It seems like the orange construction cones are everywhere.
That means getting to and from your destination may seem longer than usual, but that may not always be the case. We drove around Siouxland today, through several of those construction zones, to compare actual driving times to estimates from Google Maps.
We wanted to see how long it would take us to get from Dakota Dunes, to the singing hills Exit. The time was 5:55, just about the end of rush hour, and google maps said it would take us 14 minutes to get there. Lets see how long it really took.
To keep the time, we used the stopwatch on the iPhone. The speed limit on I-29 is 55 miles per hour, and most people don't realize there's also a speed minimum of 40 miles per hour.
That's why Sioux City Police say it's important to stay with the flow of traffic.
"Often times the most dangerous speed is 0. If you stop on the travel portion or you are going too slow on the travel portion, if people aren't paying attention like they should be, you going too slow, can be a major hazard on the roadway as well," said Officer Chad Sheehan, Sioux City Police.
But that doesn't mean you should speed.
"If the speed limit is 55, were not recommending that you drive 25, but were recommending that you drive somewhere in that 45 to 55 mph zone, and some of that's going to depend on how heavy the flow of traffic is," he said.
On this day, traffic was fluid but that could change on a day to day basis.
When we arrived at Singing hills blvd, it took 11 minutes and 37 seconds. We did the speed limit the entire time.
Police say the most important thing, is to be aware of your surroundings, including signs and construction workers, and obey the speed limits.
If you do all this, you should arrive to your destination safely and in good time.
