Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 
 

Name: Lee Bjerke, Secondary Roads Research Engineer 
Number of years in this role: 1 
 
What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau?   

I am the Secondary Roads Research Engineer. My role is to be the liaison between the counties in Iowa, their engineers, and the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB). It is my responsibility to bring the ideas for research to the IHRB, work with the academics on research that benefits the counties and then help the counties to effectively implement the research. 
 
Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like?   

I have always found research interesting. I have spent 23 years as the Winneshiek County Engineer and experienced first-hand the difficulty the counties face with upkeep and improving the secondary road systems. I served on various technical advisory committees and have implemented research such as Otta Seals, using railroad flat cars for short span bridges, and Internal Curing Concrete. One of the biggest issues I saw for counties was the damage done by the large rain events experienced by Iowa in recent years. I championed the research in using roads as impoundment structures to slow rainwater and reduce the damages they can cause. 
 
What’s your favorite part of your work?   

My favorite part of this job is seeing great ideas, regardless of where they come from, become a truly effective tool for the counties to use in improving the Secondary Road System. 

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the research bureau?   

I see two big ones: the AASHTO bridge rating software and the On-Road Impoundment structures. Both of these will have huge advantages to the public in ensuring their ability to traverse the roadways in Iowa in the most efficient and cost-saving manner possible. 
 
What do you like to do in your time off?   

My wife and I love the water. Boating is our favorite pastime; whether it is pulling kids on tubes, putzing along on a pontoon, or sitting in a chair on a beach, time on the water is easily our number one place to be. 

Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 

Name: Peggi Knight, Director of Research & Analytics Bureau
Number of years in this role: 8 

What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau? 
Iowa DOT’s Research and Analytics Sections each operate independently without a lot of overlap in their daily work. With 13 staff members, my role as director is to break down barriers and provide whatever is needed to make sure things keep rolling.  

Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like? 

I hold a bachelor’s degree in survey engineering and a master’s in civil engineering, both from Iowa State University. 

I started at Iowa DOT in 1988 as a transportation engineer; my first job was implementing GIS technology within the DOT. From there I became a manager in what is today called the Analytics Section, working with transportation data.

I then became Director of the Office of Public Transit, then Director of Transportation Data. I’ve been Director of the Research & Analytics Bureau since it was formed eight years ago.

What’s your favorite part of your work? 
I enjoy helping people continuously improve their work so that they can enjoy their job even more. I like to help my staff identify a vision for where they’d like to see their work transformed in the future, and then work with them to develop a plan to get there. 

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the Research & Analytics Bureau? 
Our new Ideas website provides the potential to have everything in one place – which will allow us to track and manage projects and develop performance measures. It’s great because when everything is all in one place you can follow the project’s progress and see how it’s meeting its goals. 

What do you like to do in your time off? 
I enjoy reading and spending time with my husband and two adult children, one of whom plays soccer for Grand View University and the other is a chemical engineer and lives in Texas.

Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 

Name: Tammy Bailey, Research Administrative Assistant 
Number of years in this role: 7 
 
What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau?  
I provide support for the Research & Analytics Bureau, Process invoices for all Research Contracts, Coordinate all travel arrangements including airline tickets, hotel reservations, conference registration and ground transportation.  Prepare agendas, minutes and other items for the Iowa Highway Research Board. 
 
Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like?  
I have worked with the State of Iowa for 34 years. I started with Iowa Beer & Liquor, I went to Iowa DOT in the accident department, then transferred to the Iowa Department of Human services with Foster Care recovery, then went back to the Iowa DOT with the Ames Drivers License Station and ended up in the Iowa DOT Research Department. 
 
What’s your favorite part of your work? 
The Research Team is one of the Best teams I have worked with, they are so knowledgeable and have explained and taught me so much about the process. Research is changing all the time so nothing is the same; there are always new and interesting projects.

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the research bureau?  
The Research team is always coming up with amazing tools to create new communication, like the new website, ideas.iowadot.gov. 

What do you like to do in your time off? 
I spend a lot of time with my family, I love camping, Hallmark movies, having sleepovers with my grandbabies, crafts, and I love to take short adventure trips.

Behind every Iowa DOT research innovation is a real human being dedicated to helping ideas become reality. Here you can learn more about the Iowa DOT Research staff members and what makes them tick. 

