Category Archives: Construction

Mar 15

Part of IA 17 closing for 15 months

Posted on Monday, March 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

A project to move IA 17 off E41 east of Boone, which originally came to public light five years ago, starts turning dirt today. The highway closes today with a detour right by the area. According to the press release, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Part of IA 17 closing for 15 months
Mar 08

Linn Grove bridge to be replaced

Posted on Monday, March 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The bridge across the Little Sioux River just north of Linn Grove will be replaced in 2022, the Storm Lake Times reports. The state will chip in about half the $2 million replacement cost. The bridge dates back to 1940, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Linn Grove bridge to be replaced
Dec 22

Key ramp at I-80/380 opens this week

Posted on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

March 12, 2007: Eastbound I-80 at I-380. I probably have a better picture of this, but archive searching isn’t what it used to be for me. The most important inner loop ramp of the I-80/380 cloverleaf interchange is being replaced with … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Key ramp at I-80/380 opens this week
Dec 04

Some weird plans for US 69 in Des Moines

Posted on Friday, December 4, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

US 69, aka East 14th Street in Des Moines, likely has more stoplights between IA 5 and I-35/80 than it does in the rest of the state combined. The DOT wants to rebuild many intersections on the route, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Some weird plans for US 69 in Des Moines
Nov 18

Video drive across I-74 bridge

Posted on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

From WQAD. Strangely, the I-74 Bridge website stopped updating months ago. The webcams are stuck on June 1.

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Video drive across I-74 bridge
Nov 13

Iowa-bound I-74 bridge opens today

Posted on Friday, November 13, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

It’s happening! (To steal the first line from KWQC’s story.) (WQAD’s story above.) The Iowa-bound/westbound/northbound I-74 bridge was expected to open early this morning. This replaces the 1935 bridge, the original of the twin bridges. Hopefully next November we can … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Iowa-bound I-74 bridge opens today
Nov 04

The Avenue of the Saints’ only left turn … is staying

Posted on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The DOT has a public meeting video and PDFs for changes at IA 27/58 at Ridgeway Avenue and US 20. The Ridgeway intersection and the diamond interchange are not going away. The biggest change is the addition of a left-turn lane … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on The Avenue of the Saints’ only left turn … is staying
Oct 26

Nora Springs bridge to be replaced

Posted on Monday, October 26, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 4, 2015: The old US 18 bridge on the west side of Nora Springs. The century-old bridge across the Shell Rock River in Nora Springs will be replaced next year, KIMT reports. The bridge was a showcase piece in … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Nora Springs bridge to be replaced
Oct 12

Notes for October 2020 letting

Posted on Monday, October 12, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Things I noticed about the October 2020 DOT bid letting, scheduled for next week: One sign project is concentrated in two areas: Cedar Rapids and Jones County. The former is replacing a lot of gore signs (the “EXIT” where you … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Notes for October 2020 letting
Sep 24

Youngville US 30/218 exit open

Posted on Thursday, September 24, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 8, 2009: This view on westbound US 30 is now a historic one, buried underneath the north base of a bridge for US 218. The four-lane stub ended up not used as the roadbed was shifted slightly. The much-desired, … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Youngville US 30/218 exit open