Iowa DOT News

AMES, Iowa – Travel during the upcoming Memorial Day holiday could be slowed somewhat by road construction, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT). Several projects on state roadways may warrant advance planning on the part of drivers. Details of current construction projects can be found at www.511ia.org.

Northwest Iowa
Traffic on the Iowa 12 Gordon viaduct in Sioux City is restricted to one 10-foot wide lane in each direction. The restriction is necessary for bridge deck overlay operations. All loads wider than 10-foot will be required to find an alternate route through the area.

• Traffic on Interstate 29 from Sloan to Sergeant Bluff will be restricted to one lane in each direction. The restriction is necessary to complete the concrete overlay of the northbound lanes of Interstate 29.
• U.S. 71 traffic is being detoured onto county roads approximately four miles northwest of Auburn in Sac County due to replacement of the bridge over the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad.
• Traffic on Iowa 60 near the Iowa/Minnesota border is being detoured as the Minnesota DOT completes work on the Bigelow bypass. The detour is using Iowa 9 and U.S. 59.

Northern/Northeast Iowa
The Des Moines River bridge on U.S.169 in Algona is reduced to two lanes of traffic. The new bridge construction is being staged to accommodate traffic, but delays may be expected.

• The outside, westbound lane of Iowa 9 at Bluegrass Drive in Decorah is closed for approximately ½ mile. The closure is in place to widen the left turn lane at this intersection.

Eastern Iowa
Westbound U.S. 20 is restricted to one 11-foot wide lane approximately ½ mile west of Iowa 136 in Dyersville. The restriction is necessary for repairs to the bridge over the north fork of the Maquoketa River. All loads wider than 11 feet will be required to find an alternate route through the area.

• Westbound U.S. 20 is restricted to one 12-foot wide lane approximately five miles east of Iowa 38 near Earlville in Delaware County. The restriction is necessary for repairs to the bridge over the west branch of Plum Creek. All loads wider than 12 feet will be required to find an alternate route through the area.
• Interstate 80 eastbound traffic in Coralville has been shifted to the westbound side, and eastbound ramp traffic has been routed onto temporary pavement at the Coral Ridge and First Avenue interchanges. Two lanes of traffic are being maintained in each direction; however, the available lane and shoulder widths have been reduced through the area.
• In Waterloo , several projects are in place.
  • The inside lanes of U.S. 63 are restricted to a width of 11-feet between Dane Street and Newell Street. Work in this area includes placement of shoulder and median tile and pavement removal and replacement.
  • At the U.S. 20/ Black Hawk County V-51 interchange, temporary traffic signals have been installed on the county road overhead bridge to control traffic.
  • Traffic has been shifted on the I-380 southbound ramp over U.S. 20 and U.S. 218. Temporary concrete barrier rail is in place to protect the work areas. The work underway involves removal and replacement of bridge concrete barrier rail.
• In Coralville, traffic on U.S. 6 is reduced to one lane in each direction between 12th and 22nd avenues to allow for pavement widening and resurfacing. A center turn lane through the project is being used to increase safety and reduce congestion.

Southeast Iowa
Iowa 78 over the Skunk River in Jefferson County is closed to through traffic. A detour is in place from the city of Brighton northeast on Iowa 1 to the city of Washington east on Iowa 92 to Washington County Road W-47 south to the city of Coppock.

• Also in Jefferson County, work continues on the U.S. 34 Fairfield bypass. Traffic is being maintained on existing U.S. 34, with the exception of a short on-site detour on the east side of Fairfield.
• Washington County Road G-36 is closed while the contractor constructs a new interchange with U.S 218.
• The westbound lanes of Iowa 5/Iowa 92 are closed at the Knoxville bypass ( Iowa 5/Iowa 92) in Marion County. Traffic is head-to-head in the eastbound lanes. Some ramps may be closed due to reconstruction. Travelers are asked to follow the on-site detours. 
• In Wapello County , the southbound lanes of U.S. 63 on the Des Moines River bridge north of U.S. 34 are closed. Traffic is head-to-head in the northbound lanes. 
• Traffic may be slowed due to a railroad bridge replacement on U.S. 63 north of Oskaloosa in Mahaska County. Traffic will be maintained on the existing highway, but travelers may see delays.   
• U.S. 61 through the Hershey Avenue intersection in Muscatine is being reconstructed for a new interchange.  All traffic on U.S. 61 has been shifted to the northbound lanes, one lane in each direction. Hershey Avenue is also being reconstructed and is currently closed with a detour utilizing local roads (High Prairie Road and Houser Street).

