CHAPTER 314
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS FOR HIGHWAYS

Referred to in §307.24, 311.32, 331.362

  
     
314.1  Bidding procedures — basis for awarding contracts.
  1.  The agency having charge of the receipt of bids and the award of contracts for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, or repair or maintenance of a highway, bridge, or culvert may require, for any highway, bridge, or culvert contract letting, that each bidder file with the agency a statement showing the bidder’s financial standing, equipment, and experience in the execution of like or similar work. The statements shall be on standard forms prepared by the department and shall be filed with the agency prior to the letting at which the bidder expects to bid. The agency may, in advance of the letting, notify the bidder as to the amount and the nature of the work for which the bidder is deemed qualified to bid. A bidder who is prequalified under this subsection by the department shall be deemed qualified for a highway, bridge, or culvert contract letting by any other agency and shall submit proof of the prequalification in a manner determined by the department if required to do so by the agency.
  2.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a public improvement that involves the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a highway, bridge, or culvert and that has a cost in excess of the applicable threshold in section 73A.18, 262.34, 297.7, 309.40, 310.14, or 313.10, as modified by the director pursuant to section 314.1B, shall be advertised and let for bid, except such public improvements that involve emergency work pursuant to section 309.40A, 313.10, or 384.103, subsection 2. For a city having a population of fifty thousand or less, a public improvement that involves the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a highway, bridge, or culvert that has a cost in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars, as modified by the director pursuant to section 314.1B, shall be advertised and let for bid, excluding emergency work. However, a public improvement that has an estimated total cost to a city in excess of a threshold of fifty thousand dollars, as modified by the director pursuant to section 314.1B, and that involves the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a highway, bridge, or culvert that is under the jurisdiction of a city with a population of more than fifty thousand, shall be advertised and let for bid. Cities required to competitively bid highway, bridge, or culvert work shall do so in compliance with the contract letting procedures of sections 26.3 through 26.12.
  3.  a.  In the award of contracts for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, or repair or maintenance of a highway, bridge, or culvert, the agency having charge of awarding such contracts shall give due consideration not only to the prices bid but also to the mechanical or other equipment and the financial responsibility and experience in the performance of like or similar contracts. The agency may reject any or all bids. The agency may readvertise and relet the project without conducting an additional public hearing if no substantial changes are made to the project’s plans or specifications. The agency may let by private contract or build by day labor, at a cost not in excess of the lowest bid received.
  b.  Upon the completion of any contract or project on either the farm-to-market or secondary road system, the county engineer shall file with the county auditor a statement showing the total cost thereof with certificate that the work has been done in accordance with the plans and specifications. Upon completion of a contract or project on the municipal street system, the city public works department or city engineer shall file with the city clerk a statement showing the total cost of the contract or project with a certificate that the work has been done in accordance with the plans and specifications. All contracts shall be in writing and shall be secured by a bond for the faithful performance thereof as provided by law.
[S13, §1527-s18; C24, §4651, 4700; C27, 31, 35, §4644-c41, 4651, 4755-b11; C39, §4644.39, 4651, 4686.15, 4755.11; C46, §309.57, 310.15, 313.11; C50, §308A.10, 309.39; C54, §309.39, 314.1; C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.1]
2001 Acts, ch 32, §7, 14; 2006 Acts, ch 1017, §27, 42, 43; 2006 Acts, ch 1185, §80; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §106; 2018 Acts, ch 1097, §2; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §308
Referred to in §26A.3, 91C.2, 314.1B, 314.2, 314.14, 331.341
Subsection 2 amended

     
314.1A  Detailed cost accountings by cities and counties — rules.
  1.  The department shall adopt rules prescribing the manner by which cities and counties shall provide a detailed cost accounting under section 309.93 or 312.14, of all instances of the use of day labor or public or private contracts for construction, reconstruction, or improvement projects of a highway, bridge, or culvert within their jurisdiction.
  2.  The department shall adopt rules prescribing the manner by which governmental entities, as defined in section 26.2, shall administer section 26.14 concerning public improvement quotations.
  3.  The rules shall include definitions concerning types of projects and uniform requirements and definitions that cities and counties under subsection 1 and governmental entities under subsection 2 shall use in determining costs for such projects. The department shall establish horizontal and vertical infrastructure advisory committees composed of representatives of public sector agencies, private sector vertical and horizontal contractor organizations, and certified public employee collective bargaining organizations to make recommendations for such rules.
2001 Acts, ch 32, §8; 2006 Acts, ch 1017, §28, 42, 43
Referred to in §309.93, 312.14

  
     
