DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Transportation is advising drivers avoid the Urban Loop interchange in Urbandale starting Wednesday night.
The closures are due to construction of the new interchange and widening the interstate highway in the area.
The project is expected to be finished by mid-October. A detailed description of the various closures is below.
The entrance ramp from eastbound Iowa 141 to southbound I-35/80 will close at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Additionally, the east- and westbound I-35/80 exit ramps at the interchange will be closed beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, as well. The ramp closures are necessary to realign the ramps as part of the interchange reconstruction and interstate widening work between 100th Street and Douglas Avenue.
The entrance ramp from eastbound IA 141 to southbound I-35/80 is expected to reopen near the end of September and the westbound I-35/80 exit ramp to Iowa 141 is expected to reopen in mid-October. The eastbound exit loop from I-35/80 to Iowa 141 will be replaced by an exit ramp from northbound I-35/80 at Meredith Drive and the new flyover exit from northbound I-35/80 to westbound Iowa 141, both of which are expected to open at the end of August.
The entrance ramp from Iowa 141 to eastbound I-35/80 will remain open for now but will close for reconstruction later in the season. Motorists should follow the marked detour route using Iowa 141/Urbandale Drive, Plum Drive, 100th Street, and the 100th Street interchange (see map) during construction.
In addition to the ramp work, the inside lane of both east- and westbound Iowa 141 between 41st Street and Johnson Drive in Grimes will be closed for approximately two and one-half weeks while crews reconstruct the left turn lanes at 37th Street starting Wednesday night, Aug.19. The left-turn lanes on Iowa 141 at 37th Street will also be closed as well. To maintain the option for traffic to turn left onto 37th Street from both directions, the traffic signals will be temporarily re-programmed to allow straight and left-turn movements together in one direction at a time on Iowa 141. This change may cause significant backups on Iowa 141 and 37th Street during busy times of day. Travelers are urged to find alternative routes if possible, to reduce back-ups and delays.