LTAP Resource Biweekly
Iowa LTAP is a resource that is ready to help, providing biweekly updates on webinars and other online opportunities and resources that we hope will be of value to local agencies wherever they may be. All webinars are listed in Central Time.
As always, if you have any subjects you’d like to see, please let us know and we’ll help you out. We are also available to answer technical questions and find technical resources for you (please call or email us).
LTAP Resource Biweekly #116 (5/6/25)
LTAP Workshops
- Motor Grader Operator Workshops, Wednesday, 5/7 (Webster City); Thursday, 5/8 (Ainsworth); Tuesday, 5/13 (Storm Lake); Wednesday, 5/14 (Chariton); and Thursday, 5/15 (Atlantic) – Motor Grader Operator (MoGO) training is a one- or two-day program led by experienced operators who teach others efficient and safe operating practices. The classroom session primarily focuses on blading techniques for different tasks, roadway/roadside cross-section elements, safety, and equipment. Participants are often from several cities or counties, which promotes discussion and exchange of ideas and techniques. The optional field session for new operators attending a classroom session in 2025 is expected to occur the week of 8/11–8/15 at the Iowa Army National Guard Base, Camp Dodge in Johnston. Details for the field session are still in development and more information concerning it will be sent to all cities and counties that have participants registered for a classroom session. For more information and to register, please go here.
- MUTCD 2023 Overview, Wednesday, 5/14 (Cedar Rapids); Thursday, 5/15 (Waverly); Tuesday, 5/20 (Ames); Wednesday 5/21 (Atlantic); Thursday, 5/22 (Storm Lake); and Wednesday, 6/5 (Fairfield) – A new national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) came out in 2023. This workshop will include a summary of some of content and the changes in the 2023 MUTCD. More specifically, presentations will focus on parts of the MUTCD related to its introductory general content (Part 1) and the installation of locally relevant regulatory, warning, and guide signs (Part 2). In addition, information related to school area (Part 7), railroad (Part 8) and bicycle facility (Part 9) signs will also be covered. More limited amounts of material may also be covered for other types of signs (e.g., changeable message), pavement markings (Part 3), and traffic signals (Part 4). Temporary traffic control (Part 6) material is covered in other workshops. NOTE: States that have their own MUTCDs or Supplements have two years to do revisions, and this process is currently ongoing. For more information, contact information if you have questions, and to register, please go here.
LTAP Webinars
- Pavement Management Resources for Local Agencies, Thursday, 5/15 at 12:00 PM – This free one-hour webinar will include a comprehensive overview of the essential data sets, tools, and services available to local agencies for effective pavement management. Attendees will gain insights into optimizing their pavement management strategies and ensuring sustainable, high-quality road networks for their communities. Registration and more information can be found here.
Iowa LTAP Build a Better Mousetrap
- Iowa Build a Better Mousetrap Competition – Applications Being Accepted! Each year, Iowa LTAP sponsors a statewide Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) Competition. It is the people on the front lines who often discover the latest and best practices, whether through new gadgets that improve the quality and safety of a project or innovative processes that reduce costs and improve efficiency. Iowa’s BABM Competition provides a great opportunity to share your new ideas with others! We are looking for submissions from Iowa’s local public agencies (e.g., cities and counties) that have created different solutions to problems or found better ways of doing things. The top three winners are recognized statewide and are offered free workshop registrations. The application deadline is 5/9. For more information and to apply online, please go here.
Partner Activities
- AI Can Help: Empowering the Transportation Community (TN LTAP), Wednesday, 5/7 at 10:00 AM – Explore how AI (Artificial Intelligence)—rooted in the collective wisdom of human behaviors and decisions—can serve as a powerful tool for continuous learning and innovation in transportation. This session focuses on practical techniques that translate everyday language into actionable insights, drawing on decades of research and experience from the field. Learn how extensive transportation data informs AI models, and discover methods to leverage these insights without the need for advanced technical backgrounds. The presentation offers a fresh, human-centered perspective on AI’s role in enhancing understanding and problem-solving within the transportation space. More information and registration for this webinar is available here.
- Best Practices for Utility Management in the Public Right of Way (Iowa DOT and ISU), Thursdays, 5/22, 6/5, and 6/12 (Various Iowa locations) – This training presents utility permitting requirements and the variability of permitting practices found during a recent study. The study findings suggest that there are best practices for working toward more uniform utility permitting across cities, counties, and municipalities for building practice efficiency and data uniformity. This training will discuss the research findings and present best practices. Registration for this workshop is available here.
- ICEA Mid-Year Conference (ICEA), Thursday, 7/10 (Ames) – The Iowa County Engineers Association (ICEA) Mid-Year Conference is held every July in Ames, Iowa. It is an opportunity for county engineers and their staff to gather information about subjects and activities that can improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Attendance at this event is limited to Iowa Secondary Roads Department staff and related personnel, along with related Iowa Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration-Iowa Division staff. There is also a pre-conference golf outing on July 9 with a separate registration link. More information and registration for the conference and the separate golf outing registration link can be found here.
Access Webinar Recordings
Miss a webinar you wanted to attend?
Recordings for most webinars are available at the above link. Or click here.