314.1B  Adjustments — notice.
  1.  Horizontal infrastructure.
  a.  The director, in consultation with industry and subject matter experts, shall review the competitive bid thresholds applicable to city and county highway, bridge, and culvert projects. The director shall review price adjustments for all types of city and county highway, bridge, and culvert construction, reconstruction, and improvement projects, based on changes in the construction price index from the preceding year. Upon completion of the review the director may make adjustments in the applicable bid thresholds for types of work based on the price adjustments.
  b.  A bid threshold, under this subsection, shall not be adjusted to an amount that is less than the bid threshold applicable to a city or county on July 1, 2006, as provided in section 73A.18, 309.40, 310.14, or 314.1. An adjusted bid threshold shall take effect as provided in subsection 3, and shall remain in effect until a new adjusted bid threshold is established and becomes effective as provided in this section.
  2.  Vertical infrastructure.
  a.  The director, in consultation with industry and subject matter experts, shall review the competitive bid thresholds applicable to governmental entities under chapter 26. The director shall review price adjustments for all types of construction, reconstruction, and public improvement projects based on the changes in the construction price index, building cost index, and material cost index from the preceding adjustment. Upon completion of the review the director may make adjustments in the applicable bid thresholds for types of work based on the price adjustments.
  b.  The director shall adjust the bid threshold amount in accordance with subsection 3 but shall not adjust the bid threshold to an amount less than the bid threshold applicable to a governmental entity on January 1, 2007.
  c.  Beginning July 1, 2024, the director shall make adjustments to the competitive quotation threshold amounts in section 26.14 for vertical infrastructure in accordance with the methodology of paragraph “a”.
  d.  The director shall adjust the competitive quotation threshold amounts in section 26.14 at the same time and by the same percentage as adjustments are made to the competitive bid threshold.
  3.  Review — publication.  The director shall make the adjustments described in this section on or before August 1 of every other year, or of every year if determined necessary by the director. By September 1 of each year in which a director makes adjustments in the bid or quotation thresholds, the director shall cause an advisory notice to be published in the Iowa administrative bulletin and in a newspaper of general circulation in this state, stating the adjusted bid and quotation thresholds to be in effect on January 1 of the following year, as established by the director under this section.
2001 Acts, ch 32, §9, 14; 2006 Acts, ch 1017, §29, 42, 43; 2007 Acts, ch 144, §11, 12; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §309 – 313
Referred to in §8A.311, 26.3, 26.5, 26.12, 26.14, 26.15, 26A.3, 28J.9, 35A.10, 73A.2, 73A.18, 161C.2, 218.58, 273.14, 297.8, 314.1, 330A.12, 331.341, 357.14, 468.3, 904.314, 904.315
Section amended and editorially internally redesignated

  
     
314.2  Conflicts of interest.
  A state or county official who is a voting member of a governmental entity responsible for awarding a contract pursuant to section 314.1 and is the apparent low bidder for the contract shall not participate in a vote to award the contract and shall include an explanation of the official’s conflict in the resolution entered pursuant to section 26.12.
[S13, §1527-s15; C24, §4685, 4700; C27, 31, 35, §4685, 4755-b10; C39, §4685, 4686.14, 4755.10; C46, §309.92, 310.14, 313.10; C50, §308A.11; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.2]
2009 Acts, ch 133, §115; 2019 Acts, ch 148, §46, 47
Referred to in §331.341, 331.342

     
314.3  Claims — approval and payment.
  1.  All claims for construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, or maintenance on any highway shall be itemized on voucher forms prepared for that purpose, certified to by the claimants and by the engineer in charge, and then forwarded to the agency in control of that highway for final audit and approval. Claims payable from the farm-to-market road fund shall be approved by both the board of supervisors and the department. Upon approval by the department of vouchers which are payable from the farm-to-market road fund, or from the primary road fund, as the case may be, such vouchers shall be forwarded to the director of the department of administrative services, who shall draw warrants therefor and said warrants shall be paid by the treasurer of the state from the farm-to-market road fund or from the primary road fund, as the case may be.
  2.  If the engineer makes such certificate or a member of the agency approves such claim when said work has not been done in accordance with the plans and specifications, and said work be not promptly made good without additional cost, the engineer or member shall be liable on the person’s bond for the amount of such claim.
[SS15, §1527-s10; C24, §4653, 4702; C27, 31, 35, §4653, 4755-b15; C39, §4653, 4686.17, 4755.15; C46, §309.59, 310.17, 313.15; C50, §308A.12; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.3]
2003 Acts, ch 145, §286

     
314.4  Partial payments.
  Partial payments may be made on highway contract work during the progress thereof, but no such partial payment shall be deemed final acceptance of the work nor a waiver of any defect therein. The approval of any claim by the agency in control of the work, or highway on which the work is located, may be evidenced by the signature of the chairperson of said agency, or of a majority of the members of said agency, on the individual claims or on the abstract of a number of claims with the individual claims attached to said abstract.
[SS15, §1527-s10; C24, §4654, 4702; C27, 31, 35, §4654, 4755-b16; C39, §4654, 4755.16; C46, §309.60, 313.16; C50, §308A.13; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.4]

     
314.5  Extensions in certain cities.
  1.  The agency in control of a secondary road, subject to approval of the council, may eliminate danger at railroad crossings and construct, reconstruct, improve, repair, and maintain any road or street which is an extension of the secondary road within a city. However, this authority does not apply to the extensions of secondary roads located in cities over twenty-five hundred population, where the houses or business houses average less than two hundred feet apart.
  2.  The phrase “subject to the approval of the council” as it appears in this section, shall be construed as authorizing the council to consider said proposed improvement only in its relationship to municipal improvements such as sewers, water lines, establishing grades, change of established street grades, sidewalks and other public improvements. The locations of such road extensions shall be determined by the agency in control of such road or road system.
[C31, 35, §4644-c47; C39, §4644.45, 4686.21; C46, §309.45, 310.21; C50, §308A.14; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.5]
89 Acts, ch 134, §8

     
314.6  Highways along city limits.
  Whenever any public highway located along the corporate line of any city is an extension of a farm-to-market road, or of a primary road, it may be included in the farm-to-market road system or the primary road system, as the case may be, and may be constructed, reconstructed, improved, repaired, and maintained as a part of said road system.
[C24, §4735; C27, 31, 35, §4755-b28; C39, §4686.25, 4755.26; C46, §310.25, 313.35; C50, §308A.15; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.6]

