BUSINESS
The evolution of highways in the Sioux City area can be seen in this set of maps.
WEST End (entire route): I-129/US 20/US 75 exit 2, South Sioux City NE
Facing south on Business 20 (6/12/05)
Business 20 in Sioux City spans two states, Iowa and Nebraska. It is one of only a handful of business routes that cross state lines, or may even be the only one. There's no indication of it at this interchange, though; it's only got one sign in the state. The route of Business 20 follows what at one time was US 73 north to 29th Street, where old 20 joins the north-south road going north into Sioux City and then east once it gets into Iowa.
Closeup of signage in background (6/12/05)
South Sioux City gives you a big hint you're in Nebraska: horizontal stoplights.
Facing north (6/12/05)
This north-south road - Dakota Avenue in town - was NE 35 until a few years ago. Iowa is the only destination given on signs for I-129.
Facing west on 129 (6/12/05)
The greened-out space on the left most likely held the NE 35 shield. It would be nice if the Nebraska Department of Roads signed Business 20 here. Taking the exit, Jason Hancock saw a stoplight-ahead pole mounted upside down (green-yellow-red), an affirmation that the N in Nebraska does indeed stand for "Knowledge".
US 77/Business 20 split
Facing south on 77 (6/12/05)
This intersection is just across the state line and is the only marking for Business 20 in Nebraska.
Facing north on 77 (6/12/05 and 6/4/14)
This sign is about halfway between the above intersection and the bridge. There used to be an IA 12 shield on the right, with no indication of Business 20. The fact that 77 is mentioned as being on the "exit" dates back to when 77 continued north with I-29 to Sioux Falls, before 1982. (Yet the sign was replaced with 77 still there.)
WEST End (Iowa segment): Nebraska
state
line, near I-29, Sioux City IA/South Sioux City NE, Woodbury County
IA/Dakota County NE
Facing north on 77 (5/13/07)
Photo by David Morrison
What you need to know about this end:
- This is the first sign for 77/Business 20 in Iowa. It also happens to be the last sign for northbound 77 in Iowa.
- This is was one of two volleyball interchanges in Iowa; it has since been redesigned and rebuilt. The other is I-380/IA 100 (Collins Road) in Cedar Rapids, an interchange that because of its interaction with Blairs Ferry Road and 42nd Street is more convoluted. For volleyball interchanges, according to Kurumi, "All turning motions are handled in an intermediate square structure connecting the eight ramps. Turning traffic travels around the square in the same direction as a roundabout in that country. Through traffic can proceed on either intersecting road without stopping." The Sioux City Chamber of Commerce called that collection of ramps and lights "Iowa's Most Stupid Intersection." (Jason Hancock found the original pamphlet, dated 1992. "Iowa's Stupidest Intersection" may sound cooler, but it's not what was written, and it's also grammatically incorrect.)
- Before 2000, IA 12 also ran through this interchange with I-29. (It was multiplexed from Exit 151 to Exit 147B.) Blank spots for 12 shields appear on the gantry at lower right (and one may have been at far right above, making for a four-shield BGS).
Many more pictures covering nearly every sign of this interchange, old and new, are available at the US 77 page.
Entering/leaving I-29 (pre-reconstruction)
IGIC/Iowa DNR photo (5/13/02)
The route in GREEN is Business 20 westbound. It follows Gordon Drive, which joins the I-29 exit ramp to US 77. It then goes under 77 to the northwest stoplight, at which point it turns left. After one more light, its ramp joins 77 right before the bridge into Nebraska.
The route in BLUE is Business 20 eastbound. It exits 77 and turns right at the southeast stoplight. It joins mainline I-29 for a short while before taking the next exit, crossing under 29 and then meeting Gordon Drive at Nebraska Street, where it goes right. The last half of that was also the way IA 12 left I-29. The ramp between the green and blue lines is the Pierce Street onramp to I-29. (The interstate west of the Gordon Drive exit was one of the first pieces of I-29 to open. This is probably because it was built right on top of the riverfront road, which carried the Riverside Drive name to the west.)
The route NOT SHOWN is the post-2019 alignment. With reconstruction of I-29 through Sioux City, the downtown ramps were reconfigured. In order to provide continuity with state jurisdiction and the IA 12 designation, the DOT took over the new Virginia Street south of Gordon Drive in 2020 (off to the right/east of the view above). That left about 0.8 mile of Gordon between Virginia and US 77 (the green line) unassigned, and it was given the designation IA 812. This separated IA 12 from Business 20.
