InTrans / Sep 18, 2024
Iowa Build a Better Mousetrap winner named

Ringgold County earns top spot with Wright and Adams counties getting second and third, respectively
Whether out in the field at a construction site or in the maintenance shop, Iowa’s secondary roads crews are always looking for ways to do their jobs more efficiently and safely. The Iowa Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) Competition gives those innovative agencies a chance to spotlight and share their ingenuity.
This year’s BABM top prize went to Ringgold County for its innovative continuous concrete slab bridge (CCSB) deck forms and gantry hoist. Wright and Adams counties received second and third, respectively, for their inventions that help out in their maintenance shops.
The winning counties were initially recognized at the ICEA Mid-Year Conference in July and received a plaque at the Iowa Streets and Roads Conference in September. All three received a number of free workshop registrations, and first place will also get a celebratory lunch at their county shop. Congratulations to them all!
More details about those innovations are as follows:
Ringgold County – CCSB Deck Forms and Gantry Hoist
What started initially as an idea to create reusable forms to eliminate the loss of lumber when removing falsework from under completed CCSBs, and thus offer a cost savings, expanded to include a gantry hoist to place and remove the deck forms without damaging them.
“Plans were drawn for the decking forms and the gantry system in house and constructed in our shop by our maintenance guys, [and they] built forms as a winter shop project utilizing equipment and materials we already had with some minor expenses to move the large forms around in shop during construction,” read the county’s entry.
The project used lumber that would have been purchased for forms anyway and relatively inexpensive hardware to build the pre-tensioned cable floor forms that were bolted together. The gantry frame was built from repurposed steel stringer I-beam and newly purchased square tubing steel to build vertical A-frames to which the purchased chain hoists are attached for form placement. The total cost for the materials was just below $7,000.
“This newly devised system has increased the efficiency of the construction process with our local bridge crew’s ability to construct a CCSB. We are now able to complete 3 local 100 ft CCSB bridge projects with each construction season with our own bridge crew and reduced overall expense and increased safety for our employees,” read the county’s entry.
Wright County – Mobile Worklight Tower

Wright County Secondary Roads staff were looking for an innovative way to create more lighting while working on truck engines, so they devised a light tower that would offer more light but without getting in the way of the needed work.
They used Telespar for the frame for its rigidity, and purchased other needed equipment from a local home improvement store. Overall, the project cost about $500 in materials.
“With this light tower, we can now see much easier while making repairs on dump trucks, semis, etc. With it being easier to see, repairs can be made quicker and less mistakes, or even less trips to the toolbox for a tool that you didn’t see you needed. Overall, a better repair can be made because it is easier to see what you are doing,” read the county’s entry.
Adams County – Blade Jack

Adams County Secondary Roads staff were looking for a simpler and safer way to replace blades on their motor graders.
Their solution included the development of a trolley that included jacks and angle adjustment. The trolley allows staff to lift and adjust angles while inserting bolts and reduces potential back injury caused by the previous method that involved more leaning and lifting. Overall, the project cost about $120 for the materials.
“The jack allows us to replace blades quickly and safely. This jack will reduce down time and potential injuries,” read the county’s entry.
Additional details about this year’s and previous years’ innovations are available on the Iowa LTAP’s Iowa Innovations web page at https://iowaltap.iastate.edu/iowa-innovations/.
To get a head start on the 2025 contest, visit https://iowaltap.iastate.edu/iowa-babm-competition/ to learn more about submitting an entry next year.