     
314.7  Trees — ingress or egress — drainage.
  Officers, employees, and contractors in charge of improvement or maintenance work on any highway shall not cut down or injure any tree growing by the wayside which does not materially obstruct the highway, or tile drains, or interfere with the improvement or maintenance of the road, and which stands in front of any city lot, farmyard orchard or feed lot, or any ground reserved for any public use. Nor shall they destroy or injure reasonable ingress or egress to any property, or turn the natural drainage of the surface water to the injury of adjoining owners. It shall be their duty to use strict diligence in draining the surface water from the public road in its natural channel. To this end they may enter upon the adjoining lands for the purpose of removing from such natural channel obstructions that impede the flow of such water.
[C24, 27, §4791; C31, 35, §4644-c46; C39, §4644.44; C46, §309.44; C50, §308A.16; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.7]

     
314.8  Government markers preserved.
  1.  If it is necessary in grading a highway to make a cut that will disturb, or fill that will cover up, a government or other established corner or land monument, the engineer in charge of the project shall establish permanent witness corners or monuments, and make a record of the same, that show the distance and direction the witness corner is from the corner disturbed or covered up. When the construction work is completed the engineer shall permanently reestablish the corner or monument.
  2.  If the duties in subsection 1 are not performed, the agency in control of the highway on which a project described in subsection 1 has been or is being completed shall pay the costs of restoring the original position of the established corner or land monument.
[S13, §1527-s7; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4656; C46, §309.62; C50, §308A.17; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.8]
2002 Acts, ch 1063, §14
Referred to in §542B.2, 716.6

     
314.9  Entering private property.
  1.  The agency in control of a highway may after thirty days’ written notice by restricted certified mail addressed to the owner and also to the occupant, enter upon private property for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, drillings, appraisals, and examinations as the agency deems appropriate or necessary to determine the advisability or practicability of locating and constructing a highway on the property or for the purpose of determining whether gravel or other material exists on the property of suitable quality and in sufficient quantity to warrant the purchase or condemnation of the property. The entry shall not be deemed a trespass, and the agency may be aided by injunction to insure peaceful entry. The agency shall pay actual damages caused by the entry, surveys, soundings, drillings, appraisals, or examinations.
  2.  Any damage caused by the entry, surveys, soundings, drillings, appraisals, or examinations shall be determined by agreement or in the manner provided for the award of damages in condemnation of the property for highway purposes. Soundings or drillings shall not be done within one hundred fifty feet of the dwelling house or within fifty feet of other buildings without written consent of the owner.
[C27, 31, 35, §4658-a1; C39, §4658.1; C46, §309.65; C50, §308A.18; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.9]
96 Acts, ch 1126, §3

     
314.10  State-line highways.
  The agency in control of any highway or bridge bordering on or crossing a state line is authorized to confer and agree with the agency or official of such border state, or subdivision of such state, having control of such highway or bridge relative to the interstate connection, the plans for the improvement, and maintenance, the division of work and the apportionment of cost of such highway or bridge.
[S13, §1570-a; SS15, §1527-s3; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4663; C46, §309.72; C50, §308A.19; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.10]

     
314.11  Use of bridges by utility companies.
  Telephone, telegraph, electric transmission, and pipelines may be permitted to use any highway bridge on or across a state line on such terms and conditions as the agency or officials jointly constructing, maintaining, or operating such bridge may jointly determine. No discrimination shall be made in the use of such bridge as between such utilities. Joint use of telephone, telegraph, electric transmission, or pipelines may not be required. No grant to any public utility to use such bridge shall in any way interfere with the use of such bridge by the public for highway purposes.
[S13, §424-e; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4683; C46, §309.90; C50, §308A.20; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.11]
2023 Acts, ch 64, §47

     
314.12  Borrow pits — topsoil preserved.
  In the award of contracts for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair or maintenance of any highway, the agency having charge of awarding such contracts shall require that when fill dirt, soil or other materials are to be removed from borrow pits acquired by title or easement, whether by agreement or condemnation, for use in the project, adequate provision shall be made for the restoration of the borrow pit area, either by removal and replacement of a minimum of eight inches of topsoil, or by fertilizing, mulching, reseeding or other appropriate measures to provide vegetative cover or prevent erosion, except where a lake or subwater table conditions are designed, or where the area is zoned for commercial, industrial, or residential use, or where the borrow is in locations of white oak, sand, loess or undrainable clays. When the borrow pit is acquired by easement, the restoration method shall be determined by agreement with the landowner.
[C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §314.12]
Referred to in §314.12A

     
314.12A  Preservation of topsoil in highway construction.
  In the award of contracts for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, and repair, except for minor maintenance, of a highway, the state department of transportation shall require that when fill dirt, soil, or other materials are to be removed from an area acquired by title or easement, whether by agreement or condemnation, for use in the project, adequate provision shall be made for the salvage of topsoil from the area for use in the restoration of the specified critical areas of the project by replacement of salvaged topsoil, by fertilizing and mulching if necessary, or by other appropriate measures to provide vegetative cover to prevent erosion, including filling or covering the area with compost, except where a lake or subwater table conditions exist, where deep loess is present, or where outside ditch bottoms and backslopes are present in rock cut areas. This section shall not apply to borrow pits covered by section 314.12.
2002 Acts, ch 1103, §1

  
     