Facing north on 29 (November 1999)
Photo by Eric Peterson
Wesley Way (later Wesley Parkway) was closed for work at the time of this picture. A few years later, new buildings were being built next to the Municipal Auditorium, and soon afterward, both Business 20 and 12 were taken off the sign to make way for a new one...
Facing north on 29 (6/12/05)
...which, of course, has to have a corporate moniker attached (but at least occurred soon after Tyson bought IBP, dodging an off-the-bat name change). Why do we have to call them all "Events Centers" now? I suppose that having one auditorium for things isn't enough nowadays. There's no reason that Business 20 couldn't have remained on this sign. "Business District" vs. "Downtown" is an interesting contrast. Note lack of US 77 or an exit tab on the Wesley Parkway exit sign.
Facing south on 29 (6/12/05)
Next exit: Absolutely Nothing! Wait a second, that's not right. Exit 147A used to be for Floyd Boulevard and the Sioux City Stockyards, but the first was taken off the sign (for construction, maybe?) and "Stockyards" was peeled off when 142 years of cattle and hog drives ended March 25 and 27, 2002. But don't worry - with the casino that's off the exit, someone is still making a killing. Update: Exit 147A is now "Floyd Blvd / Historic 4th St". Update to the update: Exit 147 has been consolidated at Virginia Street, below.
Facing east, but heading south, on 29 (6/2/20)
Ideal signage here would say "East Business 20" to create continuity for eastbound travelers.
Facing west on Business 20/Gordon Drive (10/2/20)
The reconfiguration of downtown ramps resulted in the Iowa DOT taking over a new part of Virginia south of Gordon. The IA 12 designation was relocated to that, meaning that it and Business 20 are on separate routes. Gordon Drive from here to US 77 has been designated IA 812. This is the first 8xx number assigned in Iowa, given to avoid repeating the use of IA 912, which was a tiny chunk of abandoned IA 141 at the IA 210 exit for two years. (Obviously, I was not consulted, and/because I think that's ridiculous.) Turn left here to follow the 12 designation a very short way to I-29.
Facing west on Gordon Drive (10/2/20)
The sign confirms the separation of 12 and Business 20. The photo confirms its presence at a specific moment in time.
Interchange with Business US 75
Facing east on Business 20 (6/12/05)
What's interesting about this is that there isn't much room on the signs for the routes that used to be here - US 75 (right two signs) and IA 12 (left). While it's possible there was a "12 North" on the left sign and the "20 Business" was moved up a bit to center it, there's no corresponding space for 75 stuff - and there aren't any 75 shields at the intersection either. Surprisingly, this isn't the only secret state route-to-street interchange: University Avenue (IA 934) and Greenhill Road do the same thing (though Greenhill isn't a business route).
EAST End: Interchange, US 20/75, Sioux City, Woodbury County
This is also the secret south end of IA 12. More pictures from other directions at this interchange are on a combined 12/Business 20 page.
Facing east on Business 20 (6/12/05)
Facing east on Business 20 (7/16/14)
Facing east on Business 20 becoming 20 (6/12/05)
That "East 20" in left center would have made a great "End Business 20" and may have held an "End 12". Either way, those signs are gone now.
Facing east on Business 20 becoming 20 (7/16/14)
Before 2001, half of the cloverleaf had been constructed, with the south half diamond and north half inner loops. When the 75 bypass was built, one of the inner loops was changed from being a loop to being an exit whose traffic comes to a complete stop/T intersection at the other route (like a folded diamond). You can see the southbound-to-eastbound ghost ramp stub behind the "East 20" at left center above.
Facing west on 20 (10/2/20)
Facing west on 20 (6/12/05 and 10/2/20)
The first right is for northbound 75 (below).
Facing west on 20 (10/2/20)
Facing west on 20 (6/12/05)
The left sign used to have a "North 12" with it. It's possible or even likely that "To 29" was a later addition to the right sign. In the foreground you can see striping on the bridge from where the northeast loop (eastbound 20 to Business 20) came in.
Page created 1/19/03; last updated 10/29/20