SOUTH
SOUTH End (Late 2012-Present): I-80 exit 142, Altoona, Polk County
Facing southwest on 330 (10/31/17)
Facing southwest on 330 (10/31/17)
This, or ahead at the next light, would have been an ideal place for "End 330", but there is not one.
The "Marshalltown diagonal" was conceived of and built as a single road, but for 40 years — after IA 64 was dropped as a cross-state route and IA 330 took this segment's place — it was split into two different numbers. This distinction was lost on many people. So in 2012, the DOT gave in to perception and officially extended the IA 330 designation southwest to I-80. Combined with a reconstruction and expansion of the interchange here, this provides an example of how generic signage is applied to more complex exits.
Facing east on 80 (10/31/17)
Facing east on 80 (10/31/17)
Here's an overhead bridge that had to be rebuilt so I-80 could be expanded. Before this, the eastbound exit was split up. There was a right-hand exit for US 6 and a left-hand exit for northbound 65, enabling that traffic to avoid stopping while heading northeast.
Facing east on 80 from the NE 56th Street bridge (6/30/18)
Photo by Jason Hancock
When that left exit was around, the BGSs mentioned Marshalltown. When the new exit opened, it was dropped for Altoona (see my above pictures). But apparently that didn't take, and Marshalltown was pasted back on.
Previously: I-80 Exit 142B
Facing east on 80 (10/31/07)
Facing east on 80 (10/31/07)
Facing east on 80 (11/6/09)
Facing west on 80 (11/30/12 and 10/21/14)
The left sign has a greenout at the top, because it originally had "West 6 North 65"
Facing west on 80 (11/30/12)
At this early stage in construction, the left exit and bridge for northbound 65 had been removed, and IA 330 was signed from I-80 although it would not be signed on the diagonal itself for a few more weeks.
Facing northeast on Hubbell Avenue, but heading east on 6 (11/30/12)
The left sign is the only one that's left after the extension, but it now says "East 6" because south of 80, Hubbell is US 6.
Facing northeast on Hubbell Avenue (11/30/12)
This shows the original I-80 bridge and the first new one constructed here. A closeup of the sign at left, a very rare one in Iowa giving a distance in feet, is magnified below.
Facing northeast on Hubbell Avenue (8/1/07)
Facing northeast on 330 (10/30/17)
"Begin" signs are rare, but in this case it's pretty useful.
Facing northeast on 330 (10/30/17)
Page created 4/6/20