Iowa Notes

[skluth]

Sioux City Council will consider an agreement to build an I-29 interchange south of Sergeant Bluff

Sioux City, Iowa (KTIV) The Sioux City City Council will decide at its meeting Monday whether to enter into an agreement with the city of Sergeant Bluff and Woodbury County to build an I-29 Interchange South of Sergeant Bluff, according to the Sioux City Council agenda.

The cities of Sioux City and Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, The Siouxland Initiative, and the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) have completed the initial step with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to construct a new interchange.

The proposed interchange will be located at approximately mile marker 139 on I-29 to improve access to the Southbridge area. Woodbury County has entered into an Agreement with the Iowa DOT as the Local Public Agency leading this project.

The schedule for this project is: design in 2023, property acquisition to be in 2024-2025, followed by construction in 2026 pending approval of the Iowa DOT Commission.

The Cities of Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City are working with Woodbury County to secure funding for the construction of the Interchange and associated roadways. Sioux City would participate in cost sharing only when or if the City annexes the area and capitalizes on economic development opportunities, according to the council agenda.

Source

[The Ghostbuster]

If they build a new interchange at milepost 139, that would mean the rest area in both directions would have to be demolished to make way for the new interchange. It wouldn't be the first time a rest area/service area was demolished to make way for a new interchange.

[paulthemapguy]

I just realized something.  Iowa 471 could have been given the number 171, 271, or 371, but instead, IowaDOT chose the number 471. Do you think that IowaDOT gave the route the number 471 because they have some hope that it'll become a US route designation one day?  I don't know why IowaDOT would think that a route so short would get a US route designation, though...

[iowahighways]

I just realized something.  Iowa 471 could have been given the number 171, 271, or 371, but instead, IowaDOT chose the number 471. Do you think that IowaDOT gave the route the number 471 because they have some hope that it'll become a US route designation one day?  I don't know why IowaDOT would think that a route so short would get a US route designation, though...

It also could have been an extension of IA 39 from Odebolt. But from my understanding, the Iowa DOT has a policy in place not to recycle any route numbers used within the last 50 years. IA 371 in Mahaska County was decommissioned in 2003 while IA 171 in Tama County and IA 271 in Guthrie County were decommissioned in 1980.

[The Ghostbuster]

Was IA 471 a former alignment of US 71?

[pianocello]

Was IA 471 a former alignment of US 71?

Yep. US 71 followed it before the four-lane US 20 was built.

[IA 471] also could have been an extension of IA 39 from Odebolt. But from my understanding, the Iowa DOT has a policy in place not to recycle any route numbers used within the last 50 years. IA 371 in Mahaska County was decommissioned in 2003 while IA 171 in Tama County and IA 271 in Guthrie County were decommissioned in 1980.

I wonder if that's why BUS US 61 in Davenport is internally IA 461 instead of 161 or a 900-series number. I know US 161 was a thing, and IA 261 existed north of Iowa City, but I don't know if those were around after the 60s.

[mvak36]

While much-awaited work at the East Mixmaster has begun, there are now plans to add a new flyover ramp to the West Mixmaster of I-35, I-80, and I-235 by 2029: https://www.kcci.com/article/west-des-moines-plan-to-add-flyover-bridges-to-west-mixmaster/43866958

Article about the same project from the Des Moines register.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2023/05/26/west-mixmaster-interchange-interstates-35-80-235-may-change-to-flyover-bridges-address-safety/70248897007/

[paulthemapguy]

I just realized something.  Iowa 471 could have been given the number 171, 271, or 371, but instead, IowaDOT chose the number 471. Do you think that IowaDOT gave the route the number 471 because they have some hope that it'll become a US route designation one day?  I don't know why IowaDOT would think that a route so short would get a US route designation, though...

It also could have been an extension of IA 39 from Odebolt. But from my understanding, the Iowa DOT has a policy in place not to recycle any route numbers used within the last 50 years. IA 371 in Mahaska County was decommissioned in 2003 while IA 171 in Tama County and IA 271 in Guthrie County were decommissioned in 1980.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes a lot more sense now!  And I totally agree that it could have been an extension of IA-39!!

[brad2971]

I just realized something.  Iowa 471 could have been given the number 171, 271, or 371, but instead, IowaDOT chose the number 471. Do you think that IowaDOT gave the route the number 471 because they have some hope that it'll become a US route designation one day?  I don't know why IowaDOT would think that a route so short would get a US route designation, though...

