See a larger map of the Tama County area, with a radius of two or more counties and Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and major highways visible.
Situated at the intersection of US Highway 63 and Iowa Highway 8, there are many ways to "Wind Up In Traer". For those of you that are close, look at the map. If you live farther away, follow the instructions below that pertain to your area.
See a larger map of the Tama County area, with a radius of two or more counties and Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and major highways visible.
| From | Use these instructions |
|---|---|
| I-35 south of Des Moines OR I-80 west of Des Moines (Omaha NE, Lincoln NE, Kansas City, most of Nebraska, Kansas, NW Missouri, general SW quadrant of Iowa) | 0. Get on either I-80 west or I-35 north. 1. Once in Des Moines, follow I-80 all the way after I-35 joins it AND leaves. 2. Stay on I-80 to the US 65 exit (Marshalltown; exit #142; LEFT exit). 3. Take US 65 north to Iowa 330 (continues on that diagonal). 4. Take Iowa 330 north, past US 30, to its end at Iowa 14. 5. Take Iowa 14 north to Iowa 96. 6. Take Iowa 96 to US 63. 7. Follow US 63 to Traer. |
| I-80/88 in Illinois/Quad Cities (and from Chicago) | 1. Take I-80 out of Davenport heading west. 2. Just northwest of Iowa City, take I-380 north (I-80 exit #239B). 3. Just south of Cedar Rapids, exit onto US 30 West/US 218 North (I-380 exit #16B). (The sign will say Tama on it.) 4. Follow US 30/218 to the point where US 218 goes north. Follow US 218. 5. Ten miles west of Vinton, turn left onto Iowa 8. 6. Follow Iowa 8 to Traer. (For alternate route for steps 4-6, see "US 30 east of Tama County" instructions.) |
| US 30 anywhere west of Toledo (Nevada, Ames, Boone, pts. west) | 1. Follow US 30 east past I-35 (if that far west) and keep going. 2. In Toledo, you will encounter the only full stop on US 30 in six counties. At this four-way stop, take US 63 north. 3. Follow US 63 to Traer. |
| US 30 anywhere east of Tama County (south Cedar Rapids, Mt. Vernon, Clinton) | 1. Follow US 30 west to Iowa 21. 2. Take Iowa 21 north to Iowa 8 by Dysart. 3. Take Iowa 8 west to Traer. |
| US 63 south of Tama (Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Columbia MO, Jefferson City MO) | 1. Just stay on US 63 going north until you reach Traer. |
| US 63 north of Waterloo (New Hampton, Rochester MN, etc.) | 1. Just stay on US 63 going south until you reach Traer. |
| US 20 anywhere west of Cedar Falls (Iowa Falls, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, etc.) | 1. Follow US 20 to Black Hawk County, where it becomes 4-lane. 2. Take the first exit on the four-lane south of Cedar Falls. This is Iowa 58 south. 3. Take Iowa 58 south to its end, south of Hudson. It runs directly into US 63 south. 4. Follow US 63 south to Traer. |
| US 20 anywhere east of Waterloo (Manchester, Dubuque, etc.) | 1. Stay on US 20 heading west until AFTER I-380 goes north with US 218 into Waterloo. 2. The next exit west is Iowa 21; the one after that is US 63. Either will get you to Traer; if taking Iowa 21 go west on Iowa 8 at the intersection of the two. |
| Knoxville and Chariton (Iowa 14 south of I-80) | 1. Follow Iowa 14 north to I-80 south of Newton. 2. (Newton people follow this too) Take I-80 to US 63 (exit #191). 3. Take US 63 north to Traer. There will be a minimal backtrack west with US 6. |
| The Iowa Great Lakes area and Estherville | 1. Go south to US 18. 2. Take US 18 east to US 218. Turn right onto US 218 south. 3. Follow steps listed in "From the Twin Cities", instructions, starting at STEP 4. |
| US 61 in Missouri (St. Louis, Hannibal) | 1. Follow US 61 north to near Keokuk. 2. Northwest of Keokuk, US 61 joins US 218. When they separate, follow US 218 north. (The following steps also apply to Mt. Pleasant and Washington IA) 3. Keep following US 218 north past Iowa City, with I-380, to exit 16B, where 218 joins up with US 30 heading west. 4. Follow US 30/218 to the point where US 218 goes north. Follow US 218. 5. Ten miles west of Vinton, turn left onto Iowa 8. 6. Follow Iowa 8 to Traer. (For alternate route for steps 4-6, see "US 30 east of Tama County" instructions.) |
| Twin Cities (and Duluth; just keep going south on I-35) | 1. Take I-35 south out of the Twin Cities into Iowa. 2. Take the US 18 exit to Mason City (exit #194). (The following steps are also for Mason City, Clear Lake, Algona and even Spencer) 3. Follow US 18 east to Floyd and US 218. 4. Take US 218 south to Iowa 58, just north of Cedar Falls. 5. Take Iowa 58 south all the way to the end south of Hudson. It runs directly into US 63 south. 6. Take US 63 south to Traer. (Note: From the beginning (on I-35) to where Iowa 58 joins US 20, this is the route of the Avenue of the Saints.) |
| Milwaukee | 1. Take I-94 out of Milwaukee to Madison. In Madison: 2. When I-94 joins I-90, take the I-90 EAST exit (heading south). 3. Go south on I-90 for only about four miles and take the US 12/US 18 WEST exit. (#142). (The following also applies to Madison.) 4. Take US 18 out of Madison (with US 151). 5. In Dodgeville, take US 151 south to Dubuque. 6. In Dubuque, take US 20 west. 7. Stay on US 20 heading west until AFTER I-380 goes north with US 218 into Waterloo. 8. The next exit west is Iowa 21; the one after that is US 63. Either will get you to Traer; if taking Iowa 21 go west on Iowa 8 at the intersection of the two. |
| La Crosse WI | 1. Take I-90 west into Minnesota. 2. South of Rochester, take the US 63 SOUTH exit. 3. Follow US 63 to Traer. There will be a small backtrack with MN highway 16. |
| Sioux Falls, Mitchell, Watertown, or ANYWHERE in South Dakota NORTH of I-90 | 1. Go to Sioux Falls. 2. Take I-29 south out of Sioux Falls to Sioux City, IA. 3. In Sioux City, to avoid going too far south, take Business 20 east to US 20. 4. Follow steps listed in "From US 20 anywhere west of Cedar Falls" instructions. |