Name: Vanessa Goetz, State Research Program Manager – Iowa Highway Research Board
Number of years in this role: 9 

What do you do in the Research & Analytics Bureau? 

I manage Iowa's state-funded research programs. I also serve as the executive secretary to the Iowa Highway Research Board, which has a long history of delivering solutions to Iowa’s transportation research needs.

In addition, I am the point of contact for the bureau for the Federal Highway Administration’s innovation programs, including the State Transportation Innovation Council, Accelerated Innovation Development (AID) Demonstration, and Every Day Counts. 

Have you always been drawn to research? What has your career path been like? 

Yes, I have been involved in research in various ways since college.

Unlike most of my colleagues who are civil engineers, I’m actually an industrial engineer.

Among my jobs before I came to Iowa DOT was working in a private R&D lab researching cat litter.

Another job was assisting research on improvements for K-12 curriculums through the College of Education at Iowa State University.

I started with Iowa DOT in 2003, in what was then the Office of Materials, working with manufacturers of epoxy-coated reinforcements.

When I moved to research, I became the secondary road research engineer and served as the liaison between Iowa’s 99 counties and the research program. I was later promoted to my current position. 

What’s your favorite part of your work? 

The best part is that it’s never the same—no two projects are ever alike.

There are always new challenges that need innovative solutions to meet the needs of Iowa’s transportation and the public. 

What initiative on the horizon do you think will make a big impact for the research bureau? 

Our new website, ideas.iowadot.gov. It will bring more transparency to our program since people will be better able to see where new ideas are in our development timeline.

It will also serve as a new communication tool to help us work better with our stakeholders and partners.

Now, instead of needing multiple spreadsheets and platforms to track a project, the entire process—from idea to active and closed project—will be housed in one place. 

What do you like to do in your time off? 

I like to go camping, travel and spend time with family.

I also really like personal construction projects—it seems we’re remodeling, rebuilding or tinkering with something on our property, and usually doing the work ourselves.

Did you know Iowa DOT Research is always working to explore new ways to make transportation safer, more efficient, and cost-effective? Learn more about some of our research efforts currently in progress: 

• VKelly Slipform Paving Test. The Vibrating Kelly Ball (VKelly) test may be a viable option for measuring the consistency of a pavement mixture onsite before road work begins. To ensure the test produces accurate and reliable results, Iowa is leading a multi-state study to outline the step-by-step process, simplify the testing equipment, and develop guidance for test operators. The study is expected to conclude in March 2025. Subscribe and receive project updates here. 

• Bridge Strike Detection and Reporting. When a vehicle hauling an oversized load strikes a bridge, it can cause significant damage and decrease the bridge’s life expectancy. Drivers often don’t stop or report the incident, leaving authorities unaware of the damage and taxpayers on the hook for repairs. To make sure damage is paid for by the offender, Iowa DOT is piloting a first-in-the nation research project to detect bridge strikes in real time and match the data with vehicle records. The research is expected to conclude in June 2024. Subscribe and receive project updates here. 

Want to get involved? Learn how Iowa DOT staff, industry stakeholders and members of the public can all help advance research in Iowa. 

And find out more about other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page. 

What does a year of transportation research look like? The Iowa DOT Research Section is proud to showcase its efforts in the new FY2022 Research At-A-Glance report.

With more than 200 research projects initiated, progressed or completed throughout the year, Iowa DOT gained valuable information on a variety of cutting-edge topics. From finding new uses for waste quarry fines ways to increasing the value of 3D Building Information Models, Iowa DOT Research continued to prioritize safety, mobility, sustainability, and technology to make transportation better for Iowans across the state.

The At-A-Glance also outlines the process Iowa DOT Research uses to gather research ideas, develop the research program, and work with partners to accomplish research objectives.

Interested in learning more about what Iowa DOT Research did in 2022, how it was done, and what’s coming next? Check out the full report!

In the months since the fall research cycle closed on March 1, Iowa DOT Research and a variety of practitioner and industry experts have been hard at work evaluating each submitted idea, whittling the list of submissions down from dozens to just those few that offer the most promising solutions and greatest impact for Iowans across the state.  

Next, Iowa DOT determines which program and source of funding would best apply to each project: the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB) provides money for research that benefits Iowa’s cities and counties; State Planning & Research (SPR) funds are the core federal program to support research; and federal State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) funding helps state transportation agencies advance their transportation-related innovation initiatives. 

