Category Archives: Construction

Mar 06

No roundabouts on University Avenue in Waterloo

Posted on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Waterloo City Council last month overwhelmingly rejected following in Cedar Falls’ footsteps, opposing use of roundabouts on University Avenue, the Courier reports. The road, which hasn’t been US 218 for more than two decades now, has deteriorated. The DOT … Continue reading →

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Mar 05

Virtual tours of old, new I-74 bridges

Posted on Monday, March 5, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This looks pretty cool: Through May, the Moline Public Library will offer a “VR experience” of the old and new I-74 Mississippi River bridges. (Story: WQAD) The library’s promotion of the “unique, immersive experience” made possible by collaboration between the … Continue reading →

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Mar 01

US 63 closing for two years in northern Waterloo

Posted on Thursday, March 1, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Fifty-five years after a railroad underpass opened to save US 63 from an at-grade intersection, the process is going to be reversed. The Iowa DOT says US 63 will close Monday from US 218 to Airline Highway (official) and Franklin to … Continue reading →

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Feb 15

Yes, they’re really going to cram a SPUI in there

Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

I’ve looked at the entire letting document for the IA 27/58 interchange at Viking Road in Cedar Falls and I continue to marvel at the idea. The document, nearly 400 pages long, was released ahead of the official letting on … Continue reading →

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Feb 12

Suggestion: Rebuild Northeast 14th — then reroute US 69

Posted on Monday, February 12, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Tuesday night there will be a meeting for a project years or decades overdue: Expanding US 69, aka Northeast 14th Street, between I-80 and Ankeny to four lanes (PDF). It’s in the part of Polk County that officially is not … Continue reading →

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Feb 07

Animated annual report for Council Bluffs interstate project

Posted on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Iowa DOT has put out its review of the 2017 construction season for the Council Bluffs interstate project. A lot has been done, but there is so much more to go. The biggest development was the opening of the … Continue reading →

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Dec 20

50th anniversary of four-lane 63 in Traer

Posted on Wednesday, December 20, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

With the calendar ticking down toward 2018, I don’t have much space left to cover an anniversary I kept putting off. US 63 was four-laned through Traer in 1967. Structures were far enough from the road that there were no … Continue reading →

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Dec 11

IA 100 signs at I-380 to be replaced

Posted on Monday, December 11, 2017, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

Buried in the bid lettings for August 2017 was a sign contract mostly centered around the IA 100 interchange with I-380. There’s a significant difference in the new signs — Cedar Rapids has been replaced with Iowa City for the … Continue reading →

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Dec 08

US 61 Grandview bypass update

Posted on Friday, December 8, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Correcting here and there: The expectation of four-lane US 61 opening around Grandview, extending the four-lane south from the Louisa/Muscatine county line, did not happen until December 1, Jason Hancock says. I should have put a question mark on the … Continue reading →

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Dec 01

DOT wants US 30 interchange at R70

Posted on Friday, December 1, 2017, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Next Tuesday, the DOT will hold a meeting in Ames about closing off intersections on US 30 just east of I-35 in favor of an interchange. Substantial lengths of frontage road will have to be built in order to serve … Continue reading →

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