The final meeting of the preliminary studies for expanding I-380 to six lanes between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids was last month. Unfortunately, construction is a long ways off. This was just identifying needs and possibilities.
First, nothing will happen until the I-80/380 interchange project is completed, and since that’s barely started, that gives you an idea of how long it will really be. No draft alignments or environmental impact studies have been carried out.
A commuter bus service has started that takes people between downtown Cedar Rapids and downtown Iowa City via Kirkwood, and it sounds like a good idea if those are the only places you’re going, but it’s a $3.50 for an hourlong trip and buses run on the half-hour, according to this KCRG story.