Iowa DOT announces overnight road closures for U.S. Highway 30 near Nevada
A small portion of Highway 30 east of Ames will close overnight next week as crews continue to work on a new overpass.
The Iowa Department of Transportation will shutter the highway a mile east of Interstate 35 between 580th Street and 600th Street from 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27. The highway will reopen throughout the day Tuesday but close again at 9 p.m. Feb. 27 through 5 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28.
As a safety measure, the highway will be closed while construction crews place bridge beams for a new frontage road, said Jenny Hoskins with the Iowa DOT Jefferson construction office.
"While it is rare, it is possible for beams to fall while the contractor is maneuvering them into position," Hoskins said. "We do not want to risk anyone being harmed should something unexpected occur."
Additional closures and a detour
Construction crews will also close the same section of U.S. 30 for two additional nights from 9 a.m. March 4 to 5 a.m. March 5 and at 9 p.m. March 5 to 5 a.m. March 6. so beams can be placed over eastbound U.S. 30.
Drivers will be detoured around the work zone using 580th Street, East Lincoln Way, and 600th Street and U.S. 30. Motor vehicles are instructed to obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones.
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New frontage road will enhance safety
The beams will ultimately support the bridge deck which will connect a new frontage road meant to improve traffic safety by eliminating a few highway intersections.
"This project and several others from Ames to Nevada are intended to improve safety by removing at-grade intersections and replacing them with interchanges and a frontage road system," Hoskins said. "The bridge we are working on will provide access across US 30 without the conflict of crossing traffic."
The DOT does not anticipate the need for further road closures.
Highway 30 traffic volumes begin to drop between 5 and 6 p.m., according to Iowa DOT traffic data, and are reduced by 50%. By 8 p.m., traffic is only about 25% of the volume during the evening commute before a sharp increase in traffic from 6 a.m. through the morning commute.
"This work is occurring at night hours because there is less traffic overnight," Hoskins said. "There is still traffic on the roadway overnight, but it is significantly less than during the daytime hours."
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Iowa DOT plans overnight road closure on U.S. 30 east of Ames
