April 13, 2016: This view of the connection from Second Street to IA 149 shows a two-ramp set. The ramp from 149 to Second, where the bicyclist is, would be removed under a proposed plan.
On the Iowa DOT’s information site is an upcoming project that focuses on IA 149/Business US 63, formerly US 63, in downtown Ottumwa just north of the viaduct. The plans were put out last month.
This section of highway was built in the 1950s. Heading north from downtown, there was a mini-median, not full width, but grass-covered until a few decades ago. At the time of original construction, former IA 23 ran north from downtown but did not have a direct connection. An offramp from southbound 63 to northbound 23 was built, as was a ramp from both one-way directions of IA 23 (Main and Second) via Kitterman Avenue (see above).
The proposal (PDFs here) eliminates the off-ramp from 149 down to Second Street. My guess is that that connection would be considered covered by the stoplight at Fourth Street since there is a connection between Fourth and Second just to the east. The next intersection, Fifth Street, is where 149 angles northwest. A driver could turn “right”, which was actually straight ahead, onto Wapello Street, although Google Street View from this year shows that may be closed now. There would be a new intersection with Fifth (to the west) and Wapello (to the north) that, based on the lack of left-turn lanes in the diagram, may be a right-in-right-out scenario in which no traffic can turn left. Also, the proposal diagram shows Fifth as a two-way street, which it currently is not.
(Sorry for the lack of posts. I’m currently deep into a research project and also recovering from the election.)