314.13  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Agency” means any governmental body which exercises jurisdiction over any road as provided by law.
  2.  “Coordinator” means the integrated roadside vegetation management coordinator.
  3.  “Department” means the state department of transportation.
  4.  “Director” means the director of transportation.
  5.  “Disadvantaged business enterprise” means a small business which meets both of the following: 
  a.  The business is at least fifty-one percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
  b.  The management and daily business operations of the business are controlled by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own the business.
  6.  “Highway” or “street” means the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular traffic.
  7.  “Prequalified” means that a small business has been approved by the department as a small business, is a recognized contractor engaged in the class of work provided for in the plans and specifications, possesses sufficient resources to complete the work, and is able to furnish a performance bond for one hundred percent of the contract. 
  8.  “Small business” means any enterprise, which is operated for profit and under a single management, and which has either fewer than twenty employees or an annual gross income of less than four million dollars computed as the average of the three preceding fiscal years. This definition does not apply to any program or activity for which a definition for small business is provided for the program or activity by federal law or regulation or other state law.
  9.  “Socially and economically disadvantaged individual” means an individual who is a citizen of the United States or who is a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States and who is a woman, Black American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian-Pacific American, Asian-Indian American, or any other minority person or individual found to be disadvantaged by the United States small business administration. However, the department may also determine, on a case-by-case basis, that an individual who is not a member of one of the enumerated groups is a socially and economically disadvantaged individual. A rebuttable presumption exists that individuals in the following groups are socially and economically disadvantaged:
  a.  “Asian-Indian Americans”, which includes persons whose origins are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands, Nepal, or Sri Lanka.
  b.  “Asian-Pacific Americans”, which includes persons whose origins are from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Burma (Myanmar), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Samoa, Guam, the United States trust territories of the Pacific Islands, and the Northern Marianas, Macao, Fiji, Tonga, Kirbati, Juvalu, Nauru, Micronesia, or Hong Kong.
  c.  “Black Americans”, which includes persons having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. 
  d.  “Hispanic Americans”, which includes persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race.
  e.  “Native Americans”, which includes persons who are American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, or Native Hawaiians.
[C75, 77, 79, 81, §314.13]
89 Acts, ch 246, §3; 2001 Acts, ch 32, §10; 2010 Acts, ch 1098, §1; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §314, 315
Subsection 2 stricken and former subsections 3 and 4 renumbered as 2 and 3
NEW subsection 4

     
314.13A  Contract assessment — socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
  1.  The department shall annually assess the impact of federal and nonfederal awarded contracts on socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, including women and persons with a disability, as defined in section 15.102, in the state.
  2.  The assessment shall include the following: 
  a.  Any disproportionate or unique impact the contract may have on socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in the state. 
  b.  A rationale for the contract having an impact on socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in the state. 
  c.  Consultation with representatives of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in cases where the contract has an identifiable impact on socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in the state.
  3.  This section shall be carried out to the extent consistent with federal law.
  4.  The assessment shall be used for informational purposes.
2010 Acts, ch 1098, §2

  
     
314.14  Contracts set aside for small businesses.
  Notwithstanding section 314.1, there may be set aside contracts for bidding by prequalified small businesses a percentage of the total annual dollar amount of public contracts let by the department. The annual dollar amount set aside for bidding by prequalified small businesses shall not exceed ten percent of the total dollar amount of highway construction contracts let by the department and transit dollars administered by the department. The director may estimate the set-aside amount at the beginning of each fiscal year and a suit shall not be brought by any party as a result of this estimate. Set-aside contracts will be awarded to the lowest responsible prequalified small business. This section shall not be construed as limiting the department’s right to refuse any or all small business bids.
84 Acts, ch 1229, §1; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §111, 112; 2010 Acts, ch 1098, §3
Disadvantaged business enterprise funding reauthorized in section 11101(e) of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, approved November 15, 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-58; see also 49 C.F.R. pt. 26

     
314.15  Disadvantaged business enterprises — rules.
  The department of transportation shall promulgate rules establishing affirmative action requirements to encourage and increase participation of disadvantaged individuals in business enterprises in all federal aid projects made available by and through the department.
90 Acts, ch 1161, §4

     
314.16  Interstate 80 — route designation.
  The interstate which runs from Council Bluffs on the western border through Des Moines to Davenport on the eastern border shall be known as interstate 80. The state transportation commission shall be prohibited from changing the route of interstate 80 as designated on January 1, 1992.
92 Acts, ch 1010, §1

  
     
314.17  Mowing on interstates, primary highways, and secondary roads.
  Mowing roadside vegetation on the rights-of-way or medians on any primary highway, interstate highway, or secondary road prior to July 15 is prohibited, except as follows:
  1.  Within two hundred yards of an inhabited dwelling.
  2.  On rights-of-way within one mile of the corporate limits of a city.
  3.  To promote native species of vegetation or other long-lived and adaptable vegetation.
  4.  To establish control of damaging insect populations, noxious weeds, and invasive plant species.
  5.  For visibility and safety reasons.
  6.  Within rest areas, weigh stations, and wayside parks.
  7.  Within fifty feet of a drainage tile or tile intake.
  8.  For access to a mailbox or for other accessibility purposes.
  9.  On rights-of-way adjacent to agricultural demonstration or research plots.
98 Acts, ch 1212, §7; 2010 Acts, ch 1164, §1; 2010 Acts, ch 1193, §121
Referred to in §317.19
For control and eradication of noxious weeds, see chapter 317

     
314.18  Responsibility for bridge inspection.
  The department, counties, cities, and other public entities shall be responsible for the safety inspection and evaluation of all highway bridges under their jurisdiction which are located on public roads, in accordance with the national bridge inspection standards. These responsibilities include inspection policies and procedures, inspections, reports, load ratings, quality control and quality assurance, maintaining a bridge inventory, and other requirements of the national bridge inspection standards.
2006 Acts, ch 1068, §4

     
314.19  Reseeding open ditches.
  The department shall have the topsoil of each open ditch along the side of a highway reseeded with prairie grass seed and the seed of other adapted grass and legumes including native grass species after the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, or maintenance of a highway whenever feasible.
84 Acts, ch 1114, §1

  
     
