TRANSPORTATION MATTERS for IOWA

We’re talking highways and interstates: Thursday 3 with the Iowa DOT #Thurs3DOT


Thursday-Three_2Wondering what is going on with highway and interstate construction in your area? Construction projects are a hot topic for this week’s Thursday 3 – and for good reason. People don’t like to be inconvenienced by construction, but most folks understand that we’re working to make the transportation system better. After all, keeping you moving safely, efficiently and conveniently is our mission. Each week we are selecting three questions to answer on our blog that have been submitted on Facebook or Twitter by using the hashtag #Thurs3DOT.  Thank you to everyone who wrote in this week and don’t forget to submit your questions – they could be featured in next week’s blog!

 

Q. Are there plans to expand U.S. 30 to four lanes between Ogden and Carroll?

A. There is a project in our five--year program for pavement rehabilitation between Ogden and Grand Junction in 2016, but no plan to expand it to four lanes. You can see all work we have planned at http://www.iowadot.gov/program.../interactivemap.aspx

The reason we plan five years in advance for bigger projects is to ensure that we are making the most effective and efficient decisions for the state’s system that includes routes marked as U.S., state or interstates.  We plan smaller projects like patching and maintenance work on a yearly basis as the need arises.

Q.  What's being done on I-35 between DM and Bevington? How many lanes will there be?

A. There are several projects ongoing in that area. For the most part there will still be just two lanes past the Cumming exit. We'll be working to complete new bridges at Badger Creek and the North River this year with some asphalt overlays on I-35. There are a few other reconstruction projects set for I-35 for the next few years at various locations south of Des Moines. The bridge construction projects are listed in  Five-Year  program mentioned in the previous answer.   The overlays will be done as part of the smaller annual round of projects, so they aren’t listed in the five-year program.

Q.  Weird question, but I've always wondered about the mile markers on U.S. 20 near the Iowa 14/Grundy Center exit. There's a several-mile jump in the numbers there. Was it just a matter of starting numbering from opposite directions not matching up?

A. That's actually a pretty common question for folks who travel U.S. 20 often. Here's the answer. Milepost markers were established by the Iowa DOT a number of years ago for each state highway route, with the zero mile at the west state line for east-west routes and at the south state line for north-south routes. Some routes have been relocated over the years, generally shortening the route.

That is the case with U.S. 20. When U.S. 20 was relocated between I-35 and Waterloo, the route was shortened by about thirteen miles. Rather than go to the expense of relocating the affected milepost markers and changing the milepost information on our pavement management histories, a location is chosen to make a "correction." In this case, the correction was made at the U.S. 20/Iowa 14 interchange. On mile markers found in that vicinity, the "BK" means "back" and the "AH" means "ahead. 

Hi Issac, I sent your question to our office in Sioux City. Someone will email you to discuss. Thanks!

What are the plans with the US 20 interchange with US 75 and Gordon Drive in Sioux City?

Why are the mile markers on US 75 Northbound between Sioux City and Hinton smaller than the Southbound markers?

Is the DOT planning on adding those raised reflective markers on US and State Highways in Iowa?

What's happening with the bridge on US 20 & US 75 just north of Morningside Avenue in Sioux City? What are they going to do with it?

I've noticed the separator lines between directions of traffic on county roads either being in the center or being off center. Is there any reason that is the way it is?

When is the construction of US 75 between Hinton and Merrill going to be done?

When are they going to repair u.s. Highway 63 North of Waterloo and south of the state line. More specifically two-lane stretch

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