It also could have been an extension of IA 39 from Odebolt. But from my understanding, the Iowa DOT has a policy in place not to recycle any route numbers used within the last 50 years. IA 371 in Mahaska County was decommissioned in 2003 while IA 171 in Tama County and IA 271 in Guthrie County were decommissioned in 1980.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_highways_in_Iowa

That interpretation can't be right. IA 27 was a spur to the town of Alvord (in Lyon County) until being turned back to Lyon County in 1980. In 2001, IA 27 became the designation for the Avenue of the Saints.

[iowahighways]

I just realized something.  Iowa 471 could have been given the number 171, 271, or 371, but instead, IowaDOT chose the number 471. Do you think that IowaDOT gave the route the number 471 because they have some hope that it'll become a US route designation one day?  I don't know why IowaDOT would think that a route so short would get a US route designation, though...

It also could have been an extension of IA 39 from Odebolt. But from my understanding, the Iowa DOT has a policy in place not to recycle any route numbers used within the last 50 years. IA 371 in Mahaska County was decommissioned in 2003 while IA 171 in Tama County and IA 271 in Guthrie County were decommissioned in 1980.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_highways_in_Iowa

That interpretation can't be right. IA 27 was a spur to the town of Alvord (in Lyon County) until being turned back to Lyon County in 1980. In 2001, IA 27 became the designation for the Avenue of the Saints.

It may be a more recent policy -- I found out about it when someone at the Iowa DOT let me know of an unsigned "IA 812" designation for part of Business US 20 in Sioux City a few years ago. (The rest of Business 20 is an unsigned part of IA 12.) Plus, both Iowa and Missouri agreed on the IA/MO 27 designation, as that was the lowest number that both states had available.

[iowahighways]

The Iowa DOT's 2023-2024 transportation map is out now: https://iowadot.gov/iowa_transportation_map/

The cover features both the old and new I-74 bridges, and the map itself accounts for the 2020 census. One thing I've noticed is that a four-lane segment of US 61 between Mediapolis and Burlington appears on the map, but I haven't seen any news about that segment opening yet.

[iowahighways]

Following up on an item from my last post: the four-lane segment of US 61 between Mediapolis and Burlington opened earlier this week.

Also, a new DDI at I-380 and Tower Terrace Road in Cedar Rapids opened today: https://www.kcrg.com/2023/06/22/tower-terrace-road-interchange-officially-opens/

[pianocello]

Also, a new DDI at I-380 and Tower Terrace Road in Cedar Rapids opened today: https://www.kcrg.com/2023/06/22/tower-terrace-road-interchange-officially-opens/

It's been a while since I've been up that way, so it threw me off at how quickly CR is developing to the north. I'm glad they're building an arterial corridor that will go from 380 all the way east to IA 13, and good on them for (mostly, so far) keeping commercial development away from that corridor.

[Revive 755]

It looks like roundabouts may be coming to US 30 near Boone:  https://www.news.iowadot.gov/pim/2023/06/proposed-improvements-to-us-30-intersections-to-be-discussed-in-boone-on-june-20-2023.html (look at project display 2).

[The Ghostbuster]

I would have preferred an upgrade to freeway standards, but that would probably cost too much in the short-term.

[iowahighways]

After being closed for about two years, I-29 has reopened at the interchange with I-480 in Council Bluffs:

https://omaha.com/news/local/traffic-hot-spots-i-29-set-to-reopen-in-council-bluffs-monday/article_17d284a4-361c-11ee-a772-7b47dae41db9.html

https://www.news.iowadot.gov/newsandinfo/2023/08/traffic-pattern-changes-in-store-for-council-bluffs-next-week.html

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.roadsbridges.com/highway-construction/news/33010476/iowa-dot-celebrates-opening-of-new-i80380-interchange

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/i-80380-systems-interchange-project-in-iowa-citycoralville-is-complete

Iowa DOT Celebrates Opening of New I-80/380 Interchange- after seven years of construction and finishing three months ahead of schedule!

[Plutonic Panda]

Good deal. I have never been there, but I was looking at Google maps. I they have some pretty nice roads in that area.

