Iowa DOT cautions travelers about work zones over holiday weekend

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| Thursday, July 03, 2008 |

From the Iowa Department of Transportation

AMES, Iowa – July 2, 2008 – Travel during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday could be slowed somewhat by road construction, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation, or Iowa DOT. Several projects on state roadways may warrant advance planning on the part of drivers. Details of current construction projects can be found at www.511ia.org.

Several roadways that flooded in June remain closed due to extensive damage. It is extremely important that motorists do not move barricades on closed roads, as entering a closed road presents a serious risk.

Northwest Iowa

• Traffic on the Iowa 12 Gordon Drive viaduct in Sioux City is restricted to one 10 foot wide lane in each direction. The restriction is necessary for bridge deck overlay operations. All loads wider than the restriction must use an alternate route through the area.

• Traffic on the U.S. 77 Veterans’ Memorial Bridge in Sioux City is restricted to one 12 foot 6 inch wide lane in each direction. The restriction is necessary for bridge deck overlay operations. Loads wider than the set limit will be required to find an alternate route through the area.

• Traffic on Interstate 29 from Sloan to Sergeant Bluff will be restricted to one lane in each direction with head-to-head traffic in the southbound lanes. The restriction is necessary to complete the concrete overlay of the northbound lanes of Interstate 29.

• U.S. 71 traffic is being detoured on to county roads approximately four miles northwest of Auburn in Sac County due to replacement of the bridge over the Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad.

• Traffic on Iowa 60 near the Iowa/Minnesota border is being detoured as the Minnesota DOT completes work on the Bigelow bypass. The detour is using Iowa 9 and U.S. 59.

Northern/Northeast Iowa

• On the Des Moines River bridge on U.S.169 in Algona, southbound traffic is reduced to one lane. Delays may be expected.

• Iowa 187 near Arlington is being detoured due to replacement of a box culvert. The detour uses Iowa 3 and Fayette County Road W-45.

Eastern Iowa

• Westbound U.S. 20 is restricted to one 11 foot wide lane approximately 0.5 miles west of Iowa 136 in Dyersville. The restriction is necessary for repairs to the bridge over the north fork of the Maquoketa River. All loads wider than the set limit are required to find an alternate route through the area.

• Westbound U.S. 20 is restricted to one 12 foot wide lane approximately five miles east of Iowa 38 near Earlville in Delaware County. The restriction is necessary for repairs to the bridge over the west branch of Plum Creek. All loads wider than the set limit are required to find an alternate route through the area.

• Eastbound Interstate 80 traffic in Coralville has been shifted to the westbound side, and eastbound ramp traffic has been routed onto temporary pavement at the Coral Ridge and First Avenue interchanges. Two lanes of traffic are being maintained in each direction; however, the available lane and shoulder widths have been reduced through the area.

Several projects are in place in Waterloo

• At the U.S. 20/ Black Hawk County V-51 interchange, temporary traffic signals have been installed on the county road overhead bridge to control traffic.

• Traffic has been shifted on the Interstate 380 southbound ramp over U.S. 20 and U.S. 218. Temporary concrete barrier rail is in place to protect the work areas. The work underway involves removal and replacement of bridge concrete barrier rail.

• Traffic has been shifted on Interstate 380 westbound over U.S. 20 and the Cedar River. Temporary concrete barrier rail is in place to protect the work areas. The work underway involves removal and replacement of bridge concrete barrier rail.

• In Coralville, traffic on U.S. 6 is reduced to one lane in each direction between 12th and 22nd avenues to allow for pavement widening and resurfacing. A center turn lane through the project is being used to increase safety and reduce congestion.

• In Davenport, U.S. 61 is reduced to one lane in each direction between Concord and Howell streets. The roadway is being repaired and resurfaced, and received additional damage and setbacks due to recent flooding.

Southeast Iowa

• Iowa 78 over the Skunk River in Jefferson County is closed to through traffic. A detour is in place from the city of Brighton northeast on Iowa 1 to the city of Washington east on Iowa 92 to Washington County Road W-47, then south to the city of Coppock.

• Also in Jefferson County, work continues on the U.S. 34 Fairfield bypass. Traffic is being maintained on existing U.S. 34, with the exception of a short on-site detour on the east side of Fairfield.

• Washington County Road G-36 is closed while the contractor constructs a new interchange with U.S. 218.

