AMES– The Iowa Department of Transportation requests public input for proposed improvements to Interstate 80 and right-of-way needs at the 1st Avenue interchange in Coralville, Johnson County. The proposed improvements include reconstruction of the interchange at Exit 242/1st Avenue in Coralville, on Interstate 80, with a diverging diamond interchange (DDI). The project is anticipated to take place starting Fall 2022. The roadway and bridgework are expected to be completed after two construction seasons, with final trail, landscaping, erosion control and other related work occurring in the third year.
The project utilizes staged construction, including temporary pavement, so there will be limited brief closures with no planned large disruption of traffic on 1st Avenue or Interstate 80.
An online public meeting is now available to view on the Iowa DOT’s Public Involvement webpage: www.iowadot.gov/pim. To view the meeting and related content, click on “Interstate 80 and 1st Avenue, Johnson County” from the list of public involvement events. The online meeting allows participants to watch a pre-recorded presentation with information about the project at their own pace and at any time. There is also a video showing travelers how to navigate a diverging diamond interchange. The Iowa DOT asks interested parties to take a few minutes to view the information and offer any feedback.
The 1st Avenue shared use path is located on the eastern edge of the City of Coralville starting north of Interstate 80 and running along 1st Avenue across the Interstate 80/1st Ave. Interchange. The trail is owned and operated by the City of Coralville and consists of a shared use path crossing Interstate 80 providing access to city trails. The proposed project reconstructs the current trail along with a new pedestrian bridge. The existing trail will be removed, and construction of new trail may take one to two years to complete. During this time, there will be disruptions to the 1st Avenue shared use side path traffic across the interchange.
The 1st Avenue shared use path has been determined to be a Section 4(f) resource and the reconstruction of the trail across the interchange is expected to have a de minimis impact on the resource.
Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 was enacted as a means of protecting publicly owned parks, recreation areas, and wildlife/waterfowl refuges, as well as historic sites of local, state, or national significance from conversion to transportation uses.
For general information regarding the proposed work or online public meeting, contact Catherine Cutler, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 6 Office, 5455 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404, phone 319-364-0235 or 800-866-4368, email [email protected]. For information regarding impacts to the trail please contact Michael Delp, NEPA planner, Location & Environment Bureau, 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010, phone 515-233-7973, email [email protected].