[IowaTraveler]

In similar news, the new US 30/IA 21 interchange opened on August 30th, the same day that the last two ramps of the aforementioned I-80/I-380 interchange opened.

https://www.news.iowadot.gov/newsandinfo/2023/08/new-interchange-at-us-30-and-iowa-21-is-now-open.html

[iowahighways]

In similar news, the new US 30/IA 21 interchange opened on August 30th, the same day that the last two ramps of the aforementioned I-80/I-380 interchange opened.

https://www.news.iowadot.gov/newsandinfo/2023/08/new-interchange-at-us-30-and-iowa-21-is-now-open.html

Once the rest of US 30 is done, it will help save time from central Iowa to Cedar Rapids and Dubuque without having to deal with I-80 traffic.

On the subject of Dubuque, OpenStreetMap is now showing exit numbers along US 61/151 when there weren't any before. I know there were plans from a year ago to add those exit numbers as part of a sign replacement project, but the latest Street View images from July don't show them and I don't plan to head up that way anytime soon. Does anyone know if the new exit numbers are actually up?

[Great Lakes Roads]

On the subject of Dubuque, OpenStreetMap is now showing exit numbers along US 61/151 when there weren't any before. I know there were plans from a year ago to add those exit numbers as part of a sign replacement project, but the latest Street View images from July don't show them and I don't plan to head up that way anytime soon. Does anyone know if the new exit numbers are actually up?

Yes, the new exit numbers in Dubuque along US 61/151 are up as of September 2023...

[The Ghostbuster]

I've noticed on Wikipedia's US 151 page that the exit numbers on US 151 between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque count up from 151's western junction with US 6, not from its actual terminus at Interstate 80. The exit numbers from Davenport northward are only off by about a mile (below actual mileage), so no harm no foul.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

The September Iowa Transportation Commission meeting included an item "Transfer of Jurisdiction of Frontage/Access Roadways along Iowa 461 in Davenport".  What specific roads are these, and are they being transferred to or from state control? I wish the detailed agendas were available on the website before the meetings.

[SSOWorld]

On the subject of Dubuque, OpenStreetMap is now showing exit numbers along US 61/151 when there weren't any before. I know there were plans from a year ago to add those exit numbers as part of a sign replacement project, but the latest Street View images from July don't show them and I don't plan to head up that way anytime soon. Does anyone know if the new exit numbers are actually up?

Yes, the new exit numbers in Dubuque along US 61/151 are up as of September 2023...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ssoworld/albums/72177720311211585

Proof.  This contains both old and new versions of the signs. Signs were replaced both on 61/151 and on 20. They did not replace all of the signs - particularly some of those around Grandview Ave (both on 20 and 61) along with the one leading to Kerper Blvd in Wisconsin - this is possible due to who maintains them (I would suspect IowaDOT maintains the Kerper one, but I can also assume for the Grandview Ave/61 interchange, these not-so-BGSs might be city installed.  No activity has taken place since early August.

The mile markers were added in June

Many will miss the cutouts at the 61/151 split, but won't miss the massive greenouts created by the US-52 move.

They also replaced trailblazers with the fugly new signs (151 is now on wide shields, but still using Type-B font).

They used FHWA font, not clearview.

Notable changes
- 9th/11th St now points to the "Historic Millwork District" which is basically a shopping galleria now. 
- The SB 61/151 connection to Locust St sign changed it's district directional from "Port of Dubuque" to "Westend"
- The new signs omit the district color codes
- one sign at 9th street is missing its exit tab
- true to IowaDOT form, the replaced gore point signs now sport WRONG WAY signs on their backs.

[brad2971]

The September Iowa Transportation Commission meeting included an item "Transfer of Jurisdiction of Frontage/Access Roadways along Iowa 461 in Davenport".  What specific roads are these, and are they being transferred to or from state control? I wish the detailed agendas were available on the website before the meetings.

https://www.iowahighways.org/highways/iowa420-478.html. Iowa 461 is the state designation for Business US 61. My guess is that Iowa DOT is turning over the north-south portion to the city of Davenport, while the River Dr. portion (which is co-signed with US 67) stays in Iowa DOT hands. Frankly, I'm somewhat surprised that Kimberly Rd (US 6) in Davenport isn't being turned over to the city, especially since Iowa and Illinois DOTs just completed a new Mississippi River bridge for I-74, which is quite the major investment.