Each of these three programs then identifies their top choices to receive funding.  

At its June 4 meeting, the 15-member IHRB selected four ideas to advance to the next stage in Iowa’s research development process. (SPR and STIC funds are considered by their own, separate committees.) IHRB chose these four research ideas:
 

• Fly Ash Quality and Alternative Materials. Fly ash is a by-product of burning coal, which can be added to concrete to make it stronger and more durable. But as power plants transition from coal to more renewable energy sources, demand for fly ash exceeds supply. This project would investigate possible fly ash alternatives.
   
• Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to Repair Steel Bridge Girder Ends. Instead of cutting and removing parts of a steel bridge that are deteriorating, federal research has shown these costly repairs can be avoided by encasing the damaged areas in this highly durable concrete. Whether or not this a viable option for bridges in Iowa has not yet been well studied. 
   
• Effect of Vibration on Concrete Mixtures. Vibration is an important part of mixing concrete, as it helps to release air bubbles that could otherwise weaken the final structure. The proposed research would conduct a variety of tests to give practitioners a better understanding of how vibration affects different mixtures and how much is too much.
   
• Helical Pile Foundation Implementation for Bridge Structure. Helical piles are often used to stabilize foundations for commercial construction, but they have not been frequently applied to bridges. This research would examine the feasibility and develop specifications for use in bridge designs.

While these ideas have already come a long way since they were submitted, they still have a way to go before they become funded research projects. Each idea will need its own Project Champion and Project Development Group to provide guidance and help develop its scope. Then, a preliminary review of published research will show what advancements have already been made in these areas. For ideas that are still viable after all that, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be written and extended. 

Click here to be notified when new RFPs are posted. 

Have a research idea but haven’t had a chance to get in on the idea submission process? The summer cycle opened on July 1! 

Since it launched 18 months ago, Iowa DOT Research’s Ideas site has revolutionized Iowa’s system of collecting, developing and funding great transportation ideas. The site has allowed more than a thousand users from across the state to submit and discuss ideas online, dramatically reducing the amount of time the process takes and allowing for more timely responses. Ideas that are selected to advance are then matched with an appropriate research program or partner for funding. 

Most of Iowa’s research projects are funded through the Iowa Highway Research Board, State Transportation Innovation Council or with federal State Planning & Research funds, but a variety of other research programs are available as well. Last year, the Iowa Transportation Commission added Transportation Safety Improvement Program (TSIP) to this list, allowing Ideas site submissions to be considered for TSIP funds. While it may seem like a small administrative change, the move has expedited the TSIP process and made it possible for $500,000 in traffic and roadway safety improvements to be awarded to safety-specific research efforts more quickly. 

Now, submitting your idea through the Ideas site means an even better chance that it could be developed into a funded project.   

2022 was a banner year for the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB)! 

The IHRB aims to help Iowans at the local level by bringing together stakeholders from public transportation agencies, academia, and the private sector to identify and support high-value transportation projects.  

With funds contributed by the Iowa DOT and Iowa’s cities and counties, the IHRB managed more than a hundred transportation research initiatives in various stages of development in 2022. These projects seek to save taxpayer dollars by improving roads, increase mobility by predicting where future floods will affect the state’s highways, and enhance sustainability by exploring carbon-reducing alternative materials and methods.  

Learn more about the IHRB and its accomplishments last year.

For the Iowa Highway Research Board (IHRB), 2021 was a year jam-packed with innovative transportation research.  

With efforts focused on helping Iowans at the local level, the IHRB brings together stakeholders from public transportation agencies, academia, and the private sector to identify and fund high-value transportation projects using contributions from the Iowa DOT and Iowa’s cities and counties. 

In 2021 the IHRB worked on dozens of projects, with goals that include saving taxpayer dollars by improving the performance of unpaved roads, increasing mobility by reducing the detrimental effects of flooding on highways, and enhancing sustainability by investigating alternative materials and more efficient methods and processes. 

Learn more about the IHRB and its accomplishments last year.

Road friction sensors are high-tech tools that can quickly indicate slippery spots on roadways. Iowa DOT uses these sensors to better understand where salt or other deicing treatments are needed most; however, not all sensors produce the same results and their high cost means they can only be placed in key areas.  

To ensure the data collected is reliable and better understand road conditions in locations without sensors, Iowa DOT and 18 other states shared the costs of testing different sensors under simulated conditions and developing a computer model that can use weather and atmospheric data to infer the level of friction on the road. 

