Interstate 380 (Iowa)

Interstate 380 (I-380) is a 73-mile (117 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in eastern Iowa. The route extends from I-80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the state's second- and sixth-largest cities, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. Except for its last 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of U.S. Highway 20 (US 20), I-380 runs concurrently with Iowa Highway 27 (Iowa 27), which represents Iowa's portion of the 560-mile (900 km) Avenue of the Saints highway connecting Saint Louis, Missouri, with Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Interstate 380 marker

Interstate 380

I-380 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-80
Maintained by Iowa DOT
Length72.969 mi[1] (117.432 km)
Existedc. September 19, 1973[2]–present
HistoryUnder construction 1973–1985
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end
 I-80 / US 218 / Iowa 27 at Coralville
Major intersections
North end US 218 in Waterloo
Location
CountryUnited States
StateIowa
Counties
Highway system
← Iowa 376→ Iowa 404

Construction of I-380 took 12 years to complete, ending in 1985. After the Interstate opened, US 218 was moved onto the new freeway south of Cedar Rapids. In the 1990s, the I-380 corridor was selected as part of the Avenue of the Saints corridor, which Iowa designated as Iowa 27 in 2001. I-380 has been affected by two major floods, the Great Flood of 1993 and the Iowa flood of 2008, both of which closed the road at the Iowa River for two weeks.

Route description

I-380 begins where US 218 and Iowa 27 cross I-80 in Coralville in Johnson County. Originally designed as a cloverleaf interchange, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) began reconstructing the original interchange into a turbine interchange design in 2019.[3] As of March 2021, the eastbound ramps from I-80 are utilizing the new flyover bridges while transit from northbound US 218 to westbound I-80 requires a detour via the next interchange at Forevergreen Road. The Iowa DOT projects frequent night closures of portions of the interchange to continue until completion of the upgrade, likely 2025.[4]

From the interchange, I-380, US 218, and Iowa 27, the route assigned to the Avenue of the Saints highway in Iowa run concurrently toward Cedar Rapids. The Interstate heads north and serves North Liberty. North of North Liberty, the freeway runs parallel to the former routing of US 218 and Iowa 965; here, the two highways cross the Iowa River. After crossing into Linn County, the three routes enter the Cedar Rapids city limits near Eastern Iowa Airport. Three miles (4.8 km) north of the airport, I-380 intersects US 30 and US 151 at a combination interchange. At this interchange, US 218 splits away from I-380 and Iowa 27.[5]

Through Cedar Rapids, the I-380 freeway is elevated relative to the nearby streets and residential neighborhoods. As it approaches downtown and the Cedar River, the freeway takes a tight, 90-degree turn to the east, crosses the river and squeezes between a Quaker Oats Company plant and Alliant Energy PowerHouse, before turning back 90 degrees to the north. Between downtown and the Coldstream–29th Street interchange, I-380 serves as a dividing line between residential areas to the east and industry to the west. Toward the northern end of Cedar Rapids, industry is replaced with commerce as I-380/Iowa 27 meet Iowa 100, locally known as Collins Road, at a volleyball interchange.[6]

The freeway leaves Cedar Rapids and enters Hiawatha, where there are two interchanges, one at Blairs Ferry Road, which shares a southbound collector ramp with Collins Road, but has its own exit and entrance ramps. There is also a diamond interchange with Tower Terrace Road, before continuing northbound. Quickly escaping the Cedar Rapids area, I-380 turns to the northwest and passes through predominantly rural areas with small communities and farms dotting the way. Because of its northwestern angle, I-380 enters four counties within 30 miles (48 km), as counties in Iowa are generally rectangular in shape. It passes Center Point in northwestern Linn County, Urbana in northeastern Benton County, where it meets Iowa 150, and Brandon in southwestern Buchanan County. The Interstate travels into Black Hawk County, heading northwest for seven miles (11 km) before turning north for three miles (4.8 km) until a directional T interchange with US 20.[5]

Together with US 20, I-380 and Iowa 27 travel west toward Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The three routes pass the eastern Waterloo suburbs of Raymond, Evansdale, and Elk Run Heights. Almost immediately after crossing the Cedar River again, I-380 splits away from US 20 and Iowa 27 and rejoins US 218 at a three-level stack interchange. I-380 and US 218 head north to the east of the Crossroads Center shopping mall.[7] I-380 ends at the traffic light at Mitchell Avenue one-half mile (800 m) north of the interchange which serves the Crossroads Center. US 218 continues to the north at this point.[8]

History
Roofs of buildings and tops of trees peek through a vast body of water
A view of Cedar Rapids from I-380 during the 2008 flood

The first section of I-380 opened to traffic on September 19, 1973. That section connected Eastern Iowa Airport to I-80 at Coralville. Within three years, the Interstate had been extended into Cedar Rapids at the Cedar River. The bridge which crossed the river would not open until June 1979. By the end of 1981, I-380 was a continuous road to the Coldstream Avenue/Glass Road interchange.[2] The Interstate was originally scheduled to be open by December 25, 1984, but weather delays pushed back the construction timetable.[9] The last section of I-380 to be completed opened on September 12, 1985.[10]

Wikinews has related news:

In 1985, US 218 was bypassed around Iowa City and Coralville, joining I-380 at the I-80 interchange. US 218 to Cedar Rapids was replaced by Iowa 965.[11] In the early 1990s, most of I-380 was designated as part of the Avenue of the Saints corridor, which connects Saint Louis, Missouri, to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Avenue of the Saints route markers were erected along the route the next year. In August 2001, the Avenue of the Saints in Iowa was given a single designation, Iowa 27, to facilitate following the route through the state.[12]

