June 27, 2006: This sign assembly was the first gantry on eastbound I-80 after crossing the Missouri River bridge in Council Bluffs. Now the I-29 NB exit will be on the right side.
The left “fork” for I-29, the first exit on eastbound I-80 in Iowa, is no more. A new right-side exit ramp opens today. The map (PDF) shows that the initial exit from I-80 is now even closer to the Missouri River, and will be for both northbound I-29 and 24th Street. There will be a branch-off for 24th while a flyover ramp carries traffic to merge on the left side of I-29.
The late-1960s interchange design became overpowered and obsolete as left exits have fallen out of favor even if they save distance. The opening of this ramp and the SB-to-EB ramp last week make tangible progress for the reconstruction of interstates in Council Bluffs.
WOWT has a story with a small photo looking east from Nebraska, showing signs for a left I-29 exit that were put up in 2010 (replacing the ones seen at top) but didn’t last half a decade. New signs will reflect the right-hand exit, but non-updated GPSs will not.