314.20  Utility easements on highway right-of-way.
  The department shall develop an accommodation plan for the longitudinal utility use of freeway right-of-way, in consultation with the utilities commission. The plan shall be consistent with the rules of the federal highway administration of the United States department of transportation and shall be submitted to the federal highway administration for its approval by January 1, 1989. In developing the plan, the department shall provide for extended payment and lease agreements to provide continuous funding for the living roadway trust fund. The plan shall provide for charges for the use of the right-of-way and all moneys collected shall be credited to the living roadway trust fund established under section 314.21.
88 Acts, ch 1019, §9; 89 Acts, ch 246, §4; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §369
Code editor directive applied

  
     
314.21  Living roadway trust fund.
  1.  a.  The living roadway trust fund is created in the office of the treasurer of state. The moneys in this fund shall be used exclusively for the development and implementation of integrated roadside vegetation plans. Except as provided in subsections 2 and 3, the moneys shall only be expended for areas on or adjacent to road, street, and highway right-of-ways. The state department of transportation in consultation with the department of natural resources shall establish standards relating to the type of projects available for assistance. 
  b.  A city or county which has a project which qualifies for the use of these funds shall submit a request for the funds to the state department of transportation. A city or county may, at its option, apply moneys allocated for use on city or county projects under this subsection toward qualifying projects on the primary road system. The state department of transportation in consultation with the department of natural resources shall determine which projects qualify for the funds and which projects shall be funded if the requests for the funds exceed the availability of the funds. In ranking applications for funds, the department shall consider the proportion of political subdivision matching funds to be provided, if any, and the proportion of private contributions to be provided, if any. In considering the proportion of political subdivision matching funds provided, the department shall consider only those moneys which are in addition to those which the political subdivision has historically provided toward such projects. Funds allocated to the cities, the counties, and the department which are not programmed by the end of each fiscal year shall be available for redistribution to any eligible applicant regardless of the original allocation of funds. Such funds shall be awarded for eligible projects based upon their merit in meeting the program objectives established by the department under section 314.22. The department shall submit a report of all projects funded in the previous fiscal year to the governor and to the general assembly on January 15 of each year.
  c.  Beginning April 1, 1990, the moneys in the living roadway trust fund shall be allocated between the state, counties, and cities in the same proportion that the road use tax funds are allocated under section 312.2, subsection 1, paragraphs “a”, “b”, “c”, and “d”. However, after April 1, 1990, a city or county shall not be eligible to receive moneys from the living roadway trust fund unless the city or county has an integrated roadside vegetation management plan in place consistent with the objectives in section 314.22.
  2.  a.  The department may authorize projects which provide grants or loans to local governments and organizations which are developing community entryway enhancement and other planting demonstration projects. Planning, public education, installation, and initial maintenance planning and development may be determined by the department to be eligible activities for funding under this paragraph. Projects approved under this paragraph require a local match or contribution toward the overall project cost.
  b.  The department may authorize projects which provide grants or loans to local governments for the purchase of specialized equipment and special staff training for the establishment of alternative forms of roadside vegetation. Projects approved under this paragraph require a local match or contribution toward the overall project cost.
  c.  The department, in order to create greater visual effect, shall investigate alternatives for concentrating plantings at strategic locations to gain a greater visual impact and appeal as well as stronger scenic value. Equal attention shall be given to providing safe and effective habitats for wildlife which can coexist with highways.
  d.  The department may authorize projects which provide grants or loans to local jurisdictions for increased protection through the use of easements, fee title acquisition, covenants, zoning ordinances, or other provisions for protection of vegetation and desirable environment adjacent to the right-of-way. Off-right-of-way projects shall emphasize vegetation protection or enhancement, scenic and wildlife values, erosion control and enhancement of vegetation management projects within the right-of-ways.
  3.  a.  Moneys allocated to the state under subsection 1 shall be expended as follows:
  (1)  Fifty thousand dollars annually to the department for the services of the integrated roadside vegetation management coordinator and support.
  (2)  One hundred thousand dollars annually for education programs, research and demonstration projects, and vegetation inventories and strategies, under section 314.22, subsections 5, 6, and 8.
  (3)  All remaining moneys for the gateways program under section 314.22, subsection 7.
  b.  Moneys allocated to the counties under subsection 1 shall be expended as follows:
  (1)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995, and ending June 30, 1996, and each subsequent fiscal year, seventy-five thousand dollars to the university of northern Iowa to maintain the position of the state roadside specialist and to continue its integrated roadside vegetation management program providing research, education, training, and technical assistance.
  (2)  All remaining money for grants or loans under subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
  c.  Moneys allocated to the cities shall be expended for grants or loans under subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
88 Acts, ch 1019, §5; 89 Acts, ch 246, §5; 89 Acts, ch 317, §28; 91 Acts, ch 268, §516; 93 Acts, ch 169, §16; 95 Acts, ch 220, §26; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §238; 2017 Acts, ch 29, §89; 2018 Acts, ch 1026, §108
Referred to in §312.2, 314.20, 455A.19

  
     
