News Track: More lanes, new interchange coming to I-380

Iowa state transportation officials recently gave the green light to proceed with plans to widen Interstate 380 and rebuild the interchange with Wright Brothers Boulevard in Cedar Rapids.

The Iowa Transportation Commission earlier this month approved the 2024-2028 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program. The non-binding planning document proposes the Iowa Department of Transportation spend $4.2 billion in state and federal funding on highway and bridge projects over the next five years.

Iowa DOT commissioners proposed to delay several projects as the cost for constructing roads and bridges has risen significantly over the past year while funding has largely remained the same. But the commission did not remove any projects entirely from last year’s five-year program.

The five-year program proposes spending more than $3.3 billion to improve the safety and condition of existing state highways and bridges, including dedicating more than $1.3 billion of additional bridge investments.

Among the projects recommended for funding include adding lanes, replacing major river crossings and modernizing interchanges to improve safety and future traffic on I-380 and U.S. Highway 151 in Linn County.

Background

The Iowa DOT held public hearings last winter on its project to widen parts of I-380 and rebuild the interchange with Wright Brothers Boulevard.

Its plans call for widening the interstate to six lanes from the north ramps of the Swisher interchange — north of Johnson County Road F-12/120th Street — to just south of U.S. Highway 30, while reconfiguring the Wright Brothers Boulevard interchange — the main exit to The Eastern Iowa Airport and a rapidly growing area fueled by a boom in manufacturing, warehouses and homes.

“The city plans for industrial and commercial growth around the airport, and we wanted to get ahead of that growth,” said Catherine Cutler, transportation planner in the Iowa DOT's District 6 Office in Cedar Rapids.

The project would include a “diverging diamond” interchange — similar to but wider than the one just opened at Tower Terrace Road and I-380 — and add an additional lane on I-380 in both directions.

The interchange is designed to decrease vehicle “conflict points” and increase efficiency as left-turning traffic is no longer crossing opposing traffic lanes.

What’s happened since

Design and right of way acquisition continue for the estimated $102 million I-380 project. Final costs will depend on bids received and work completed.

About half of the project is funded, and the Iowa DOT is pursuing grant opportunities for the unfunded $50 million.

Cutler said the department plans to mainly use federal funds received by the state. The remainder would come from Iowa’s Primary Road Fund.

The project is set to go out for bids in summer 2024. Structural work and grading for the new Wright Brothers Boulevard interchange potentially starts as soon as fall 2024, Cutler said. Construction to widen the interstate would like begin in 2025 or 2026, she said.

The department, as part of the project, will build two new bridges to carry Wright Brothers Boulevard traffic that will be built next to the current bridge to minimize traffic disruption.

“More will be known about the stages of construction once a contractor is in place,” Cutler said. “We will strive for as little disruption to traffic as possible. There will be detours likely using Sixth Street SW directed to the Swisher interchange.”

Iowa DOT officials also are studying the section of I-380 that crosses the Iowa River, but currently are planning to replace the bridges over the river, Cutler said.

The five-year plan also includes plans to build a new interchange at Springville Road and U.S. Highway 151. The local road would go over Highway 151, replacing an existing at-grade intersection with County Road X-20 at Springville.

The estimated $25.6 million project is fully funded in the Iowa DOT’s new five-year program, and is scheduled to start in 2028.

Cutler said the project will make for safer movement for local traffic crossing Highway 151.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com