What is the purpose for the concurrency of US 52 and IA 3 between Luxemburg and Dubuque? Why does IA 3 not terminate there? Why does it continue in an unnecessary concurrency to Dubuque, where it ends yet US 52 continues?
Quote from: hbelkins on August 06, 2017, 11:05:05 PM
What is the purpose for the concurrency of US 52 and IA 3 between Luxemburg and Dubuque? Why does IA 3 not terminate there? Why does it continue in an unnecessary concurrency to Dubuque, where it ends yet US 52 continues?
This was discussed in the thread (in this region) called "Iowa Commissions/Decommissions". For some time in the '60's and '70's, US 52 was routed down IA 136 from Luxemburg to US 20, then over US 20 to Dubuque, where it turned south with US 61. Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment. The original '70's reroute was done for the sake of efficiency but apparently was reversed years later after complaints from businesses along the IA 3 corridor regarding loss of business from reduced traffic.
And IA 3 is a river-to-river route with this alignment.
Quote from: sparker on August 06, 2017, 11:30:28 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 06, 2017, 11:05:05 PM
What is the purpose for the concurrency of US 52 and IA 3 between Luxemburg and Dubuque? Why does IA 3 not terminate there? Why does it continue in an unnecessary concurrency to Dubuque, where it ends yet US 52 continues?
Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment.
This video is from last June, but it looks like the construction is well underway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23bP_dMwPVk
Quote from: skluth on May 18, 2018, 02:31:27 PM
This video is from last June, but it looks like the construction is well underway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23bP_dMwPVk
I spotted a more recent video filmed during last March.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6vbpbpN_fc
Another Dubuque meet, perhaps?
Quote from: hbelkins on May 18, 2018, 06:56:00 PM
Another Dubuque meet, perhaps?
Hmmmm....
:nod:
Has there been any recent chatter about potentially taking steps that would eliminate those über-annoying :verymad: stop-and-go lights along US 61/151 from Wisconsin?
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on May 19, 2018, 12:07:16 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 18, 2018, 06:56:00 PM
Another Dubuque meet, perhaps?
Hmmmm....
Southwest Arterial finished fall 2019, Swiss Valley Road interchange with US 20 in 2020-21, so 2020 could be a good year for it.
QuoteHas there been any recent chatter about potentially taking steps that would eliminate those über-annoying :verymad: stop-and-go lights along US 61/151 from Wisconsin?
Mike
Short: lolno
Long: That was built around the time the state was in a bruising fight with Waterloo over US 218 as freeway or expressway, and the same issue could have been a factor here. But more practically, it's a space issue, and an access issue, and an abutting-a-historic-district issue.
Quote from: sparker on August 06, 2017, 11:30:28 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 06, 2017, 11:05:05 PM
What is the purpose for the concurrency of US 52 and IA 3 between Luxemburg and Dubuque? Why does IA 3 not terminate there? Why does it continue in an unnecessary concurrency to Dubuque, where it ends yet US 52 continues?
This was discussed in the thread (in this region) called "Iowa Commissions/Decommissions". For some time in the '60's and '70's, US 52 was routed down IA 136 from Luxemburg to US 20, then over US 20 to Dubuque, where it turned south with US 61. Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment. The original '70's reroute was done for the sake of efficiency but apparently was reversed years later after complaints from businesses along the IA 3 corridor regarding loss of business from reduced traffic.
Are they building a new bridge over the river or will the bypass begin just west of the current bridge?
AFAIK, there are no immediate plans for a new US 20 Mississippi River bridge. The new US 20/52 bypass is essentially a "quadrant" bypass, connecting US 20 west of Dubuque and US 61 south of that city, extending around its SW edge. It's pretty likely that for the time being US 20 traffic will be rerouted over US 61 south of downtown down to the east end of the bypass construction, while US 52 will simply no longer access downtown Dubuque. Currently there doesn't seem to be any identified funding for a new bridge in IA -- and almost certainly none in IL.
So, is the plan to route US 52 along the NW Arterial (IA 32) to connect it with the existing route north of town?
Quote from: hbelkins on May 29, 2018, 11:17:29 AM
So, is the plan to route US 52 along the NW Arterial (IA 32) to connect it with the existing route north of town?
Quote from: sparker on August 06, 2017, 11:30:28 PM
This was discussed in the thread (in this region) called "Iowa Commissions/Decommissions". For some time in the '60's and '70's, US 52 was routed down IA 136 from Luxemburg to US 20, then over US 20 to Dubuque, where it turned south with US 61. Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment. The original '70's reroute was done for the sake of efficiency but apparently was reversed years later after complaints from businesses along the IA 3 corridor regarding loss of business from reduced traffic.
(emphasis mine)
(and also this (https://www.cityofdubuque.org/1861/Transfer-of-Jurisdiction) from the city of Dubuque's website)
So that means that Iowa 3 is just going to end at the city limits of Dubuque?
That's just dumb, if I may say so myself.
I'm going to plug Jeff's website because of relevance. He's got some good insight on not only IA 3, but every highway in Iowa.
http://iowahighwayends.net/ends/ia3.html
Quote from: Jeff Morrison on May 26, 2018, 03:04:57 AM
Quote from: mgk920 on May 19, 2018, 12:07:16 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 18, 2018, 06:56:00 PM
Another Dubuque meet, perhaps?
Hmmmm....
Southwest Arterial finished fall 2019, Swiss Valley Road interchange with US 20 in 2020-21, so 2020 could be a good year for it.
QuoteHas there been any recent chatter about potentially taking steps that would eliminate those über-annoying :verymad: stop-and-go lights along US 61/151 from Wisconsin?
Mike
Short: lolno
Long: That was built around the time the state was in a bruising fight with Waterloo over US 218 as freeway or expressway, and the same issue could have been a factor here. But more practically, it's a space issue, and an access issue, and an abutting-a-historic-district issue.
