Iowa freeway/expressway history research (may have large images)

[Revive 755]

One of the older EIS's I turned up was for the freeway for the US 20 corridor (Freeway 520) from IA 38 to US 61.  The EIS indicates that Iowa was going to have US 20 take a straighter route that would bypass Dubuque:


US 20 appears to have been planned to cross US 61/US 151 at Olde Davenport Road.  How the area looks today:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=dubuque,+ia&hl=en&ll=42.436673,-90.67935&spn=0.006707,0.016512&sll=38.572931,-89.837008&sspn=0.056837,0.132093&hnear=Dubuque,+Iowa&t=h&z=17

How it could have looked:

[rte66man]

It implies there was at least thoughts about a new Mississippi River bridge.  Any clues from what you have?

rte66man

[Brandon]

^^ That makes sense as one would not want to plow a freeway or expressway through the middle of East Dubuque, Illinois.  My guess is that IDOT never got together with IowaDOT to figure out a new crossing (big surprise).  It's a moot point with the way IDOT has failed to do much on their side of the river.

[Revive 755]

It implies there was at least thoughts about a new Mississippi River bridge.  Any clues from what you have?rte66man

Unfortunately not; the bridge would be in a separate EIS if either Illinois or Iowa got that far in planning.

[iowahighways]

US 20 appears to have been planned to cross US 61/US 151 at Olde Davenport Road.  How the area looks today:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=dubuque,+ia&hl=en&ll=42.436673,-90.67935&spn=0.006707,0.016512&sll=38.572931,-89.837008&sspn=0.056837,0.132093&hnear=Dubuque,+Iowa&t=h&z=17

That's the point where the Southwest Arterial (discussed in this thread) will intersect US 61/151. However, it won't be a relocated US 20, but rather US 52.

[Revive 755]

It implies there was at least thoughts about a new Mississippi River bridge.  Any clues from what you have?

Found this today in an EIS for the US 61 facility through Dubuque.



This one shows the alternative design for the selected route that would have been a full freeway around US 20.  The dashed sections indicate bridges.