IDOT begins public hearings on I 29/80 improvements Tuesday

[eomaha]

IDOT to hold public hearing

The Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing Tuesday on alternatives being considered to improve the interstate highway system through Council Bluffs.

The hearing will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Mid-America Center, Rooms H-I-J-K.

Some of the alternatives to be presented will involve the widening of the Interstate 29/80 stretch through the city.

The IDOT is considering widening that stretch to five lanes in each direction, or possibly three lanes in each direction in the "dual divided" concept that separates the through traffic from that of local traffic.

Alternatives will also be discussed on possible improved access to West Broadway from the interstate.

No formal presentation will be made, but IDOT staff members will be present with displays and related information to discuss the proposed project and a draft environmental impact statement.

[almighty_tuna]

The IDOT is considering widening that stretch to five lanes in each direction

I sure didn't expect that!!

[Ingersoll1978]

Once again...I hope they put in many extras in this project, including unique bridges, some color, and landscaping. Here are some examples of what the IDOT has been doing around the state...

Sioux City:



Des Moines' I-235:

Ped Bridge:


Corporate Woods Dr (Near Ankeny on I-35)...




Douglas Ave in Urbandale (pic is from Traffic Cam):


IDOT has been getting much better at this and I hope they continue with the Council Bluffs project. Council Bluffs' residents should demand a special treatment for this project. This could really help Council Bluffs' image to visitors and be a great welcome to the State of Iowa.

[Raraavis]

I think I see bigfoot in that last picture.

[DTO Luv]

Finally! 5 lanes would be great and it would be equal to the Omaha side. I wish I'd be able to go to the meet but I can't. One thing I really hate about that interstate is the exits. They have no loops so yo have to make backwords turns to get where you're going. The wosrt one is the exit by that Walmart.

[icejammer]

Finally! 5 lanes would be great and it would be equal to the Omaha side. I wish I'd be able to go to the meet but I can't. One thing I really hate about that interstate is the exits. They have no loops so yo have to make backwords turns to get where you're going. The wosrt one is the exit by that Walmart.

Of course, if IDOT makes it 5-lane, then NDOR will need to get in gear on their section of I-80 between the river and I-480. Just when you thought interstate reconstruction was done in Omaha......

I'm not fully sure I understand your comment on the exits making backwards turns, but I agree they need major improvement. Supposedly, CB has some mucked up interchanges because someone bruised someone's ego at IDOT many, many years ago and they decided on "less than desirable" interchanges to "even the score". But that's just rumor.

Anyway, hopefully, I'll make it down there to give my two cents and if there's anything exciting, I'll post it here.

[DTO Luv]

I don't know if backwords was the right word. If you're going east on CB's I-80 and want to exit north then you have to go into lanes that are for south bound headed cars, wait for the light, and then cross the lanes to go north. They should put a loop for north bound exiters so they can continue to drive uninterupted and not as many people will have to wait for a light.

The exit ramps by Walmart are the worst I've ever seen. If you're headed north on that street and you want to go west on the interstate you have to turn left, and into on coming traffic if you're not careful. I think that's the only one I've ever seen like that. The same situation I talked about in the first paragraph also happens here. Since most people are headed back to Omaha fron there you have to wait forever at that green arrow to turn. A loop would make that much easier. I do hope we get our act together on our side. Going from 5 lanes to 2 would be a nightmare. I don't know why the much more used I-80 isn't as wide as 480.

[CountOfMC]

5 lanes? Holy Macerol! Maybe someone has alluded to this before.. but are they widening the bridge on I-80 over the Missouri? I think that should be job #1.. think of how many accidents and further congestion you'd create by having a 10 lane highway turn into a 4 laner over the river. I'm not quite following the thinking there. I really think the bridge would have to be done first.. and I would assume this is in the plan. And like Ingersoll1978 mentioned, if they can even slightly replicate the bridges in Des Moines.. it would be a huge improvement over the current one's.

[icejammer]

The exit ramps by Walmart are the worst I've ever seen. If you're headed north on that street and you want to go west on the interstate you have to turn left, and into on coming traffic if you're not careful. I think that's the only one I've ever seen like that.

You have to realize the real estate constraints with that interchange - due to the railroad tracks that parallel the South Expressway, a full cloverleaf design is nigh impossible, plus with it's proximity to the I-80/29 split, I don't think you could place another ramp any further east even if the railroad tracks weren't there. As far as the half cloverlead design, there are several in Iowa, but this is the only one in an urban area I can think of.

Plus, this interchange is infinitely better than it used to be even 10 years ago.

