Officials respond to Highway 30 traffic concerns in Missouri Valley
Don Harrold, Executive Editor
editor@enterprisepub.com
Missouri Valley City, police and state transportation officials responded last week to residents' concerns about drivers passing on the right between Crossroads and the dentist's office, running red lights and using engine brakes on U.S. Highway 30 through the city.
"I have unfortunately witnessed this as well, and engine braking is an issue on both sides of town," City Council member Chris Gilpin said. "We are working behind the scenes to explore possible solutions. Honestly, this is not my area of expertise, so I am researching what options are available to us. We will also need to work with the Iowa Department of Transportation, since they have jurisdiction over Highway 30."
"My goal is to better understand what can be done and work toward a solution that addresses the concerns of residents while taking into account the regulations and jurisdiction involved," he said.
City Clerk and Administrator Turri Colglazier said complaints received by the city go to police.
"I have not received any complaints about these issues here at City Hall that I'm aware of," Colglazier said. "If complaints have been received by the city, they would have been forwarded to the police department for follow-up."
Police Chief Lee Lange responded Sept. 28.
"We have received many traffic complaints over the years, and we have written 574 citations from Jan. 1, 2026, to today, along with numerous warnings for traffic violations," Lange said. "Along with everyday patrol, we also have a state grant for extra enforcement for just traffic issues."
Austin Yates, a District 4 traffic engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation, said the department has no complaints on record.
"We haven't received complaints about illegal passing, red-light running or engine brakes," Yates said. "I've also checked with our local crews in the Missouri Valley maintenance garage, and they don't report hearing complaints like this, even anecdotally."
Iowa DOT data for Highway 30 from Crossroads Plaza and Morton Street to Third Street shows 27 crashes involving 53 vehicles since Jan. 1, 2023, Yates said. None were fatal or caused serious injuries. Two caused minor injuries, four caused possible injuries and 21 caused property damage only.
"The majority of the crashes, 17 out of those 27, occurred at the signalized intersection at U.S. 30 and First Street," Yates said. "The pattern is rear-end crashes, which are typically experienced at signalized intersections. At this quick review of the crash history, nothing stands out as unusual."
The highway carries about 9,000 vehicles a day, or 60% of the roughly 15,000-vehicle capacity of a two-lane road, which engineers rate as Level of Service C, Yates said.
"LOS C is just fine," he said.
"These concerns of illegal passing, red-light running and engine brakes might seem like enforcement issues at first glance, but we need to peel back the layers of the onion to get at the 'why,'" Yates said. "Illegal passing on U.S. 30 through town is wild. It's literally playing chicken. But it can be frustrating being stuck behind a slow vehicle. Running red lights is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do."
Engine brake signs are already posted in town, he said, "but semi drivers choose to ignore the signs or maybe don't see them."
The city owns and operates the traffic signals on Highway 30. Yates said Iowa DOT can work with the city through its Traffic Engineering Assistance Program.
"Through TEAP, Iowa DOT provides a traffic engineering consultant to work with the city and do a more thorough review of the data and make recommendations to address the issues," Yates said. "A TEAP consultant could provide updated signal timings for the city to implement."
"The ultimate solution to these traffic issues is to get the heavy trucks and through traffic out of the middle of Missouri Valley," he said. "Iowa DOT expects to begin construction on the Missouri Valley Bypass in 2028, and it is expected to be open to traffic in 2031. I realize that we've been talking about this bypass since the 1980s, but we're farther in the process than we've been. In the meantime, we will look into the last time markings and signage were reviewed and go from there."
Traffic complaints can be reported to the Missouri Valley communication center at 712-642-2736 or to Iowa DOT through the "Contact Us" page at iowadot.gov.