Southwest Iowa
Traffic on Interstate 80 (I-80) in Adair County is head-to-head in the westbound lanes from milepost 73 to milepost 78. Eastbound lanes are closed for a bridge reconstruction project.

• In Cass County there are outside lane closures possible on I-80 in both directions at the U.S. 71 interchange (milepost 60). Weather permitting, all work is scheduled to be complete before the holiday weekend, but motorists should be alert to the possibility of lane closures in the area.
• In Harrison County, I-29 lane closures are in place with a 12-foot width restriction in both the north and southbound lanes at milepost 95. Northbound I-29 lanes are reduced and restricted to a 12-foot width limit at milepost 92. Both work zones are in place to accommodate bridge deck overlay projects.
• Westbound I-80 in Pottawattamie and Cass counties are reduced for an asphalt resurfacing project near Avoca , Marne  and Walnut. Motorists should be alert to traffic control for a westbound lane closure between milepost 39 and milepost 46  and milepost 49 to milepost 55. 
• In Council Bluffs, I-80  work continues at the 24th Street interchange (milepost 2). Although no lane restrictions on I-80 are expected to be in place over the weekend,  24th Street continues to be restricted to one lane on each direction.

Central Iowa
U.S. 65 in Hardin County is closed near Hubbard for bridge construction over Honey Creek. The closure is between Hardin County Road D-65 and the south junction of Iowa 175/U.S. 65.  Traffic is being routed along a detour using Hardin County roads D-65, S-27, and Iowa 175.

• U.S. 65 in Hardin County is closed at the south fork of the Iowa River. The closure is between the north junction of Iowa 175/U.S. 65 and Hardin County Road D-41. Traffic is being routed along a detour using Iowa 175 and Hardin County roads S-55 and D-41.
• North- and southbound Interstate 35 traffic in Hamilton County is restricted to one 12-foot lane in each direction just north of U.S. 20 between exit 144 (County Road D-25) and exit 151 (County Road R-75). The lane closures are due to bridge work and asphalt resurfacing.
• Head-to-head traffic will continue through the Memorial Day holiday on Iowa 163 in Pleasant Hill between N.E. 88th Street and the Metro Park East Landfill located nine miles east of Pleasant Hill on the south side of Iowa 163. This traffic configuration is necessary to accommodate replacement of the westbound Iowa 163 bridges over Mud Creek and Camp Creek along with re-grading portions of the roadway for improved sight distance. While traffic is head-to-head, access to the following side roads from Iowa 163 will remain closed:
  • NE 91st St
  • NE 100th St
  • NE 104th St
  • NE 108th St
  • NE 112th St
  • NE 120th St

When traveling through a work zone, motorists should minimize distractions, leave ample space between vehicles and obey all posted speed limits and directional signs.

Contacts:
For general work zone issues: Mark Bortle at 515-239-1587 or [email protected]

For project specific information:

Central Iowa : Wes Musgrove at 515-239-1542 or [email protected]

Northern/Northeast Iowa : Dave Roeber at 641-422-9448 or [email protected]

Northwest Iowa : Todd Huju at 712-274-5826 or [email protected]

Southwest Iowa : George Feazell at 712-243-7628 or [email protected]

Southeast Iowa : Fred Bartos at 641-469-4005 or [email protected]

Eastern Iowa : Bruce Kuehl at 319-364-0235 or [email protected]