Flooding

I-380 crosses two of Iowa's major rivers, the Iowa and Cedar rivers. Both rivers have affected the Interstate during major floods, as the case was in 1993 and 2008. During the Great Flood of 1993, I-380 and Iowa 965 were both closed at the Iowa River's Coralville Lake reservoir between July 13 and 28.[13] The roads reopened after the lake's waters receded enough to allow Iowa DOT inspectors to check the three bridges over the water.[14]

The Iowa flood of 2008 affected the same section of I-380 at the Iowa River in much the same fashion as in 1993. I-380 and former Iowa 965 were closed at the Iowa River on June 13 until July 3.[15] In Cedar Rapids, flooding did not close I-380; the only bridge not to close, though traffic was restricted through the city.[16] The flooding damage was much more severe in Cedar Rapids than in Iowa City. The Cedar River crested at over 31 feet (9.4 m) on June 13, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.[17]

Exit list
CountyLocationmi[1]kmExit[5]DestinationsNotes
JohnsonCoralville0.0000.000


 US 218 south / Iowa 27 south – Mount Pleasant, Keokuk		Southern end of US 218/Iowa 27/AOTS overlap; continuation south of interchange
97
0		 I-80 – Iowa City, Des MoinesSouthern terminus and signed as exit 0, northbound exit signed as 97; I-80 exit 239
North Liberty2.0403.2832Forevergreen Road
4.0496.5164 CR F28 – North Liberty
Jefferson Township10.86317.48210 CR F12 – Swisher, Shueyville
LinnCedar Rapids13.82122.24313Ely, The Eastern Iowa AirportFormer Iowa 84
16.33226.28416
 US 30 / US 151 / US 218 north – Mt. Vernon, Tama		Northern end of US 218 overlap; northbound exits signed 16A (eastbound) and 16B (westbound)
17.59028.3081733rd Avenue SW – Hawkeye Downs
18.34629.52518Wilson Avenue SW
19.41731.24919A

 To US 151 Bus. / Diagonal Drive / 5th Avenue SW – Downtown		Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
19.75231.78819B
 US 151 Bus. (1st Avenue W) – Veterans Memorial Stadium, Kingston Stadium, Ice Arena		No southbound entrance, northbound exit signed as exit 19C
19C1st Street WNorthbound exit only
20.15932.44320A

 To US 151 Bus. / 1st Street East – Downtown		No northbound exit
20.597–
20.651		33.148–
33.235		20B7th Street E – Alliant Energy PowerHouseEntrances to highway are on 8th Street
21.57034.71421H Avenue, J AvenueJ Avenue only signed northbound
22.351–
22.676		35.970–
36.493		22Coldstream–29th Street; Glass Road – 32nd Street
23.37737.6222342nd StreetSouthbound access via exit 24B
23.88938.44624A Iowa 100 (Collins Road)Southbound access and northbound entrance via exit 24B
Hiawatha24.37239.22324BBlairs Ferry Road
25.28240.68725Boyson Road
26.38142.45626Tower Terrace RoadDiverging diamond interchange (DDI) opened on June 22, 2023
Monroe Township28.85346.43428 CR E34 – Toddville, Robins
Center Point35.83657.67235 CR W36 – Center PointFormer Iowa 921
BentonUrbana41.87667.39341UrbanaFormer Iowa 383
43.54570.07943 Iowa 150 – Vinton, Independence
BuchananJefferson Township49.95780.39849BrandonFormer Iowa 283
Buchanan–Black Hawk
county line		Jefferson–Spring Creek
township line		55.36089.09355 CR V65 – Jesup
Black HawkFox Township62.231100.15162 CR D38 – Gilbertville
Poyner Township64.647–
65.820		104.039–
105.927		65
 US 20 east – Dubuque		Southern end of US 20 overlap
66.495107.01366Raymond, GilbertvilleFormer Iowa 297
Evansdale68.402110.08268Evansdale Drive – Elk Run Heights
70.674113.73970River Forest Road
Waterloo71.179–
71.698		114.551–
115.387		71


 US 20 west / Iowa 27 north – Cedar Falls

 US 218 south – La Porte City		Northern end of US 20, Iowa 27, and AOTS overlaps; southern end of US 218 overlap; signed as exit 71A (US 218) and 71B (US 20/Iowa 27)
72.390116.50072San Marnan DriveFormer Iowa 412
72.969117.432
 US 218 north / Mitchell Avenue		Northern end of US 218 overlap; continuation beyond northern end
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. "Road Network (Portal)" (ESRI shapefile). Ames: Iowa Department of Transportation. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  2. Completion Map of Interstate System (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 1982. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  3. "i80/i380 Construction | Iowa DOT". iowadot.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  4. "I-80/I-380 Project Schedule | Iowa DOT". iowadot.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  5. Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  6. Highway and Street Map of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. July 7, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  7. Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  8. 2010 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa (PDF) (Report). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  9. "Buchanan County Leg of I-380 Lags". Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque. UPI. February 23, 1984. p. 15. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  10. The National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (PDF). Iowa Department of Transportation. April 29, 1996. p. 7.
  11. Iowa State Highway Map (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 1985.
  12. Iowa Department of Transportation. "Avenue of the Saints". Retrieved January 13, 2011.
  13. "Chronology (Floods)". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids. p. A13.
  14. Gosch, Dave (July 27, 1993). "Change in the weather – really". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids. p. A1.
  15. "I-380 segment south of Cedar Rapids being closed". The Courier. Waterloo – Cedar Falls. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  16. Gravelle, Steve (June 19, 2008). "Bridges opened; water rules eased". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids. p. F2A.
  17. Belz, Adam (June 14, 2008). "C.R. struggles to grasp losses". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids. p. F1A.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 380 (Iowa).
Template:Attached KML/Interstate 380 (Iowa)
KML is from Wikidata

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.