More Lanes And New Interchange Coming to I-380 Near Cedar Rapids

The Iowa Department of Transportation has given the green light to a huge new project on Interstate 380 in Eastern Iowa. The plan will add more lanes of traffic, add another 'diverging diamond' interchange to the Corridor, and make I-380 six lanes north to Hiawatha.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that plans call for I-380 to be widened to six lanes of traffic from Swisher to just south of Highway 30. It would also rebuild the interchange at I-380 and Wright Brothers Blvd. That would be the area's second 'diverging diamond' interchange, similar to the one recently opened at Tower Terrace Road and I-380, but the Wright Brothers interchange would be wider and have an additional lane in each direction.

The Gazette reports that the total cost for the I-380 project is around $102 million. About half of the project is funded while the DOT looks for grant money for the other $50 million. The project is set to go out for bids in 2024. The Gazette reports that grading for the new Wright Brothers Blvd. interchange could begin as soon as fall of 2024. Construction to widen I-380 probably won't start until 2025 or 2026.

The Gazette reports that the Iowa DOT is also planning on building a new interchange at Springville Road and U.S. Highway 151, that would replace an existing intersection with County Road X-20 at Springville. That $25 million project is fully funded by the DOT and will make it much safer for traffic to cross Highway 151. That project is scheduled to begin in 2028.

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