[almighty_tuna]

I don't think we will see I-80 from the bridge to 480/80 interchange become 5 lanes each way. There's just not enough room to accomodate 10 lanes without major retooling or a bi-level freeway. PLUS, those lanes would have to be integrated with the 480/80 interchange, the 13th st exit would have to be redone (imagine CWS traffic during that construction), 24th street interchange would be a cluster since its partially integrated with the 480/80. I think it would be more likely to expect 3 lanes each way from the river to 13th, then the 13th St onramp to 80WB would become a 4th lane to accomodate traffic to 480 so I80WB could carry 3lanes through the 480/80. I also predict that the 5 lanes in IA would be merely for the I80/I29 section and would then split into 2lanes for I29NB and 3lanes for I80WB.

[DTO Luv]

Icejammer,

I don't know what the area was like 10 years ago. The train tracks could just go underneath the ramp and taking out McDonalds and maybe a few other places shouldn't be a hinderance at all when looking ot the big picture. I'm just guessing, but since you're from CB you probably know more about the area than I do.

[icejammer]

DTO-

the tracks are too close to the expressway to put a bridge over the tracks and provide sufficient clearance for the railroad, while still maintaining a safe and allowable grade for a ramp, otherwise this would have been done well before anyone even thought of putting a McDonalds at its current location. This interchange will likely see the least amount of change of all interchanges along I-80 when the interstate is reconstructed.

[UNOstudent]

i doubt I 80 over the river will be 5 lanes each direction. the 5 lanes in each direction would probably be between the west and east interchanges w/ I 29. i could see I 80 being 3 lanes westbound to CB then 5 lanes after the 'east' I 29 interchange then 2 lanes would dump off for I 29 NB at the 'west' interchange and then continue w/ 3 across the river into omaha.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I think after Dodge Street is completed, I-80 between CB and I-480 will be one of Omaha's next major widening projects. Reconstructing the I-80 bridge over the Missouri would be a perfect opportunity to throw up some appealing aesthetics to beautify that part of the Interstate system and allow for a eye catching and appealing gateway into either state. A suspention bridge of sorts comes to mind. But I'm not sure that such a bridge is very likely. It seems like there would be way too much government involved to get everyone to agree to pay for such a bridge.

[icejammer]

Ok, here's what I got from this afternoon's session:

There are two concepts for the interstate reconstruction between the 2 I-80/29 interchanges - A) five lanes each way, similar in configuration to what we see now, and B) the dual-divided, with 3 lanes each way in the center, carrying thru traffic only (no access to 24th St or Lake Manawa exists), with an additional 2-3 lanes each way to carry I-29 traffic, as well as local I-80 traffic (i.e. those needing access to/from the two intermediate interchanges). The feeling I got from the IDOT people was that they are leaning towards the latter approach.

The stretch from the west I-80/29 split to the river would be 3 lanes either way, and they would utilize the existing bridge for either the east- or westbound traffic and build a new bridge for the other direction. The new bridge would be on either the north or south side of the existing bridge - they are still weighing which way to go with that. They would continue widening to at least 13th Street, with replacement/changes of the existing interchange there.

The other concept they are looking at is whether or not to provide direct access to West Broadway from I-29. If they do not, they would eliminate the Ave. G interchange completely and would make the 35th St interchange one with access in all directions. If they do provide West Broadway connection, they would eliminate the 35th St. interchange and may or may not eliminate the Ave G interchange.

That's my 2 minute summary anyway. Any questions, I'll try to answer later.

P.S. I almost lost total faith in this project when I saw the Federal Highway rep there and saw he was someone I once had to deal with in his previous job, and let me just say if this guy is involved to any degree, there is almost absolutely no way, no how, this project comes in on schedule and within budget.

[DTO Luv]

The other concept they are looking at is whether or not to provide direct access to West Broadway from I-29.

That's the other thing they need to do. I don't understand why they don't have an exit or entrance to Broadway from the interstate. It wouldn't hurt to make the northern section of I-29 actually go to somewhere in CB. I went down that one day thinking there would be an exit and had to go clear up to where I-29 and 680 meet to turn around. I was upset. If CB had better inferstructure than they might grow a bit more.

[icejammer]

That's the other thing they need to do. I don't understand why they don't have an exit or entrance to Broadway from the interstate. It wouldn't hurt to make the northern section of I-29 actually go to somewhere in CB. I went down that one day thinking there would be an exit and had to go clear up to where I-29 and 680 meet to turn around. I was upset. If CB had better inferstructure than they might grow a bit more.

