Category Archives: Construction

Oct 10

Build for nine, stripe for four

An I-80 construction project in Cedar County is designed for the long-term future. The Oct. 18 DOT letting includes both bridges over Sugar Creek. That’s between the IA 38 exits, by the rest areas. This is one of the two … Continue reading

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Oct 05

Old I-74 bridge won’t go out with a bang

Deconstructing the twin spans that carried I-74 over the Mississippi River is going to be a seven-year job. Big blasts are not planned to be part of the process. KWQC and WQAD have news stories, neither of which I can … Continue reading

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Sep 28

Tama Lincoln Highway bridge contract to be let

June 17, 2022: The slab edge on the north rail of the Lincoln Highway bridge (under the letters) shows severe wear and is one of the areas slated to get work done. The Iowa DOT is playing a role in … Continue reading

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Sep 14

Another one bites the truss

A century-plus-old pony truss bridge in Carroll County has reached the end of its useful life. Its birth was one of the inspirations for standardization in Iowa construction. KCIM-AM reports that the Carroll County supervisors plan to replace the Storm … Continue reading

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Sep 07

1st and 1st in Cedar Rapids to undergo big change

First Avenue has been under construction in Cedar Rapids since late spring, and now a project in the downtown area will reshape a key intersection even more. Below I am reprinting the item from the city (linked here at the … Continue reading

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Aug 26

IA 2 (1920 Series): A piece recreated (almost)

Two developments in the Des Moines suburbs over the past year or so have done two very different things to the first highway that exited the state capital on Grand Avenue. This is the companion to Wednesday’s post. Waukee’s continued … Continue reading

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Aug 24

IA 2 (1920 Series): A piece obliterated

Two developments in the Des Moines suburbs over the past year or so have done two very different things to the first highway that exited the state capital on Grand Avenue. Val Lanes concrete, 1921-2021 The 1948 blueprint above shows … Continue reading

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Aug 22

US 63 construction to flip from south to north of Traer

2022 may rival only 1930 in the difficulty of getting to Traer on primary roads. The day after Labor Day — and 10 days after US 63 from Traer south to IA 96 opens after months of construction — US … Continue reading

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Aug 17

Final loop ramp at 80/380 interchange to close

August 16, 2021: Looking straight ahead as the freeway bends, you can see the grading for the ramp from southbound I-380 to eastbound I-80. There’s also grading for the future ramp to westbound 80. The I-80/I-380 interchange project has reached … Continue reading

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Aug 15

Mixmaster meeting focuses on I-80 east of interchange

Information on another stage of the Northeast Mixmaster was released online and in a public meeting August 9. This project is about expanding I-80 between I-35 and US 65. The PDFs are here. The expansions shown in the “full build” … Continue reading

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