Transportation

The first major railroad merger in more than two decades will go forward after federal regulators approved Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern. The two are the smallest among the nations seven major railroads, but their coupling will create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Iowa is among a minority of states that does not ban hand-held use of mobile devices while driving.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is adding adult changing rooms to four interstate rest areas this year. Each room has an adult-size changing table that can be raised and lowered with a remote control so caregivers can safely change the clothes of a dependent child or adult.

“I just spoke to Buttigieg. They don’t know what the cause is. But I was on the phone with him about 10 minutes. I told him to report directly to me when they find out. Air traffic can still land safely, just not take off right now. We don’t know what the cause of it is,” President Joe Biden said.

The solar power generating project is in the early design stages but is something the airport has been looking at for a couple of years. The airport will use funds from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law passed last year.

All of Iowa was put under a winter storm watch Monday afternoon, although estimates of snowfall between Wednesday and Friday remained uncertain -- but with strong winds, forecasters nonetheless were predicting blizzard conditions are possible.

Federal highway safety officials told New Jersey to stop posting funny messages; Iowa DOT officials say they have not yet heard from the federal government about its program

A recent reports from the Iowa Department of Transportation found the aviation industry has an annual impact of $6.4 billion in economic activity, supports nearly 41,000 jobs and generates $124 million in tax revenue.