Emergency drill at Oakdale today could impact traffic in area

Iowa prison officials and local responders will conduct an emergency drill that could briefly snarl traffic in the corridor between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

The Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale plans to conduct a "full-scale emergency preparedness exercise" with the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Authorities say drivers will experience an increase in traffic near the prison during the exercise, which is located on Highway 965 near the University of Iowa's research campus.

City, county and university police, hospitals, emergency responders, the American Red Cross and Johnson County Public Health will all participate in the exercise.

The prison is where all inmates first enter the Iowa corrections system for examination before they are transferred elsewhere.