This is the second blog post covering news from the Nov. 1 Benton County Supervisors meeting. The Star Press Union (via Jim Magdefrau, who also writes on his personal website) has a recap. Then he had a later update from the county engineer.
Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek told the supervisors Nov. 1 about the Iowa DOT’s plans for US 30 wrapping up construction season. He said traffic will be shifted to the new lanes from the US 218 interchange west to 16th Avenue (County Road V44, or the Luzerne corner) and all intersections on the north side, including V66 to Van Horne, will be closed. In Magdefrau’s next update, Parizek said the shift happened Nov. 9.
This shift moves traffic off the section line and thus the Lincoln Highway roadbed. The new concrete has head-to-head traffic and eventually will become the eastbound lanes. The future westbound lanes will be built just to the south of the present roadbed, as seen here.
Parizek’s second update also included the news that the four-lane through the IA 21 intersection is set to open today (Nov. 14). This is only a 2-mile segment, X Avenue in Tama County to 11th Avenue in Benton County. Access to IA 21 remains blocked here, however. That’s why a five-mile stretch that includes both the former IA 200 and IA 131 corners will not be shifted to new concrete, because those roads serve as the detour for IA 21.
Also included in Magdefrau’s report was a note that final construction on the Urbana roundabout, including signage, is finishing up.