3 major construction projects will reshape interstates in Des Moines. What’s their status?
With summer being underway, so is peak construction time in Iowa.
Over the last few years, commuting north of Des Moines on Interstate 35 to and from the city has been littered with construction. Sections of I-35 and Interstate 80 have closed multiple times for overnight construction work.
Some of the Iowa Department of Transportation’s projects around the Des Moines metro area are nearing the final stages of construction and others are just getting started.
Here’s a construction update on current and future projects happening around Des Moines.
What are the major Iowa DOT road construction projects in central Iowa?
Widening I-35 to six lanes from Ankeny to Huxley is expected to be done in 2028.
Reconstructing the northeast mixmaster, where interstates 35, 80 and 235 meet, is expected to be done by 2028.
In 2026, work will begin on replacing the southwest mixmaster with completion expected for 2029.
What’s the status of the I-35 lane expansion?
I-35 from Huxley to Ankeny is expanding from a four-lane to a six-lane road for nine miles. There will also be five new bridges constructed including two rebuilt interchanges.
The project runs from the 36th Street interchange in Ankeny to the 315th Street bridge near Huxley. The entire project is expected to cost $163 million, according to the Iowa DOT.
The bridges had reached the end of their useful life, the DOT said. The extra lane will also make more room for drivers as the Des Moines metro grows.
Construction started with the bridge at the Elkhart exit over I-35. The ramps on the NE 126th Avenue/Elkhart interchange on I-35 reopened at the end of June.
The entire project is expected to be done by 2028.
What’s the status of the northeast mixmaster project?
The Iowa DOT started work in 2008 to rebuild the northeast mixmaster. The interchange connects drivers with interstates 35, 80 and 235 between Des Moines and Ankeny.
The entire project is made up of two phases: bridges and paving projects.
The DOT has already completed the replacement of two bridges over the interstates to make room for other improvements. That includes the NE 54th Avenue bridge over I-35 and the Deleware Avenue bridge over I-35/80.
The bridge project is well on its way to completion around mid-to-early-November, said Frank Leong, a construction engineer for the Iowa DOT’s Grimes office. It is on schedule with one-third of the bridge work being done.
The following connections will be rebuilt by the time the project is done:
Eastbound I-80 to westbound I-235
Eastbound I-80 to northbound I-35
Westbound I-80 to northbound I-35 ramp
Eastbound I-80 to northbound I-35
The final part will start in a couple of weeks with the Ankeny connector, which brings traffic from I-80 eastbound to I-35 northbound. It will move the exit from the left side of the road to the right side, Leong said.
The paving project consists of hooking up the connectors and new ramps to the interstates.
The entire budget for the project is $76 million.
“Most of the construction for the northeast mixmaster will be finished before winter of this year,” Leong said.
When does construction on the southwest mixmaster start?
The reconstruction of the southwest mixmaster is expected to start in 2026, with completion planned for 2029, according to the Iowa DOT. The project will start north of University Avenue and continue south to Ashworth Road.
A new flyover bridge will be built from southbound I-35/80 to eastbound I-235 and to westbound I-80.
A new bridge will also be built for westbound I-235 to allow for realignment of I-235, according to the Iowa DOT. An additional lane will be constructed on eastbound I-235 between 50th Street and Valley West Drive. Ramps at 50th and Valley West Drive will also see improvements.
The entire budget for the project is $114.5 million
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 3 Iowa DOT construction projects will remake interstates in Des Moines
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