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The Highway Helper program provides free incident response and motorist assistance on Iowa’s major roadways. The program operates in the Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, and Quad Cities metro areas, with the primary goal of supporting a safe and efficient transportation system for travelers and emergency responders.
Back to topServices Provided
Highway Helper operators can quickly assist stranded motorists by providing:
- Jump starts
- Tire changes
- Up to two gallons of fuel
- Transportation to a safe location
In addition, each Highway Helper truck is equipped to:
- Provide traffic control
- Assist with quick clearance at crash or incident scenes
- Support emergency responders
Hours of Operations
Highway Helper trucks patrol the freeway and interstate systems daily and may also be dispatched to Iowa DOT roadways in designated metro areas. Service hours include:
- Monday–Friday: 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Tow truck coverage (Des Moines only): 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Overnight coverage (Des Moines only): 1 truck patrolling Sunday night through Thursday morning, 9:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m.
- Saturday (Des Moines only): 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Some holidays and special events: As scheduled
The Iowa DOT Traffic Management Center (TMC) monitors roadways with traffic cameras and dispatches Highway Helper trucks as needed.
Back to topCoverage Area
List items for Highway Helper Routes
Highway Helper Vehicles: 3
The I-80/380 construction zone includes provisions to extend time frames as necessary to support major construction activities.
| Routes | Patrol Route | On-Call Route |
|---|---|---|
| I-80 | MM 230-246 | MM 230-225 MM 246-249 |
| I-380 | MM 25 -0 | MM 25-28 |
| U.S. 30 | MM 254-248 | MM 248-246 MM 254-259 |
| U.S. 218 | MM 0-91 | MM 91-89 |
Highway Helper Vehicles: 2
Includes coverage of the I-74 construction zone
| Routes | Patrol Route | On-Call Route | Extended Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-74 | MM 1 to I-80 | - | - |
| I-80 | 1-284 | MM 284-277 | - |
| I-280 | - | - | MM 11 to I-80 |
| U.S. 61 | I-60 to MM 125 | MM 125-129 | - |
Highway Helper Vehicles: 3
Highway Helper has upgraded its road safety service patrol in the Des Moines metro at two high-traffic volume interchanges: Hickman Road and Northeast Mix Master. The program that provides incident response and free assistance to stranded motorists has added a third truck outfitted with towing equipment for quick clearance to the shoulder on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
| Routes | Patrol Route | On-Call Route | Extended Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-35 | MM 69-94 | MM 111-113 | MM 94-111 MM 65-69 |
| I-80 / I-235 | MM 121-141 | MM 121-118 | MM 141-143 |
| U.S. 5/ U.S. 65 | MM 69-141 | ||
| U.S. 30 | MM 146 to I-35 |
Highway Helper Vehicles: 2
| Routes | Patrol Route | On-Call Route | Extended Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-29 | MM 47 to 55 | MM 42-27 | MM 55-71 |
| I-80 | MM 454-5 | MM 27-17 | MM 17-5 |
| I-480 | MM 4 to I-29 | ||
| I-680 | MM 77-27 |
Highway Helper Vehicles: 2
| Routes | Beat 1 | Beat 2 |
|---|---|---|
| I-29 | Exit 151 to Exit 133 | |
| U.S. 75 | Exit 2 to Exit 105 | |
| U.S. 20 | From U.S. 75 to Exit 12 |