Like I said earlier, some of the interchanges (or lack thereof) in CB are "less than desirable" (allegedly) because someone at IDOT held a grudge against someone and this was one way of getting even.

If you're heading north on I-29, there are 2 exits you can take on the north side of CB - 35th St and 25th St (both residential areas). However, there's a connector that was built about 5 years ago from the 25th St exit that takes you over to 16th St (where commercial development is, and perhaps the signage isn't very good at indicating that). In previous hearings with IDOT, there seems to be little to no chance for a full access interchange at 16th St any time soon (which is BS in my opinion), so look for the connector road next time. I don't see 16th or 25th St interchanges having any changes, but if they build Broadway interchange (and they darn well better), they will eliminate the 35th St interchange.

[icejammer]

A public hearing for the Council Bluffs Interstate System Improvements Project was held Tuesday at the Mid-America Center.

The CBIS Improvements Project is a major effort by the Iowa Department of Transportation to focus on improving the interstate system in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area.

The purpose of the open house was to present the Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement and give citizens the opportunity to review the plans for the project.

The study area for the CBIS Improvements Project includes approximately 18 miles of Interstates 80 and 29, and 14 interchanges in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area.


The limits of the study area are I-80 from east of the I-480 interchange in Omaha east to Kanesville Blvd., and I-29 from just south of the Iowa 92/U.S. 275 interchange south of Council Bluffs north to a point southwest of 25th Street.

Also included is I-480 from the Iowa side of the Missouri River Bridge to the interchange with I-29.

The CBIS Improvements Project team has identified the following needs with respect to the existing interstate system in the Council Bluffs area:

- Reduce existing traffic congestion. The majority of the interstate is operating at or near capacity, with congestion during peak traffic periods.

- Provide for projected increases in traffic demand. Traffic volumes are expected to increase on most sections of the interstate over the next 25 years, thereby increasing the existing congestion.

- Repair existing roadway conditions. Most of the interstate pavement in this area is in fair to poor condition; and several of the bridges and overpasses are approaching the end of their design life and are eligible for replacement.

- Address existing safety issues. A large number of crashes occur on the combined I-80/I-29 interstate section.

- Correct design issues. There are several areas where the existing interstate could be improved, including: Increasing distance between on/off ramps; improving sight distance; elimination left-hand on/off ramps; and reducing roadway curvature.

- Accommodate planned development in the interstate corridor. In some locations along the interstate corridor, improvements to the transportation system could accommodate existing and planned development.

Tracy Roberts, project coordinator for the CBIS Improvements Project, said that the completion of the Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement is the first step toward constructing improvements and improving traffic flow on the Interstate System.

"We have a comment period from the public, until Feb. 28," Roberts said. "After we finalize the EIS, it will go to the Federal Highway Administration for approval."

Once that Tier 1 process is over, Tier 2 will begin. During the Tier 2 part of the plan, the project will be broken into segments and more in-depth studies will be performed.

Roberts said that there is no definitive timeframe for the project, but that he would like to see all of the Environmental Studies completed by the end of this decade.

"We'd like to be ready to start construction by 2009 or 2010," he said. "But a lot has to happen for that to occur."

The project would cost in the "hundreds of millions of dollars" range, according to Roberts, and the schedule would depend on priorities set by the state.

In any event, the project will be an ongoing process. Roberts compared it in scope to the I-235 project in Des Moines.

"It's a large project," Roberts added. "And it will certainly be lengthy."

[TitosBuritoBarn]

"We'd like to be ready to start construction by 2009 or 2010," he said. "But a lot has to happen for that to occur."

Hmmm, if that's how long its going to take I guess 10 lanes across would make sense...I was hoping for 2007

[icejammer]

This timeline is very disappointing, and I had been under the impression until very recently that some work could start as early as next year. Of course, when this project was first unveiled some 10 years ago, work was supposed to have already been well underway by now, but the diversion of practically all available freeway construction money to the I-235 project in DSM has killed progress for this project for the last 7-8 years. So........

[DTO Luv]

I wish CB's roads would get more attention from Iowa. CB by itself isn't that big but since it's the next biggest metro city after Omaha they should start making the interstates like they are in Omaha. The KS side of the KC has just as good interstates on it's side as they do on the MO side. Iowa should do this too.

[Ingersoll1978]

I think that's the point here DTO... Iowa has numerous freeways to reconstruct...Council Bluffs isn't the only one. It's now getting to the point that's its desperately needed though. The Avenue of the Saints is almost done and I-235 will be in a couple of years. There is only so much money...and I'm really happy that Council Bluffs will be getting attention soon.