ANKENY, Iowa - Traffic is being allowed at the 1st Street intersection with I-35 in Ankeny for the first time in months, and after years of construction.
The Iowa Department of Transportation has converted the interchange into a ‘diverging diamond’ pattern, which means traffic on 1st Street will move to the left side of the road under I-35, and then back to the right side once through the intersection.
The DOT says it will phase-in the re-opening of the intersection in order to let drivers adjust to the new traffic pattern.
First Street will open for East-West travel on Thursday, as will the northbound entrance ramp to I-35.
The exit ramp from northbound I-35 to 1st Street will open next week, followed by the southbound entrance ramp the following week. The southbound I-35 ramps to and from 1st street will open in early November.
The $63 million project employs the same ‘diverging diamond’ pattern that was used at an intersection in Waukee in 2015.
(Image of 'Diverging Diamond' pattern from Iowa DOT)