Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

I-35 rest area pays tribute to former deans, alum

 

Highway rest areas usually aren't destination points, but the new facility on southbound I-35 south of Story City, which celebrates Iowa's historic contribution to highway transportation, is worth a visit. Former Iowa State deans Anson Marston (engineering) and Charles Curtiss (agriculture), along with 1904 civil engineering alum Thomas MacDonald, are recognized for the significant roles they played in the early development of Iowa's transportation system and the Iowa State Highway Commission.

Special features of the rest area include sculptural lanterns that line the entry plaza and illuminate the different methods of transportation; terra cotta "echo blocks," which band the building, that depict different automobiles once manufactured in Iowa; and interior ceramic blocks that share significant facts and stories of transportation in Iowa and across the country. Sheltered tables offer a place to have a picnic.

---