Ask CITYVIEW

What is the cable and pulley system at the 63rd Street and Grand Avenue intersection used for?

CITYVIEW reached out to the city of Des Moines for an explanation and received this response from Communications Specialist Devin Perry.

“63rd Street is the dividing road (give or take a bit of land along the corridor) between the cities of Des Moines and West Des Moines. The ‘cables and pulley structures’ are maintained and operated by West Des Moines,” Perry said. “This is a flood protection system for the river that goes through the area. It raises and lowers barriers if needed when the river levels rise to flood stages. Rarely are they used, and they underwent routine maintenance and repairs last summer, which the city of Des Moines and West Des Moines coordinated on.”

What is the construction at the Des Moines International Airport?

There has been much talk about construction plans at the Des Moines International Airport, which broke ground last October to build a new terminal. While, yes, there is the seemingly never-ending construction occurring on Fleur Drive in front of the airport, there are more projects going on once you turn into the airport. 

Kayla Kovarna, deputy director of communications and air service development, told us, “The Des Moines Airport Authority has multiple construction projects that are ongoing here at the airport. The only one that currently impacts the passenger is the parking garage; however, the roadway is open to the terminal, and there is a temporary entrance into the parking garage. The parking garage is expected to open in March 2025.”

As for the other construction projects that are happening at the airport that have not affected passengers? 

“A few projects have already been completed this spring, including relocating several jet bridges to keep them operational during the construction of the new terminal. Passengers will notice that, during peak times, the holdrooms/gate areas will feel more crowded. That is because several airlines have upgraded aircraft, meaning more seats are flying out simultaneously. With more seats, it really challenges the existing terminal, which was built for a lower volume of individuals. So, for the next couple of years, passengers will likely feel the capacity constraints impacting DSM,” Kovarna said. 

For more information about the new terminal or parking garage, Kovarna suggests visiting www.liftdsm.com.

Which industry creates the most revenue for Des Moines?

The Des Moines Partnership’s website lists several industries as key to Des Moines’ revenue including manufacturing, ag innovation, data centers, logistics and technology. A quick look at datadsmusa.com shows the largest employers by industry in the Des Moines metro as of 2023 are trade, transportation and utilities with 77,066 jobs; financial activities with 53,587 jobs; and professional and business services with 53,529 jobs.