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August 29, 2003

For more information contact:
Mark Bortle
515-239-1587
or
Jerry Dickinson
515-239-1667

Road work continuing through Labor Day holiday weekend

(Editor’s Note:  In the listing of highway projects, projects listed in bold red type indicate routes that are closed and traffic detoured; the other projects retain traffic on the roadway while work is underway.  The counties where the projects are being done are underlined in the listing.) 

AMES, Iowa – Signaling at least a symbolic end to the blistering temperatures Iowans have endured lately is the “unofficial” end-of-summer holiday, Labor Day.  But, while summer may be winding down, the road construction/maintenance season is still in full swing.  While many projects will be shut down for the holiday weekend, others involve lanes that can’t be opened to traffic until the project is completed.  That means many travelers this holiday weekend will face possible delays in their travels. 

Iowa Department of Transportation officials are urging motorists who will be traveling this weekend to use extra caution when traveling through road work zones.  Mark Bortle, work zone safety engineer in the DOT’s Office of Construction, offers the following tips for making your holiday trips as safe and enjoyable as possible.

  • If possible, schedule your travels for non-peak traffic times.  This will cut down the backups that may occur at road construction sites.
  • If you can’t adjust your travel times, at least allow extra time for your trips to compensate for any delays you might experience in a work zone.
  • Stay alert!  Dedicate your full attention to the roadway.
  • Pay close attention to the road work zone signs and traffic around you!  Keep up with the traffic flow, don’t change lanes in work zones, and be a good defensive driver.
  • Minimize distractions! Avoid changing radio stations, using mobile phones, eating or other activities that take your attention away from your driving while you’re in a work zone.
  • Don’t speed!  Obey the posted speed limits in and around the work zone.  And, remember, the speed limit on divided highways with a 65 mph speed limit is reduced to 55 mph in work zones where lanes are closed and workers are present.
  • Expect the unexpected!  Keep an eye out for workers, their equipment, and the traffic around you.

Listed below are some of the major road work zones travelers may encounter this weekend.  There may not be work underway in some of these areas, but the work zones have to remain in place so they still affect traffic.  Other work zones on county and city routes should also be expected.

Interstate 29

  • Work continues on the loops and ramps at the Iowa 275 interchange (Exit 47) in Pottawattamie County.  One lane of northbound I-29 is closed, and U.S. 275 is reduced to one lane in each direction at the interchange, and the lanes are restricted to a maximum width of 12 feet.  The ramp from westbound U.S. 275 to northbound I-29 is also closed.
  • Bridge construction on I-29 in Pottawattamie County has reduced I-29 to one lane in each direction between Exit 56 and Exit 61, with all traffic being carried in the northbound lanes while the bridge on the southbound side is rebuilt.  There is a width limit of 12 feet in the open lanes. The project is 1.8 miles south of the south junction of I-680.
  • I-29 is restricted to one lane in each direction at the Exit 147A (Wall Street, Dace Avenue) in Sioux City in Woodbury County, and the lanes are restricted to a maximum width of 12 feet.

Interstate 35

  • Reconstruction of northbound I-35 from Exit 12 in Decatur County to the Clarke County line is restricting I-35 to one lane in some areas of that 12-mile segment.
  • Southbound I-35 lanes have been shifted at the Raccoon River Bridge ½ mile south of Exit 69 in Polk County.  There is a width restriction of 14 feet, and the speed limit has been reduced to 55 mph.
  • There is major reconstruction on I-35 between the north interchange of Interstates 35, 80 and 235, and Ankeny in Polk County.  At least two lanes of through traffic will be maintained during the holiday weekend.  There is a 55mph speed limit in this area.
  •  Reconstruction of the southbound lanes of I-35 is underway between Exit 139 and Exit 144 in Hamilton County.  All traffic has been moved into the northbound lanes, resulting in one lane in each direction, and a width restriction of 14 feet from 1 mile north of Hamilton County Road D-41 to Hamilton County Road D-25.

Interstate 74

  • Work is underway on the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge from the Iowa side in Scott County to 7th Avenue in Moline, Illinois. One lane is open in each direction.  There is a width restriction of 8.5 feet.

Interstate 80

  • Work on I-80 eastbound between Exit 5 and Exit 17 (from north of the Madison Avenue Interchange in Council Bluffs north to approximately 1.5 miles north of the Council Bluffs city limits) in Pottawattamie County is underway, reducing I-80 to one lane in that direction. There is a width restriction of 12.5 feet.
  • Bridge construction on eastbound I-80 at milepost 65 in Cass County has resulted in the shift of all traffic to the westbound lanes, with one lane in each direction. There is a width limit of 12 feet on the open lanes.  The eastbound entrance ramp is closed at the Wiota Interchange (Exit 64).
  • I-80 construction work is continuing in Johnson County at Interchange 240 (Coral Ridge Avenue) in Coralville.  Two lanes of I-80 are open in each direction, but traffic backups are possible.

 Interstate 235

  • Check i235.com for the latest information on I-235 construction.

Iowa 2 

  • Iowa 2 in Fort Madison in Lee County is restricted to a lane width of 8 feet at the Illinois state line.