314.22  Integrated roadside vegetation management.
  1.  Objectives.  It is declared to be in the general public welfare of Iowa and a highway purpose for the vegetation of Iowa’s roadsides to be preserved, planted, and maintained to be safe, visually interesting, ecologically integrated, and useful for many purposes. The state department of transportation shall provide an integrated roadside vegetation management plan and program which shall be designed to accomplish all of the following:
  a.  Maintain a safe travel environment.
  b.  Serve a variety of public purposes including erosion control, wildlife habitat, climate control, scenic qualities, weed control, utility easements, recreation uses, and sustenance of water quality.
  c.  Be based on a systematic assessment of conditions existing in roadsides, preservation of valuable vegetation and habitats in the area, and the adoption of a comprehensive plan and strategies for cost-effective maintenance and vegetation planting.
  d.  Emphasize the establishment of adaptable and long-lived vegetation, often native species, matched to the unique environment found in and adjacent to the roadside.
  e.  Incorporate integrated management practices for the long-term control of damaging insect populations, weeds, and invasive plant species.
  f.  Build upon a public education program allowing input from adjacent landowners and the general public.
  g.  Accelerate efforts toward increasing and expanding the effectiveness of plantings to reduce wind-induced and water-induced soil erosion and to increase deposition of snow in desired locations.
  h.  Incorporate integrated roadside vegetation management with other state agency planning and program activities including the recreation trails program, scenic highways, open space, and tourism development efforts. Agencies should annually report their progress in this area to the general assembly.
  2.  Counties may adopt plans.  A county may adopt an integrated roadside vegetation management plan consistent with the integrated roadside vegetation management plan adopted by the department under subsection 1.
  3.  Report.   The department shall report annually in January to the general assembly regarding its activities under this section. 
  4.  Integrated roadside vegetation management coordinator.  The integrated roadside vegetation management coordinator shall administer the department’s integrated roadside vegetation management plan and program. The department may create the position of integrated roadside vegetation management coordinator within the department or may contract for the services of the coordinator. The duties of the coordinator include but are not limited to the following:
  a.  Conducting education and awareness programs.
  b.  Providing technical advice to the department and the department of natural resources, counties, and cities.
  c.  Conducting demonstration projects.
  d.  Coordinating inventory and implementation activities.
  e.  Providing assistance to local community-based groups for undertaking community entryway projects.
  f.  Being a clearinghouse for information from Iowa projects as well as from other states.
  g.  Periodically distributing information related to integrated roadside vegetation management.
  h.  General coordination of research efforts.
  i.  Other duties assigned by the director of transportation.
  5.  Education programs.  The department shall develop educational programs and provide educational materials for the general public, landowners, governmental employees, and board members as part of its program for integrated roadside vegetation management. The educational program shall provide all of the following:
  a.  The development of public service announcements and television programs about the importance of roadside vegetation in Iowa.
  b.  The expansion of existing training sessions and educational curriculum materials for county weed commissioners, government contract sprayers, maintenance staff, and others to include coverage of integrated roadside management topics such as basic plant species identification, vegetation preservation, vegetation inventory techniques, vegetation management and planning procedures, planting techniques, maintenance, communication, and public relations. County and municipal engineers, public works staffs, planning and zoning representatives, parks and habitat managers, and others should be encouraged to participate.
  c.  The conducting of statewide and regional conferences and seminars about integrated roadside vegetation management, community entryways, scenic values of land adjoining roadsides, and other topics relating to roadside vegetation.
  d.  The preparation, display, and distribution of a variety of public relations material, in order to better inform and educate the traveling public on roadside vegetation management activities. The public relations material shall inform motorists of a variety of roadside vegetation issues including all of the following:
  (1)  Benefits of various types of roadside vegetation.
  (2)  Long-term results expected from planting and maintenance practices.
  (3)  Purposes for short-term disturbances in the roadside landscapes.
  (4)  Interesting aspects of the Iowa landscape and individual landscape regions.
  (5)  Other aspects relating to wildlife and soil erosion.
  e.  Preparation and distribution of educational material designed to inform adjoining property owners, farm operators, and others of the importance of roadside vegetation and their responsibilities of proper stewardship of that vegetation resource.
  6.  Research and demonstration projects.  The department, as part of its plan to provide integrated roadside vegetation management, shall conduct research and feasibility studies including demonstration projects of different kinds at a variety of locations around the state. The research and feasibility studies may be conducted in, but are not limited to, any of the following areas:
  a.  Cost effectiveness or comparison of planting, establishing and maintaining alternative or warm-season, native grass and forb roadside vegetation and traditional cool-season nonnative vegetation.
  b.  Identification of the relationship that roadsides and roadside vegetation have to maintaining water quality, through drainage wells, sediment and pollutant collection and filtration, and other means.
  c.  Impacts of burning as an alternative vegetation management tool on all categories of roads.
  d.  Techniques for more quickly establishing erosion control and permanent vegetative cover on recently disturbed ground as well as interplanting native species in existing vegetative cover.
  e.  Effectiveness of techniques for reduced or selected use of herbicides to control weeds.
  f.  Identification of cross section and slope steepness design standards which provide for motorist safety as well as for improved establishment, maintenance, and replacement of different types of vegetation.
  g.  Identification of a uniform inventory and assessment technique which could be used by many counties in establishing integrated roadside management programs.
  h.  Equipment innovations for seeding and harvesting grasses in difficult terrain settings, roadway ditches, and fore-slopes and back-slopes.
  i.  Identification of the perceptions of motorists and landowners to various types of roadside vegetation and configuration of plantings.
  j.  Market or economic feasibility studies for native seed, forb, and woody plant production and propagation.
  k.  Impacts of vegetation modifications on increasing or decreasing wildlife populations in rural and urban areas.
  l.  Effects of vegetation on the number and location of wildlife road-kills in rural and urban areas.
  m.  Costs to the public for improper off-site resource management adjacent to roadsides.
  n.  Advantages, disadvantages, and techniques of establishing pedestrian access adjacent to highways and their impacts on vegetation management.
  o.  Identification of alternative techniques for snow catchment on farmland adjacent to roadsides.
  7.  Gateways program.  The department shall develop a gateways program to provide meaningful visual impacts including major new plantings at the important highway entry points to the state and its communities. Substantial and distinctive plantings shall also be designed and installed at these points. Creative and artistic design solutions shall be sought for these improvements. Communications about these projects shall be provided to local groups in order to build community involvement, support, and understanding of their importance. Consideration shall be given to a requirement that gateways projects produce a local match or contribution toward the overall project cost.
  8.  Vegetation inventories and strategies.
  a.  The department shall coordinate and compile integrated roadside vegetation inventories, classification systems, plans, and implementation strategies for roadsides. Areas of increased program and project emphasis may include but are not limited to all of the following:
  (1)  Additional development and funding of state gateways projects.
  (2)  Accelerated replacement of dead and unhealthy plants with native and hardy trees and shrubs.
  (3)  Special interest plantings at selected highly visible locations along primary and interstate highways.
  (4)  Pilot and demonstration projects.
  (5)  Additional snow and erosion control plantings.
  (6)  Welcome center and rest area plantings with native and aesthetically interesting species to create mini-arboretums around the state.
  b.  The department shall coordinate and compile a reconnaissance of lands to develop an inventory of sites having the potential of being harvested for native grass, forb, and woody plant material seed and growing stock. Highway right-of-ways, parks and recreation areas, converted railroad right-of-ways, state board of regents’ property, lands owned by counties, and other types of public property shall be surveyed and documented for seed source potential. Sites volunteered by private organizations may also be included in the inventory. Inventory information shall be made available to state agencies’ staffs, county engineers, county conservation board directors, and others.
89 Acts, ch 246, §6; 95 Acts, ch 3, §2; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §107; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §42; 2023 Acts, ch 64, §48 – 50; 2024 Acts, ch 1004, §39; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §316
Referred to in §314.21, 317.11
For control and eradication of noxious weeds, see chapter 317
See Code editor’s note on simple harmonization at the beginning of this Code volume
Subsection 3 amended

