On extremely short notice, for a project that went past the original expected completion date, there’s going to be a party for new IA 17 east of Boone. A “celebration” of the opening of the overpass is today at 3 PM at Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Boone, according to a DOT news release.
It has been seven years, three months, and three weeks since a meeting in Boone kicked off the process to figure out what to do with IA 17 in the area of the Lincoln Highway and Union Pacific Railroad. The design chosen in 2019, from three proposals in 2016, has 17 head north with an overpass over both E41 and the railroad, then turn east at 200th Street, with 200th improved west to Boone.
As noted in previous posts, the opening of new 17 eliminates the option to take the signed 1913 Lincoln Highway route on 205th Street, because the crossing at R Avenue will be closed, as will the crossings at Quartz Avenue and S Avenue (under the overpass). The route along E41 and now-former 17 will have to be used to get to Jordan. Research since my 2019 blog post points to 205th being part of the Ames-Boone route until paving opened in the summer of 1930. The blueprint for an overpass of the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern interurban in January 1930, just east of R Avenue, says “Proposed Highway.”
I was hoping to travel the new 17 in October and didn’t think about taking a farewell detour on 205th. Whoops.
UPDATE: Ames Tribune says it’s not open yet, will be “a few weeks.”