As more data is collected over the time, Iowa DOT will eventually be able to predict road friction anywhere in the state.    

This project was recently awarded a 2023 AASHTO High Value Research Award in the Safety Focus area. Learn more about this award highlighted in a recent News item. 

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief, and check out other Iowa DOT research efforts on the News & Publications page. 

Iowa DOT already leads the nation in working with 3-D virtual models to design the state’s bridges. Now the agency is taking the technology another step further.  

Because modifications often occur during construction, the model that was used to design the bridge can be outdated by the time it’s completed. On site revisions and updated specifications are hand-drawn on paper, which can be difficult and time-consuming to collect and integrate with the original digital design. This can pose an issue when it comes time to manage the bridge, as inspectors and maintenance workers may have a digital blueprint that doesn’t match the real structure.    

In a pilot project, Iowa DOT pushed the limitations of the proprietary design software it uses. Working with agency engineers and construction contractors, Iowa DOT incorporated changes from a recently completed bridge, updating the original design with the alterations made during construction. Links to supplementary information, such as photos and materials certifications, provide a holistic record of the completed bridge.  

With a better understanding of how the software needs to improve to keep up with modern needs, Iowa DOT is closer to achieving its goals for a fully digital design, construction, and asset-management process. 

Learn more about this project in Iowa DOT’s new research brief. 

Every year, World Meteorological Day falls on March 23 – a day spotlighting the link between our atmosphere and its impact on our daily life.  

But for Iowa DOT, focusing on weather is more than a one-day event – weather affects the work we do throughout the year.  

As lead state of the Aurora pooled fund study, Iowa is instrumental in developing high-tech Road Weather Information Systems, or RWIS, that sense and anticipate potential hazards – such as foggy, icy, or flooded roads – and convey that information to maintenance crews and travelers in real time.  

This important work is funded by 18 state departments of transportation and other public and private-sector interests around the world. As a result, Iowa DOT gets major research findings and state-of-the-art solutions for far less than it would by funding studies on its own.  

To see Iowa DOT Research’s RWIS technology in action, check out our Weatherview app and see how weather is affecting roads in your area!

Each year, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) honors the best transportation research projects from each of its four regions with a prestigious High Value Research (HVR) award.   

As a member of Region 3, Iowa competes with eight other Midwestern states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. After winning 12 HVR awards, (including supplemental HVR awards) in the last 10 years, Iowa is looking to do it again in 2023.  
 
The projects Iowa has submitted for consideration this year are: 

• Roadway Friction Modeling: Improving the Use of Friction Measurements in State DOTs. Pavement friction helps vehicles maintain control on a roadway. Like other states, Iowa DOT uses friction measurements to determine where salt or other treatments should be applied to improve surface conditions. In this project, collected data was used to train and improve computer models so that friction can be accurately predicted even when measurements aren’t available.     

• Assessment, Repair, and Replacement of Bridges Subjected to Fire. Though bridge fires don’t happen often, they can be destructive and costly. This research provides tools and guidance that will help the state’s engineers evaluate damage and make decisions in the aftermath of a fire.    

• Development of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) for Iowa Bridges. UHPC is stronger and more durable than regular concrete, but proprietary formulas make it cost-prohibitive for many applications. This project developed non-proprietary UHPC mixtures that can be made with materials readily available in Iowa for a fraction of the typical cost.  

• Development of Digital As-Built: Incorporating As-Built Information into the I-80/I-380 Building Information Model (BIM) for Use in Future Asset Management Applications. Because modifications often occur during construction, the model that was used to design a bridge can be outdated by the time the bridge is completed. In a pilot project, Iowa DOT incorporated changes from a recently completed bridge, updating the original design with the alterations made during construction. With a better understanding of how the software needs to improve to keep up with modern needs, Iowa DOT is closer to achieving its goals for a fully digital design, construction, and asset-management process.  

After reviewing all of the projects submitted by the Region 3 states, AASHTO’s Research Advisory Committee will recognize the winners at the committee’s summer meeting in July. The winning states will also participate in a poster session dedicated to high-value research projects at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC in January 2024. 

Learn more about the HVR Awards Iowa has won over the years. 

