Category Archives: Construction

September 30, 1970: Initial construction stage of the I-80/I-380/US 218 interchange in Johnson County, via Iowa Geographic Map Server. It was built as a cloverleaf, but US 218 to the south would come after I-380 opened. You know it’s important … Continue reading →

I’m not quite sure why this isn’t listed on the DOT’s public information page, but this construction season is the first part of a two-year project to rebuild IA 122 in downtown Mason City. The KIMT story has views of … Continue reading →

July 15, 2007: Despite the difference in digits, these shields are the same size around. The east end of IA 8 is one of the few places left in Iowa where you see square US 218 shields as you drive … Continue reading →

Sidewalks are a good thing to have. In many towns, though, they could use some freshening up. However, a simple plan for improvements sooner or later will encounter the Americans With Disabilities Act. (And then there’s Windsor Heights, whose residents … Continue reading →

In the Transportation Commission’s March meeting this week, a transfer of jurisdiction for US 61 in Des Moines County was approved. But here’s the thing: It’s not the recently rerouted portion of 61 (which was in Louisa County). It’s not … Continue reading →

A DOT public meeting earlier this week (postponed from earlier because of bad weather) laid out two “study areas” for a US 30 bypass of Missouri Valley, and one of them is off the beaten path. Like, way off. Like, … Continue reading →

Johnson Avenue in western Cedar Rapids carried the Lincoln Highway, and then US 30, until 1940. Back then, it was outside the city. Nowadays, it’s a minor urban arterial that’s about to be reduced in capacity. The city of Cedar … Continue reading →

First, from the Illinois DOT, the implosion of the Savanna-Sabula bridge Friday: Second, from the Iowa DOT last year, a video rendering of the construction process for the replacement overflow bridge that was closed Feb. 26:

The 1932 Savanna-Sabula bridge is to be imploded somewhere around the time this blog post goes live, according to a press release from the Illinois DOT. With the closing of access to the new bridge nearly two weeks ago because … Continue reading →

September 27, 2015: Mississippi River Overflow Bridge entering Sabula on US 52/IA 64. The new Sabula-Savanna bridge over the Mississippi River got about three and a half months of an opening run. A nearby bridge on the Iowa side, for … Continue reading →