Iowa DOT Wants Input on I-80

The Iowa Department of Transportation is taking a hard look at Interstate 80 across the state. They're asking for your help as they develop a plan to handle the future of an interstate that continues to see more and more traffic.

DOT officials say on a new website, "The Iowa DOT is studying the Interstate 80 corridor statewide to evaluate the safety, capacity, and infrastructure deficiencies in an effort to increase mobility across the interstate system." The site also says the study will, "help the department prioritize segments of the interstate for further development. This planning study will serve as guidance for future improvements to I-80."  Where to start? That's where your input comes in.

Improvements to I-80 will be a very lengthy process. In my opinion, both Interstate 80 and 380 need three lanes, everywhere. That's costly and would take years to complete. Many times, with the number of vehicles on them already, two lanes simply aren't enough. We see it every time there's the slightest interruption. When everyone is forced to merge into one lane, near gridlock almost always follows. I believe it also makes the road more dangerous. In Cedar Rapids, it seems we hear about the I-380 issues more often, but I-80 definitely has its fair share of problems. One that sticks in my mind is the chain reaction crash last year near Williamsburg, that injured more than 30.

Credit the Iowa DOT for looking ahead and also knowing they already have problems that need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. You can give input on this site and over time, hopefully, the situation will improve. However, it won't be fast and it certainly won't be cheap.

[via IDOT and KWWL]