Ankeny has grown fast and the traffic pattern shows it. Heavy congestion at peak on roads that were built for a smaller town, and a lot of short trips between subdivisions and retail.
Stop-and-go driving is the defining duty cycle here, and it is harder on brakes, transmissions and cooling systems than the mileage alone suggests.
How the roads run around Ankeny
I-35 runs along the west side and the interchanges are where the volume concentrates. Delaware Avenue and Ankeny Boulevard carry the north to south traffic through town.
SE Oralabor Road is the main east to west route and it backs up substantially at commuting hours.
My brakes seem to wear faster than they should.
Constant stop-and-go is why. Brake life is about the number of stops rather than the miles, and a short commute in heavy traffic can outpace a much longer highway one.
How often should the transmission fluid be changed here?
Sooner than the normal schedule for most drivers in this traffic. Manufacturers publish a severe-service interval and stop-and-go commuting fits its definition.