Iowa DOT Director Marler, speakers, guests, and partners from Discover Ames, Prairie Rivers of Iowa, and the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association gather in the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Conference room for the unveiling of the "Iowa DOT on Lincoln Way" interpretive sign. Photo courtesy of the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Leading the Way Along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway
On October 15, 2026, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) held an unveiling ceremony for a new Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway interpretive sign. The sign honors America 250 and Iowa's influential role in the development of automobile transportation while also commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway's designation as a National Scenic Byway.
The ceremony was held in the new Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Conference Room at Iowa DOT headquarters, located on Lincoln Way in Ames.
Iowa Byways Program Director Emily Whaley opened the ceremony with thanks to the people behind the scenes who made the event possible. Iowa DOT Director Scott Marler then spoke on the importance of the connected Iowa Highway Commission and Lincoln Highway history. Director Marler appropriately quoted Abraham Lincoln 1858, “transportation-the movement of people and goods from place to place would be an early object, if not a necessity, with man.”
Photos courtesy of Iowa DOT
Jeanie Hau, Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway- A National Scenic Byway Coordinator gave highlights on the design process and thanked the partners who made the project possible: the Iowa DOT team, Discover Ames, the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association, and Prairie Rivers of Iowa who all contributed funding for the sign. A special thanks was given to Alex and the Ames History Museum for providing historical information in an efficient manner and historian Lylle Henry for assisting in content management.
Brennan Dolan, Iowa DOT Cultural Resources Team Lead & Tribal Liason, captivated the audience when he spoke on the early beginnings of the Iowa Highway Commission and particularly Anson Marston’s role in influencing the state legislature.
Todd Hanson, Iowa DOT PCC Construction & Materials Engineer explained how the first slip-form paver designed by James “Jimmy” Johnson of the Iowa Highway Commission evolved into the standard machine used for paving across America today.
The Eureka Bridge in Greene County built in 1912, was an important early multiple-span reinforced concrete arch bridge that became a standard design in early bridge construction. Bob and Joyce Ausberger, in a pre-recorded interview spoke on how their lawsuit to save the bridge from demolition led to the forming of the Greene County Lincoln Highway Association and eventually to the reforming of the Lincoln Highway Association across America. More importantly, with a landmark decision, the historic bridge was saved from complete demolition.
Jan Gammon, Lincoln Highway Association State Board Director and Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator in 2020, described the effort to secure National Scenic Byway designation for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. The National Scenic Byway Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. She explained how the byway met the program’s historic significance criteria and outlined the extensive work involved in preparing the application that led to its designation in February 2021.
Speakers: Emily Whaley, Todd Hanson, Brennan Dolan, Janice Gammon, Jeanie Hau, and Director Marler. Photo courtesy of Iowa DOT.
With the rain coming down at a steady pace, group photos were taken in the conference room. Bob, Joyce, Jan, and Jeanie made their way outside to see the finished sign. Photo courtesy of Iowa DOT.
See you on the byway!!
Thank you Iowa DOT, Jeanie Hau, Jan Gammon and extra special thanks to Bob and Joyce Ausburger for this wonderful–and living!–tribute to our beloved Lincoln Highway! –Alan Robinson, Grand Junction, longtime Lincoln Highway booster and proud native of a “Lincoln” town (Grand Junction)
Thank you Alan!
Where is the new interpretive sign?
Where is the Eureka Bridge?
I have an idea about where these two locations are, but nowhere in the article is it stated exactly where to find them.
Marilyn, the new Interpretive sign is along Lincoln Way at the Iowa Department of Transportation headquarters in Ames, IA. The Iowa DOT recently remodeled and moved its front door back to Lincoln Way. The address is 800 Lincoln Way. It is across from the new indoor aquatic center. The Eureka Bridge is along the Lincoln Highway in Greene County, at 237th St. You can find it by entering Eureka Bridge, Jefferson in Google Maps, or just drive west out of town on Westwood Dr, which turns into 237th St then 240th St. Follow the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Signs! See you on the byway!