Category Archives: Construction

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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Aug 08

I-74 bridge has different type of lane markers

Last month, WQAD did a story about the lane markers on the I-74 bridge. Each white line has a black counterpart and is called “contrast marking”. The story says the Iowa DOT is planning to add this type of marking … Continue reading

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Aug 03

Public meetings on two big projects coming up

A project 40 years in the making and project that only seems like it will have been 40 years in the making are in line for Iowa DOT public meetings in the next week. An in-person hearing on the US … Continue reading

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Jul 29

Two new ‘corridor preservation zones’ assigned

The Iowa DOT has put out a “corridor preservation notice” for two areas along four-lane roads. “Corridor preservation is a tool the Iowa DOT uses to preserve land for future highway needs,” the press releases say. One location is an interchange … Continue reading

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Jul 15

Dubuque US 61-151 signage to be updated

June 18, 2015: This exit sign along US 61/151 in Dubuque is among those that will be replaced later this year. The opening of the Southwest Arterial, and subsequent removal of US 52 through Dubuque, resulted in a “green-out” on … Continue reading

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