  
     
314.23  Environmental protection.
  It is declared to be in the general public welfare of Iowa and a highway purpose that highway maintenance, construction, reconstruction, and repair shall protect and preserve, by not causing unnecessary destruction, the natural or historic heritage of the state. In order to provide for the protection and preservation, the following shall be accomplished in the design, construction, reconstruction, relocation, repair, or maintenance of roads, streets, and highways:
  1.  Woodlands.  Woodland removed shall be replaced by plantings as close as possible to the initial site, or by acquisition of an equal amount of woodland in the general vicinity for public ownership and preservation, or by other mitigation deemed to be comparable to the woodland removed, including, but not limited to, the improvement, development, or preservation of woodland under public ownership.
  2.  Wetlands.  Wetland removed shall be replaced by acquisition of wetland, in the same general vicinity if possible, for public ownership and preservation, or by other mitigation deemed to be comparable to the wetland removed, including, but not limited to, the improvement, development, or preservation of wetland under public ownership.
  3.  Public parks.  Highways, streets, and roads constructed on or through publicly owned lands comprising parks, preserves, or recreation areas, shall be located and designed, in consultation with the public entity owning the land, so as to blend aesthetically with the areas and to minimize noise. When land is taken from the areas for highway construction and if, in consultation with the public entity owning the land, mitigation is deemed necessary, the land shall be replaced by an equal or greater amount for public use, or by other mitigation, undertaken in consultation with the public entity owning the land, and deemed to be appropriate to the amount of land taken, including, but not limited to, the improvement, development, or preservation of the areas.
  4.  Prime agricultural lands.  Topsoil removed may be utilized for landscaping and other necessary construction. Excess topsoil shall be made available to the former landowner or other landowners whose land was purchased for the construction or others, and if not acquired by one of these parties, it may be disposed of.
89 Acts, ch 311, §26; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §43

     
314.24  Natural and historic preservation.
  Cities, counties, and the department shall to the extent practicable preserve and protect the natural and historic heritage of the state in the design, construction, reconstruction, relocation, repair, or maintenance of roads, streets, or highways. Destruction or damage to natural areas, including but not limited to prime agricultural land, parks, preserves, woodlands, wetlands, recreation areas, greenbelts, historical sites, or archaeological sites shall be avoided, if reasonable alternatives are available for the location of roads, streets, or highways at no significantly greater cost. In implementing this section, cities, counties, and the department shall make a diligent effort to identify and examine the comparative cost of utilizing alternative locations for roads, streets, or highways.
89 Acts, ch 317, §30

     
314.25  Green space provided.
  The department shall use the property owned by it in the city of Council Bluffs which is bounded by Broadway, Seventh street, Kanesville boulevard, and Sixth street, exclusively for green space, and, if sold by the department, the department shall sell the property with the restricted covenant that the property shall be used exclusively for green space or else revert to the department.
89 Acts, ch 317, §29

     
314.26  Schwengel Bridge.
  The interstate 80 bridge crossing the Mississippi river between the states of Iowa and Illinois shall be known as the “Schwengel Bridge” in honor of Fred Schwengel, who served for five terms as a member of the general assembly of the state of Iowa and was elected to the Congress of the United States in 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968, and 1970.
93 Acts, ch 133, §1

     
314.27  Refreshments at rest areas on certain holidays.
  1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
  a.  “Free refreshments” means water, coffee, cookies, any nonintoxicating, noncarbonated beverage which is not already bottled or canned, doughnuts, or baked dessert goods dispensed by a nonprofit organization, provided that the refreshments are furnished to motorists by a nonprofit organization without charge.
  b.  “Holiday periods” means the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, commencing at noon on the preceding Friday and ending at midnight between the Monday and Tuesday of the holiday weekend, and the period surrounding Independence Day, commencing at noon on July 1 and ending at midnight between July 6 and July 7.
  2.  Nonprofit organizations shall be allowed to provide free refreshments to motorists and to accept, without active solicitation, voluntary donations from motorists during holiday periods at rest areas, as defined in section 306C.10, subject to approval by the department. The department shall approve or disapprove applications by nonprofit organizations, and notify those nonprofit organizations, at least sixty days prior to the holiday period.
  3.  The department shall adopt rules governing the provision of refreshments at rest areas in accordance with this section.
95 Acts, ch 18, §1

