Transportation Development Division
Program Management Bureau
Shawn Majors, director
Shawn.Majors@iowadot.us
Program Management is responsible for supporting the Iowa Transportation Commission’s development of an annual Five-Year Improvement Program (Program). The Program covers all Commission investments in Iowa’s transportation system along with specifically identifying approximately $4.3 billion of state and federal funded construction projects on the state highway system. Program Management also supports the development of the federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, supports the allocation and use of state Park and Institutional Road Funds, and manages Federal Highway Administration funds that are allocated to the state.
Program Management website
Systems Planning Bureau
Garrett Pedersen, director
Garrett.Pedersen@iowadot.us
The Systems Planning Bureau has five distinct Teams (Grant Program Administration; Modeling, Forecasting and Telemetrics; Planning; Cartography and Traffic). Focus areas include administering several different grant program application processes as well as assisting project sponsors awarded funding by the Transportation Commission navigate the entire project development process; assisting Iowa’s nine Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s) in creation/operation of urban travel demand models, collecting long-term traffic data, completing long-term traffic forecasts; creation of various long-range plans including the Transportation Commission required State Long-Range Transportation Plan; assisting Iowa’s nine MPO’s and 18 Regional Planning Affiliations with transportation planning activities; and collection of thousands of annual-term traffic counts and creation of numerous web and paper maps including the biennial State Transportation Map.
Systems Planning website
Modal Transportation Bureau
Tamara Nicholson, P.E, director
Tamara.Nicholson@iowadot.us
The Modal
Transportation Bureau includes three
teams dedicated to working with aviation,
public transportation, and rail modes
to provide safe and efficient
transportation options to
citizens, businesses, and visitors to Iowa.
Whether it’s getting people to work on
time, transporting freight, or supporting
companies to compete in the global
economy, all modes of transportation have an important role in
supporting Iowa’s economy and quality of life. Modal Transportation Team members are dedicated to the support,
development, and safety of their respective modes. We do this by
developing key partnerships, strategic planning, administration of grant
programs, and ensuring compliance with safety standards to keep the
public safe. The result is a transportation system that meet the needs
of Iowa.
Modal Transportation Team
Research and Analytics Bureau
Peggi Knight, P.E, director
Peggi.Knight@iowadot.us
The Research and Analytics Bureau is responsible for two separate programs. Management of the research program includes funds from several sources that are leveraged to deliver targeted solutions that consider all aspects of Iowa’s transportation future through research, innovation, implementation, and technology transfer. Analytics maintains the enterprise system of roadway attributes, including location, for all public roads, bridges, and rail crossings in Iowa that is used by federal, state, and local agencies and by various DOT systems for integration and data analysis. This data is also used for federal and state reporting, performance measures, and funding distribution.
Research and Analytics Team
Bridges and Structures Bureau
Jim Nelson, P.E, director
James.S.Nelson@iowadot.us
The Bridges & Structures Bureau designs bridges, culverts, overhead sign supports and other structures for new and replacement projects. The bureau inspects bridges on the primary system in accordance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) in order to maintain safe and reliable mobility for our transportation customers. The bureau also provides and maintains an extensive catalog of bridge standards for local public agency (LPA) use and conducts oversight of LPA’s NBIS bridge inspection programs.
Bridges and Structures website
Contracts and Specifications Bureau
Mark Dunn, P.E, director
Mark.Dunn@iowadot.us
Contracts and Specifications Bureau oversees the development and maintenance of the DOT specifications and procures contractors for the projects developed under the Department’s Five-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. This includes development of the bidding documents and engineer’s estimates, advertisement of the projects, conduct of the bid lettings, and award of the contracts. The bureau is also responsible for ensuring all clearances are completed and FHWA authorization is received prior to letting when required. The bureau maintains a historical database on bid results for reporting and use by the department and performs the contractor prequalification for bidder eligibility.
Contracts and Specifications Team
Design Bureau
Michael J. Kennerly, P.E., director
Michael.Kennerly@iowadot.us
The Design Bureau’s primary responsibility involves the development of highway improvement projects to meet the objectives outlined in the Departments Five-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. This also involves emergency projects and a limited number of 3pavement rehabilitation projects. In order to accomplish the bureau also is responsible for many of the support activities necessary to develop those projects and support the development of projects in other areas such as bridges and structures. Those activities include preliminary survey, photogrammetry, pre-design, geotechnical investigations, roadside development, rest area design, and standards and details development. We also have a group responsible for ensuring plan quality, and the administration of the ADA sidewalk improvement plan.
Design website
Local Systems Bureau
Nicole Moore, P.E., director
Nicole.Moore@iowadot.us
The Local Systems Bureau (LSB) is the liaison between FHWA, DOT, and the LPAs (Local Public Agencies). We oversee and provide guidance to the LPAs in the development and construction of their Federal and State funded projects. We ensure they comply with all applicable Federal and State requirements. Iowa Code requires LSB produce Instructional Memorandums to guide the LPAs to achieve compliance. The LPA program is approximately $250 million annually with approximately 500 active projects at any one time. Federal and Iowa Code require LSB to oversee several of the LPAs reports, programs, and budgets as they pertain to their 105,140 miles of roadway (91.6% of total) and 19,766 bridges (81.2%).
Local Systems website
Location and Environment Bureau
Angela Poole, director
Angela.Poole@iowadot.us
The Location and Environment Bureau’s core function is to promote environmental stewardship within the context of transportation project delivery by balancing the needs of the public with the environment and ensuring environmental regulatory compliance. The bureau has 34 staff members who have expertise including engineering, public involvement, environmental policy, water resources, cultural resources, protected species and natural areas, mitigation design and compliance, regulated materials compliance, air quality and traffic noise. Our expertise is used to help define the best balanced transportation improvement strategy for any given project.
Location & Environment website
Project Management Bureau
Deanna Maifield, P.E., director
Deanna.Maifield@iowadot.us
The Project Management Bureau (PMB) manages processes and software to deliver projects in the Highway Program. The bureau has 13 staff in two work units. The Consultant Coordination Group manages the procurement and contracting of engineering and technical services in accordance with federal regulations. They also coordinate partnering effort with the Iowa chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies. The Project Management Group establishes project numbers and schedules for all projects in the Highway Program. A project manager is assigned from this group for large and complex projects as well as project that require consultant oversight. The project manager’s role is to ensure that the scope, schedule and budget of the project fit with the Department’s goals and to ensure communication within the project team.
Project Management website
Right of Way Bureau
Brad Hofer, director
Brad.Hofer@iowadot.us
The Right of Way Bureau helps to balance public interest and public need in identifying, valuing, acquiring, and managing real property for the Department and is a proactive steward of the Department’s right of way. The bureau provides the tools and expertise to help make data driven decisions about present and future property needs while also managing the property the Department currently owns.
Right of Way website