SE Iowa News

County officials have reviewed the latest proposals by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to change U.S. Highway 61 and relocate the highway around Wapello, the Muscatine Journal reported.

The Louisa County Board of Supervisors and other local officials reviewed the latest proposal for the relocation of the highway in a meeting on March 10. The Iowa Department of Transportation developed the latest highway plan after an earlier meeting local community officials, the Muscatine Journal reported.

The new highway design includes dual J-turns on the four-lane highway and an at-grade intersection at 65th street off the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 61 once it is relocated. 

There would also be an at-grade crossing off the northbound lane of new highway using the existing location of Highway 61 and a new road corridor located approximately 1,200 feel of 65th Street. The proposal would also keep K Avenue open with an overpass.

The J-turns would allow traffic going in one direction to cross over into the opposite lanes. While they have been successful in other states, they are just now being introduced into Iowa’s highways, according to the Muscatine Journal.

Some local officials said the new design was an improvement over the DOT’s original proposal but had concerns about some designs. They included the possible lack of acceleration lanes around the J-turns.

“I don’t think they have the whole design,” supervisor Brad Quigley told the Muscatine Journal after his review of the preliminary plan.