• The westbound lanes of Iowa 5/Iowa 92 are closed at the Knoxville bypass (Iowa 5/Iowa 92) in Marion County. Traffic is routed head-to-head in the eastbound lanes. Some ramps may be closed due to reconstruction. Travelers are asked to follow the on-site detours.

• In Wapello County, the southbound lanes of U.S. 63 on the Des Moines River bridge north of U.S. 34 are closed. Traffic is head-to-head in the northbound lanes.

• Traffic may be slowed due to a railroad bridge replacement on U.S. 63 north of Oskaloosa in Mahaska County. Traffic will be maintained on the existing highway, but travelers may see delays.

• U.S. 61 through the Hershey Avenue intersection in Muscatine is being reconstructed for a new interchange. All traffic on U.S. 61 has been shifted to the southbound lanes, one lane in each direction. Hershey Avenue is also being reconstructed and is currently closed with a detour utilizing local roads (High Prairie Road and Houser Street).

Southwest Iowa

• Traffic on Interstate 80 in Adair County is head-to-head in the westbound lanes from milepost 73 to milepost 78. The eastbound lanes are closed for a bridge reconstruction project.

• In Cass County on Interstate 80 from milepost 58 to milepost 61, traffic is head-to-head in the eastbound lanes. The westbound lanes are closed for reconstruction of two bridges.

• In Harrison County, Interstate 29 lane closures are in place with a 12 foot width restriction in both the north and southbound lanes at milepost 95. Northbound Interstate 29 lanes are reduced and restricted to a 12 foot width limit at milepost 92. Both work zones are in place to accommodate bridge deck overlay projects.

• Westbound Interstate 80 lanes in Pottawattamie and Cass counties are reduced for an asphalt resurfacing project near Avoca, Marne and Walnut. Motorists should be alert to traffic control for a westbound lane closure between milepost 39 and milepost 46, and milepost 49 to milepost 55.

• In Council Bluffs, Interstate 80 work continues at the 24th Street interchange (milepost 2). Although no lane restrictions on Interstate 80 are expected to be in place over the holiday weekend, 24th Street continues to be restricted to one lane in each direction.

Central Iowa

• U.S. 65 in Hardin County is closed near Hubbard for bridge construction over Honey Creek. The closure is between Hardin County Road D-65 and the south junction of Iowa 175/U.S. 65. Traffic is being routed along a detour using Hardin County roads D-65, S-27 and Iowa 175.

• U.S. 65 in Hardin County is closed at the south fork of the Iowa River. The closure is between the north junction of Iowa 175/U.S. 65 and Hardin County Road D-41. Traffic is being routed along a detour using Iowa 175 and Hardin County roads S-55 and D-41.

• Northbound Interstate 35 traffic in Hamilton County is restricted to one 12 foot lane, just north of U.S. 20, between exit 144 (County Road D-25) and exit 151 (County Road R-75). The lane closure is due to bridge work and asphalt resurfacing.

• Head-to-head traffic will continue through the July 4th holiday on Iowa 163 in Pleasant Hill between N.E. 88th Street and the Metro Park East Landfill, located nine miles east of Pleasant Hill on the south side of Iowa 163. This traffic configuration is necessary to accommodate replacement of the westbound Iowa 163 bridges over Mud Creek and Camp Creek, along with re-grading portions of the roadway for improved sight distance. While traffic is head-to-head, access to the following side roads from Iowa 163 will remain closed: N.E. 91st Street, N.E. 100th Street, N.E. 104th Street, N.E. 108th Street, N.E. 112th Street, N.E. 120th Street.

• At Iowa 926 at the Karl King Bridge over the Des Moines River and Chicago Central Railroad in Fort Dodge, traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction, and speed within the work zone is reduced to 35 mph. A 12 foot 6 inch width restriction is in place, and all loads wider than the set limit should follow a marked detour around the work area.

• U.S. 69 (E. 14th Street in Des Moines) from Milton Avenue to Henderson Avenue, the southbound outside lane on U.S. 69 is closed for widening. U.S. 69 between Milton Avenue and Henderson Avenue is restricted to one north- and one southbound lane, with a center turning lane.

• U.S. 6 between Kellogg and Grinnell is closed for pavement repair and resurfacing. The marked detour route for U.S. 6 traffic is Interstate 80 between mileposts 173 and 182.

When traveling through a work zone, motorists should minimize distractions, leave ample space between vehicles, and obey all posted speed limits and directional signs.