     
314.28  Keep Iowa beautiful fund.
  1.  A keep Iowa beautiful fund is created in the office of the treasurer of state. The fund is composed of moneys appropriated or available to and obtained or accepted by the treasurer of state for deposit in the fund. All interest earned on moneys in the fund shall be credited to and remain in the fund. Section 8.33 does not apply to moneys in the fund.
  2.  Moneys in the fund that are authorized by the department for expenditure are appropriated, and shall be used, to educate and encourage Iowans to take greater responsibility for improving their community environment and enhancing the beauty of the state through litter prevention, improving waste management and recycling efforts, and beautification projects.
  3.  The department may authorize payment of moneys from the fund upon approval of an application from a private or public organization. The applicant shall submit a plan for litter prevention, improving waste management and recycling efforts, or a beautification project along with its application. The department shall establish standards relating to the type of projects available for assistance.
2001 Acts, ch 160, §1; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §435; 2004 Acts, ch 1177, §3; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §60; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §78

     
314.29  Dick Drake Way.
  The highway currently known as the industrial connector in Muscatine shall be renamed “Dick Drake Way” in honor of Richard Drake, who served for thirty-six years as a member of the general assembly of the state of Iowa.
2008 Acts, ch 1124, §3

  
     
314.30  Cattle guards.
  Notwithstanding chapter 169C or 318, or any other provision of law to the contrary:
  1.  A landowner may install a cattle guard on a street or highway if all of the following apply:
  a.  The street or highway is classified as area service “B” or area service “C” as described in section 309.57.
  b.  The street or highway terminates in a dead end, is completely or partially located in a floodplain, serves no residence, and exits to a secondary road. 
  c.  The landowner owns property on both sides of the street or highway and owns property on both sides of any access to the street or highway.
  d.  The effective purpose of restraining livestock using a fence along the street or highway is continually impaired by flooding or other natural forces.
  e.  Flooding or other natural forces have and will, with a reasonable probability, continue to create liability for the landowner and risk of injury to the public from livestock straying on to the secondary road to which the street or highway exits.
  2.  A cattle guard installed pursuant to this section shall be installed on the street or highway at the landowner’s expense at a distance of not less than sixty-six feet from the secondary road to which the street or highway exits.
  3.  After a landowner installs a cattle guard pursuant to this section, the landowner and each successive landowner shall not be required to install or maintain a fence along the street or highway between the point at which the cattle guard is installed and the point at which the street or highway terminates in a dead end. All of the following shall apply to a landowner who is not required to install or maintain a fence along the street or highway pursuant to this subsection:
  a.  The landowner shall not be liable to a local authority as provided in section 169C.4, subsection 1, paragraph “c”, for livestock straying on to the street or highway. 
  b.  A local authority shall not take custody of the landowner’s livestock on the street or highway as provided in section 169C.2.
  c.  The landowner shall not be subject to section 169C.6 for livestock straying on to the street or highway.
  4.  a.  A landowner who installs a cattle guard pursuant to this section and each successive landowner shall be liable for injury to any person, for damage to any vehicle or equipment, and for damage to the contents of any vehicle or equipment, which occurs proximately as a result of the construction, installation, or maintenance of the cattle guard or as a result of livestock straying on to the street or highway between the point at which the cattle guard is installed and the point at which the street or highway terminates in a dead end.
  b.  Upon the installation of a cattle guard pursuant to this section, and before July 1 of each year thereafter, the landowner who installed the cattle guard or a successive landowner shall submit to the appropriate county office of the county having jurisdiction over the street or highway on which the cattle guard is installed, as designated by the county, proof of liability coverage in effect for the following one-year period which covers any injury or loss arising from the landowner’s liability as set forth in paragraph “a”.
  c.  This section shall not be construed to alter, limit, or nullify the maintenance requirements assigned to a county, and a county’s liability relating to such maintenance requirements, pursuant to section 309.57 for the street or highway on which the cattle guard is installed.
  5.  As used in this section:
  a.  “Cattle guard” means a structure consisting of parallel bars placed over a shallow ditch that allows motor vehicles to pass over the ditch, but prevents cattle and other livestock from passing over the ditch.
  b.  “Fence” means as defined in section 169C.1.
  c.  “Landowner” means as defined in section 169C.1.
  d.  “Local authority” means as defined in section 169C.1.
  e.  “Secondary road” means as defined in section 306.3.
2018 Acts, ch 1118, §1, 3; 2018 Acts, ch 1172, §47, 49, 50
Referred to in §321.285

  
     
314.31  Iowa medal of honor highway — signs purchased and installed by private entities.
  1.  The segment of the highway known as United States highway 20 which crosses this state from Sioux City to Dubuque shall be designated as the “Iowa Medal of Honor Highway”.
  2.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to provide for an application, approval, and inspection process for the purchase and installation of signs indicating the “Iowa Medal of Honor Highway” designation by private entities. The department shall approve applications for sign purchase and installation that meet its rule requirements. All costs and expenses of the purchase and installation of the signs shall be paid by the private entity whose application is approved. The department may approve more than one application to purchase and install the signs. The department shall require that any signs placed pursuant to this subsection include a graphic depiction of the three versions of the medal of honor for the army, navy, and air force.
2020 Acts, ch 1038, §1, 2