The staff in Iowa DOT’s Research Section accomplished a lot during the past fiscal year, and we’re proud to share highlights of our efforts in the new FY2021 Research At-A-Glance report.  
 
By overseeing nearly 200 research projects, we were able to investigate and test exciting new methods and materials throughout the year. From designing better ways to keep blowing snow off Iowa’s roadways to biodegradable pavements and high-tech tools that allow us to “see” and prevent potential dangers, we worked to make transportation better for Iowans across the state -- in keeping with our priorities of safety, mobility, sustainability, and technology.  
 
The At-A-Glance also outlines our process for gathering research ideas and developing our program through our new Research Ideas website and highlights our outreach and partnership efforts.  
 
Interested in learning more about what Iowa DOT Research did in 2021, how we did it, and what’s next? Check out the full report!

Iowa DOT’s new Research Ideas website—a complement to our existing site—offers information on new and in-progress research in an easy-to-navigate format.

The new site allows keyword searches, as well as the ability to filter information according to an idea.  

We’re also excited to bring you more news and program highlights to help you better understand what it is we do and why we’re so passionate about it.

Here is some of what you’ll find here:  

Driven by you. We love great ideas, but getting a concept to go from “good” to “great” takes lots of input and development.

That’s why we encourage feedback and hope you’ll weigh in on proposed ideas—because when more opinions come together, the better the final result will be.

Go to our Ideas page to find out how you can help.

A transparent process. Ideas move through one stage at a time.

Learn more about how it works: from submission to discussion/evaluation to development, you can track the progress of any idea in the system and identify related projects in development.

More news and updates. We think what we do is pretty interesting, and we hope you will too.

Our regular news posts will help keep you informed and give us a chance to showcase the work we think you’ll be most excited about.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which takes place this year from September 10 - 26, is an annual reminder to thank the millions of professional drivers who transport the goods we rely on every day.  

While this special week helps highlight the important work that truckers do, Iowa DOT is committed to advancing truck driver safety and efficiency throughout the year. 

As a member of the Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC), Iowa DOT partners with nine other states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin – to identify common challenges and share the cost of researching effective solutions. These 10 states are all critical to the efficient and reliable movement of goods across the country as they are home to key interstates, inland waterways, the Great Lakes, rail lines, and air cargo facilities. By sharing technologies and best practices and cooperatively funding research, the MAFC supports planning, policy and operational activities that affect the entire nation.

Make sure to thank a truck driver for their tireless devotion to this important cause, and learn more about learn more about Iowa’s commitment to advancing freight research.

Iowa DOT Research solicits transportation-related ideas throughout the year, during its spring, summer and fall research cycles. Eleven innovative ideas have so far been submitted since the fall cycle opened on November 1. 

Many of the submissions offer environmental solutions in line with Iowa DOT’s commitment to sustainable transportation, from using waste products like eggshells in construction materials to strategies that could limit the carbon emissions of newly built bridges. 
 
Read more about these and all of the recently submitted ideas on Iowa DOT’s Research Ideas site, and share your feedback to help these ideas become even better.  
 
Let us know what transportation-related issues are important to you! The fall cycle will accept ideas through February 28, 2022. 

It’s an exciting time at Iowa DOT Research as we gear up for the fall research cycle, beginning November 1!

If you have a great transportation-related idea, early in the new cycle is always the best time to submit for maximum exposure. 

Submitting an idea at the start of the new research cycle means it will have the most time in the discussion and evaluation phase – a critical step for helping it succeed.

The more feedback and engagement an idea receives, the better chance it has to be selected for further development. 

Even if you don’t have a submission of your own, you can help others improve their ideas by voting or adding your comments. Feedback for this fall cycle will remain open until March 25, 2021. With three research cycles throughout the year, ideas are always in progress at Iowa DOT research.

Check out the annual research calendar to see the process, and mark your calendar for November 1 to see what’s new or submit your own idea! 

Do you have the next big idea in transportation research? Share it now to be considered during Iowa DOT’s summer research cycle, which opened on July 1. 
 
Submitting an idea at the start of the new research cycle means it will have the most time in the discussion and evaluation phase and will be more likely to be selected for further development.    
 
You can help advance transportation research even if you don’t have a submission of your own. Vote or add your comments to help others improve their ideas. Feedback for the summer cycle will remain open until November 25, 2022.    
 
See how the process works throughout the year with our annual research calendar, and check out our Ideas site to learn more and get involved!