

Originally Posted by jaretac

With all the cars that go in the ditch up there during the winter, I'll would be concerned about the cars hitting this railing and staying in the fast lane. Not only will it tie up traffic about it is a hazard. There are allot of fatality rare end accidents.

That was my concern--it seemed awfully close to the highway. Where they had it last winter, south of Ankeny by the bridge pilings, made sense, because it's one rail in the middle of the north/southbound.

[jaretac]

Originally Posted by Aclone

Yes, because we have so many of those. What, every five years? Ten? More? Ever?

I was on Cambridge fire for awhile and they handle the calls from the Story county line all the way up to within about 4 miles of the 30/35 interchange. Anyway, during my two year with Cambridge, we had numerous vehicles that made it all the way across the interstate. Most of them never hit another vehicle, or they side swiped them, but I don't think we had any true head on. With that being said, rare end and side swiping can be just as deadly and that is one of the deadliest stretches of road in Iowa.

[Aclone]

What is the proportion of cars that cross to the other side as opposed to those that come to a halt in the median? I'm guessing it's a substantial ratio.

And now, with that barrier so close to the road, those cars that once just buried themselves in the ditch will now just ping-pong back into the same north/southbound lanes--presumably causing more side-swipes.

Not to mention that all of the cars hitting this $100,000 per mile safety feature will also doubtless do damage to it (however severe, it will have a cumulative effect)--requiring a substantial amount in maintenace and repair. If you're in the fast lane--it's right next to you.

Oh yeah--and instead of just towing your car out of the median ditch, you'll be heading to the body shop. From the barricade, if nothing else.

[Aclone]

Originally Posted by jaretac

With that being said, rare end and side swiping can be just as deadly and that is one of the deadliest stretches of road in Iowa.

I hate to double post (and keep harping) but...

I'm hadly going to disagree with you, and I appreciate your thoughts. I drove that stretch between Ames/DM on some of the worst days last year--yes I was an idiot.

But I had a couple of simple observations. One was that in many places the highway was passable. Then there would suddenly be a stretch where it was much worse, where the snow was swirling across and collecting on the highway. That puzzled me. Then, southbound, I looked to my right, so see where this sudden wave of wind was coming from.

Oh. No windbreak. No row of leafless trees or bushes. And a clear definition. Windbreak here--no ice. No windbreak? Ice, and everyone is slowing to a crawl. Not a difficult conclusion to reach. Windbreaks=good.

So, why aren't the windbreaks continuous? They planted those what, ten, fifteen years ago? Not only do they have to be more cost effective, they help to eliminate the root of the problem, rather than a symptom. Reducing or eliminating the problem itself seems to make more sense than merely controlling it's effects.

Further, one day (when it had cleared), I headed northward, and noticed a particular concentrarion of cars (ditch and median), just north of the 35/80 mixmaster. Lots of 'em. At the same time, as I came from under that first bridge, I felt a windshear hit my car and push me the same way. Not a spot where a natural windbreak would be effective, but there must be a solution to cut that wind.

So if you're headed south from Ames on a particularly nasty day this winter, and hit a stretch of interstate that's suddenly a lot worse--glance to your right. Chances are you won't see a row of bare branched bushes there.

[rhlentz]

few years ago I was riding with my friends up to ames on I35, somehow a suburban made it across the median and into our lane luckily we were able to slow down and we t-boned it going about 35 we were in a blazer and none of us were injured but the suburban rolled about 3-4 times as it went into the ditch and the four guys in there looked pretty messed up. So i would say if the guardrails will prevent things like that i'm for it. The worst part of it for my buddy who was driving the car was he had just gotten the blazer that day.

[capitalcityguy]

Originally Posted by Chad

Went to Ames last night for the Gene Chizik call in show at Applebee's...

You know they broadcast these on the radio don’t you?


Anyway, we noticed the guard rails going up as well when we drove up last Sunday for the Family Day event. All I could think about was the large amount of tax dollars being spent and how happy this must make local auto body shop owners as they anticipate the spike in upcoming business

[Me State]

Originally Posted by capitalcityguy

Anyway, we noticed the guard rails going up as well when we drove up last Sunday for the Family Day event. All I could think about was the large amount of tax dollars being spent and how happy this must make local auto body shop owners as they anticipate the spike in upcoming business

Those wires don't do much damage. That is why they use them instead of concrete barriers. And this will most likely cut down the business for tow companies because they won't have as many cars to pull out of the ditches this winter,