 Iowa 3 

  • Iowa 3 is closed between Butler County Road T-25 and Iowa 14 West in Butler County.  Traffic is being detoured over Butler County Road T-25, Butler County Road C-51, and Iowa 14. No overweight loads are allowed on Butler County roads T-25 and C-51.

Iowa 5

  • Iowa 5 is closed from Iowa 92 north in Marion County to County Road S-23 in Warren County.  Traffic is detoured over Iowa 92 and Warren County Road S-23. County Road G-40 and Hayes Drive are open near Pleasantville.

U.S. 6

  • U.S. 6 is limited to one lane in each direction at 104th Street in the Des Moines area in Polk County, with a width restriction of 12 feet.

U.S. 18 

  • U.S. 18 is closed at Iowa 51 in Postville in Allamakee County.  The detour is via Williams, Lawler and Tilden streets.  No oversize or overheight loads are allowed on the detour.
  • U.S. 18 westbound in Clay County is limited to one lane from the north junction with U.S. 71 to the south junction of U.S. 18/U.S. 71 for construction in Spencer.  Through traffic is directed onto U.S. 18 and county roads M-50 and B-19.

Iowa 25

  • Iowa 25 is closed from Taylor County Road J-13 to U.S. 34 north of Kent in Union County for work on the bridge over the Platte River 3.4 miles south of U.S. 34.  Traffic is detoured via J-13, Iowa 49 and U.S. 34.

U.S. 30 

·         U.S. 30 eastbound between Linn County Road W8E and U.S. 151 north is limited to one 10.5-foot lane for bridge construction at milepost 257.5 just east of Jappa Road in Linn County.  Jappa Road is closed south of U.S. 30.

U.S. 34

  • Bridge construction is limiting westbound U.S. 34 to one 11.5-foot in each direction between U.S. 63 North and U.S. 63 South in Wapello County. This bridge is located over an abandoned railroad just west of the Vine Street exit on U.S. 34 in Ottumwa.

Iowa 57 

  • Iowa 57 is closed from Iowa  14 east to Butler County Road T-47. Traffic is detoured via Iowa  57 Iowa  14, and Butler County roads C-55 and T-47. No overweight loads are allowed on Butler County roads C-55 and T-47. 

U.S. 59 

  • Bridge construction over the Soldier River is limiting U.S. 59 to one lane in Ida County 2.5 miles north of the Crawford County line. One-lane traffic will be maintained in construction areas and controlled by traffic signals.
  • Bridge construction on U.S. 59 at Iowa 175 East has reduced the roadway to one lane, with a lane width restriction of 10.5 feet in Ida County. This project is located just south of Iowa 175, over Odebolt Creek. One-lane traffic will be maintained in construction areas and controlled by traffic signals.

U.S. 63 

  • The southbound bridge on U.S. 63 over the IMRL Railroad just north of Rochester Street in Ottumwa in Wapello County is under construction.  There is a width restriction of 11.5 feet.

U.S. 65 

  • U.S. 65 is closed between 270th Street and Hardin County Road S-33 for a bridge replacement 2.6 miles north of Hubbard. There is an 11-foot width limit on detour, which follows 270th Street and Hardin County Road S-33.

Iowa 92 

  • Iowa 92 is closed in Pottawattamie and Cass counties from U.S. 59 east to Iowa 48.  Traffic is detoured via U.S. 59, U.S. 6 and Iowa  48 to Iowa  92. 

Iowa 140 

  • Iowa 140 between Woodbury County roads K-64 and D-12 is closed.  The detour is via Woodbury County roads K-64 and D-12.

Iowa 150 

  • Iowa 150 is closed from U.S. 218 to Benton County Road E-16.  Traffic is detoured via U.S. 218 and Fourth Street.

Iowa 173 

  • Bridge construction has reduced Iowa 173 to one lane 0.8 miles south of Elk Horn in Shelby County. There is a width restriction of 10.5 feet. Traffic is controlled with temporary traffic signals.  
  • Bridge construction on Iowa 173 one-half mile south of the Iowa 173/Iowa 44 intersection is limiting traffic to a single line in  alternating directions in Audubon County.  There is a height restriction of 18 feet and a width restriction of 10.5 feet.

Iowa 181 

  • Iowa 181 in Marion County is closed at Iowa 5.  Traffic is detoured via Warren County Road G-48 to existing Iowa 5/Iowa 92.

Iowa 183

  • Iowa 183 is closed at Harrison County Road F-20 3 miles south of Pisgah.  Traffic is detoured on an 800-foot on-site, gravel detour.  There is a 12-foot width limit on the detour.

Iowa 394

  • Road construction is underway on Iowa 394 between Lee County roads W-62 and J-62.

Iowa 945

  • Iowa 945 in Polk County is limited to a single lane of traffic at I-80 one mile west of Altoona.  Traffic alternates through the one lane, and there is a width restriction of 11.5 feet and height restriction of 12 feet.

Iowa 982

  • Iowa 982 is closed at Woodbury County Road K-64 due to bridge construction over the West Fork of the Little Sioux River. Traffic is detoured via Woodbury County Road K-64 and Iowa 141.

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