Completely and totally off-topic:
I love your website. I didn't know there were people like me (and a name for people like me- road geeks!) until a Google search of Iowa highways in college during the graveyard shift working at the Ramada in downtown Waterloo led me to your site and blog. Just wanted to say hi.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 29, 2018, 02:09:20 PM
So that means that Iowa 3 is just going to end at the city limits of Dubuque?
That's just dumb, if I may say so myself.
This sort of thing is occurring within many cash-strapped states, where in-town state highway (which can mean either state or, occasionaly US routes) alignments are relinquished to local maintenance. Depending upon state/local policy, the former alignment may or may not retain state signage as connections to other routes or a continuation of the state-maintained route on the other side of town. Once relinquished, the city can do as it pleases with the alignment ("road diets", traffic calming techniques, channelization, bus lanes, part of couplets -- the list goes on). Signage policy varies from state to state; some states just don't seem to care, some have continuation policies in place but fail to follow through on enforcement (hello, CA!), while others (VT is a prime example of this) have consistent signage through town -- although some states post signs at the city limits indicating that state maintenance ends there. As far as IA 3 through central Dubuque is concerned -- it would be helpful if a poster either familiar with IADOT policy or in a position to personally determine the signage status would do so after the 20/52 bypass is in place, triggering the relinquishments.
Quote from: froggie on May 29, 2018, 01:42:36 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 29, 2018, 11:17:29 AM
So, is the plan to route US 52 along the NW Arterial (IA 32) to connect it with the existing route north of town?
Quote from: sparker on August 06, 2017, 11:30:28 PM
This was discussed in the thread (in this region) called "Iowa Commissions/Decommissions". For some time in the '60's and '70's, US 52 was routed down IA 136 from Luxemburg to US 20, then over US 20 to Dubuque, where it turned south with US 61. Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment. The original '70's reroute was done for the sake of efficiency but apparently was reversed years later after complaints from businesses along the IA 3 corridor regarding loss of business from reduced traffic.
(emphasis mine)
(and also this (https://www.cityofdubuque.org/1861/Transfer-of-Jurisdiction) from the city of Dubuque's website)
I'd seen Sparker's post, but didn't know if that was speculation or if he had an official source.
So say goodbye to IA 32. And to my clinch of US 52 in Iowa.
Quote from: sparker on May 29, 2018, 04:07:34 PM
As far as IA 3 through central Dubuque is concerned -- it would be helpful if a poster either familiar with IADOT policy or in a position to personally determine the signage status would do so after the 20/52 bypass is in place, triggering the relinquishments.
I wouldn't be surprised if Iowa DOT just pulls
all the IA-3 signage from Dubuque and puts an END IA-3 sign eastbound at the city limits. I'm not too familiar with their exact policies in this sort of situation but it just sounds right, from my limited experience.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 29, 2018, 04:19:36 PM
I'd seen Sparker's post, but didn't know if that was speculation or if he had an official source.
So say goodbye to IA 32. And to my clinch of US 52 in Iowa.
Yep. I'm planning on making a trip to Dubuque at the first opportunity I have to get pictures of things as they are right now. I'd go tomorrow, actually, but the 60% chance of rain is scaring me off that idea.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 29, 2018, 02:09:20 PM
So that means that Iowa 3 is just going to end at the city limits of Dubuque?
That's just dumb, if I may say so myself.
It saves the state from maintaining a mess of urban arterial lane-miles, freeing up those resources. Having it stop at the city limits retains the 23 miles of rural winding road.
As posted above, there is an official agreement in place. US 52 will be rerouted onto IA 136, US 20, and the Southwest Arterial; IA 3 will stop (presumably with an "End" sign!) somewhere near the present IA 32 intersection; IA 32 will be decommissioned along with the one-way pairs of 52/3 in Dubuque.
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 29, 2018, 02:20:47 PM
Completely and totally off-topic:
I love your website. I didn't know there were people like me (and a name for people like me- road geeks!) until a Google search of Iowa highways in college during the graveyard shift working at the Ramada in downtown Waterloo led me to your site and blog. Just wanted to say hi.
Thank you! :bigass: :bigass: It's always glad to be reassured I'm not shouting into the void.
This thread reminds me, though, that a bunch of what I thought were historical conditions of Dubuque highways were wrong, and pages need to be updated to reflect that.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 29, 2018, 04:19:36 PM
Quote from: froggie on May 29, 2018, 01:42:36 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 29, 2018, 11:17:29 AM
So, is the plan to route US 52 along the NW Arterial (IA 32) to connect it with the existing route north of town?
Quote from: sparker on August 06, 2017, 11:30:28 PM
This was discussed in the thread (in this region) called "Iowa Commissions/Decommissions". For some time in the '60's and '70's, US 52 was routed down IA 136 from Luxemburg to US 20, then over US 20 to Dubuque, where it turned south with US 61. Apparently there are plans to reinstate this routing -- but only after the planned US 20 south bypass of Dubuque is completed; the concept here is to route US 52 over the nascent expressway rather than along the 2-lane IA 3 alignment. The original '70's reroute was done for the sake of efficiency but apparently was reversed years later after complaints from businesses along the IA 3 corridor regarding loss of business from reduced traffic.
(emphasis mine)
(and also this (https://www.cityofdubuque.org/1861/Transfer-of-Jurisdiction) from the city of Dubuque's website)
I'd seen Sparker's post, but didn't know if that was speculation or if he had an official source.
So say goodbye to IA 32. And to my clinch of US 52 in Iowa.
Pulling IA-3 from the city limits sounds like something Indiana would do since in recent years that state's notorious for leaving gaps in their state numbered highways.