(I almost typed 1923-27. Shows how much I’m looking into that era right now.)
The Iowa Transportation Commission’s five-year plan is out, with a font change, mixed-case type, comma separators, no mileages listed (again!) and occasionally a more informal style in the entries. The highway segment starts about halfway down this PDF. Here are some things that jumped out at me, in no order, referenced by fiscal years. See also my two-post set of notes from last year, where I’ll leave some things that are still on track.
- The press release about the five-year plan includes this line: “I-35/80/235 Southwest Mixmaster modernization in Polk County”. Oh? This is new. There is a short grade-and-pave/bridge entry there in 2027.
- But way more for I-80 between University and Douglas avenues in 2025-27, which, again? Already?
- There are also a couple lines specifically for traffic signs, which I’ll keenly pay attention to.
- There is an entire page dedicated to interstate improvements in Polk County but attached to the northeast mixmaster and six-laning I-35 from Ankeny to IA 210. There is a typo/mis-assignment in the plan: “I-35/235 interchange NE of Des Moines to US 65” clearly applies to I-80, not I-35.
- For more on the northeast mixmaster, see this blog post from October 2017 and this state PDF from that time. Three new connections would be created via flyover ramp, eliminating the two left exits and one loop.
- The Council Bluffs interstate system project might be complete in two years! There’s plenty scheduled in that time frame, focused on I-29/I-480 and I-80 at Madison Avenue.
- US 30:
- Will be four-laned in western Benton County, and complete from Ogden to Lisbon, by the end of next year
- Will get a new bridge over the Wapsipinicon River in 2027
- Has a lot of right-of-way that needs to be bought before the Missouri Valley bypass can be built. Grading in 2026 can be extrapolated to presume paving in 2028.
- An interchange with IA 27/58 at Greenhill Road has been added for 2027! That area isn’t as tight as Viking Road, but it would remove one of the two remaining intersections north of US 20 in Cedar Falls. The other one is Ridgeway Avenue, which will remain at-grade, but will have a big project in the near future that will rebuild 27/58 there to US 20, add a stoplight at the south side of the interchange, and create a combined seven left-turn lanes at the Ridgeway intersection.
- US 218 north of Janesville: see this blog post
- New bridges are planned for I-80 across the Raccoon River in 2024, capable of carrying six lanes but the interstate will be paved for four. I-80 will be six-laned west of Jordan Creek Parkway in a three-year project.
- Des Moines County has some big entries, related to four-laning US 61 past Mediapolis to IA 78 (2024-26).
- On I-29, the southbound rest area just north of US 30, northbound parking area near the IA 127 exit, and northbound rest area at Sergeant Bluff are going to be removed in various years (boo). The southbound Onawa rest area, though, will be upgraded in 2026, as will the Pacific Junction southbound rest area (maybe?).
- The IA 141 exit will be rebuilt in 2024 and IA 175 exit will be rebuilt in 2026.
- The I-80 exit at Middle Road in Bettendorf will cost $46 million to rebuild in 2025. But then, the floor for replacing the bridge over the Mississippi River a few miles east is $300 million.
- I-80 Victor rest area in 2024: see this blog post
- For the next two years or so, I-80 will have three projects in a 15-mile segment: Completion of the I-380 interchange, rebuilding of the 1st Avenue exit in Coralville, and six-laning from the present end through the West Branch exit.
- And then, 30 years after it should have happened, six-laning I-380 between I-80 and US 30 starts in stages, with two portions — in North Liberty and from about the Johnson/Linn line to US 30, concentrated in 2025. Replacement of the about-50-year-old bridges over the Iowa River is not included yet, which means the end of the decade at best.
- The southbound rest area will be replaced late next year, given the double listing of entries for it. (I am of the opinion a second pair should’ve been built somewhere around Brandon at the time of original construction.)
- Right-of way for an eventual replacement of the Gordon Drive Viaduct is planned for 2027.
- US 63 between US 6 and Hudson has multiple pavement projects programmed, but I don’t know if that includes anything related to the Super 2 study that has started. This does not affect the project going on right now west of Traer, which does not include future third lanes. Unrelated to that, the bridge in Traer will get an overlay soon.
- The US 151 Springville interchange, which locals have spent a decade begging for, is still five years out.
- US 34 east of Red Oak will be repaved in 2024.
- US 75, Hinton to Merrill: see this blog post, but also, 75 through Hinton will be rebuilt in 2027
- I think the IA 141 intersection with 121st Street, just north of IA 415, will get more channelized turn lanes in 2024 and not be closed.
Finally, I can’t let this go without comment, except my comment is [expletive deleted].
Hiawatha … Boyson Rd and N 12th Ave … Roundabout
Cedar Rapids … Mt Vernon Rd/8th Ave and 10th St SE … Roundabout
Cedar Rapids … Bowling St and Wilson Ave SW … Roundabout
Ottumwa … Albia Rd and N Quincy Ave … Roundabout
Polk County … NE Broadway, E38th and E 46th St … Roundabout