Looks like weather conditions (fog) may have contributed at first glance to a major accident this morning on 80 near the North Dodge exit.
I-80 closure near Iowa City
- Thread starter F5cy
- Start date
What is it about the mile before and after the Dodge Street interchange that seems to attract the stupidest accidents. Esp in the winter time.
From there to Davenport is just an unsettling stretch of road.
I have to say, I'm not crazy about connecting to I-80 anywhere from the south, and I know the entrance ramps from Altoona all the way to Iowa City. Just no.
The interstate goes from 3 lanes to two lanes just past there to the east. Construction at the next exit east and lots of traffic enters (local) both directions from Dodge street exit. Everyone trying to get ahead of the next guy.
I can vouch for the traffic entering I-80W from Highway 1. I used to work over there at a business off of that interchange. It can be very tough pulling into traffic right there.
I’ve driven it many times, it’s just a boring drive with not much to see other than the never ending long convoy of semi’s.
It's a race.
I would be in favor of very increased punishment for excessive speeders......like stockades or public humiliation. I guess I'm not sure how to define "excessive". What is fast enough for the average Illinois or Colorado-plated traverser? 90 mph? 95 mph?
It's a many-faceted problem. The racers are the most dangerous to themselves and other innocents. I have respect for our professional truckers, but I have seen Fed Ex drivers with texting and driving on i-80. Are they still showing car accident injury photos to our new fellow 'Merican auto operators in drivers education anymore?
I would be in favor of very increased punishment for excessive speeders......like stockades or public humiliation. I guess I'm not sure how to define "excessive". What is fast enough for the average Illinois or Colorado-plated traverser? 90 mph? 95 mph?
It's a many-faceted problem. The racers are the most dangerous to themselves and other innocents. I have respect for our professional truckers, but I have seen Fed Ex drivers with texting and driving on i-80. Are they still showing car accident injury photos to our new fellow 'Merican auto operators in drivers education anymore?
So earlier this morning the 511 app showed normal road conditions for all of Iowa except for Johnson County which was 100% ice covered. Was it freezing fog or was there a mini ice storm there?
I HATE that stretch of interstate. Only drive it once a year to visit sister in the Quads. I'm a city guy so not like I am not used to dense traffic but the steady caravan of semis is some crazy **** compared to the I-35/90/94's I usually drive.
My sister and BIL who live in “Chicago” get off I-88 and take 30 to Ames because they hate I-80 from IC to Quad Cities so much.
They updated to indicate completely covered with ice on roads surrounding Iowa city and cedar rapids around 15 minutes after the road closure.
There did appear to be some freezing fog in the area. There were spots of dense fog along I-80 last night when traveling from central Iowa.
Interesting, I don't mind the stretch from Davenport to IC. Our place isn't far from Walcott so get on 80 there and I like driving 80 to IC then 380 to 30 to Ames but I don't enjoy that 380 stretch from IC to CR.
My wife doesn't like 80 at all so for our few visits and on game days we drive straight through I-80 truck stop to Wheatland and get on 30 there. My wife being who she is, has timed our travel time driving 80 to Des Moines -35 to Ames, my route 80-380-30, and her route get on 30 at Wheatland and I was surprised the travel time isn't that different.
I will say, last Feb we visited our son and had early dinner and left Ames on 30. The forecast didn't call for any weather when we drove over. It started snowing pretty good around Marshalltown exit. That snow squall hit that night and I was so glad to stay off 80 the whole way home. We had to stop several times between Tipton and Big Rock Rd. as I couldn't see at all at times. Took us about 5 hours to get home. Our gravel road was so bad to our place. I almost had to stop at a Casey's to buy my wife a bottle and tell her to get in back of our SUV to drink and go to sleep!! She is a nervous passenger as it is. She usually drives to Ames and I usually drive home. That night was brutal!!
My wife doesn't like 80 at all so for our few visits and on game days we drive straight through I-80 truck stop to Wheatland and get on 30 there. My wife being who she is, has timed our travel time driving 80 to Des Moines -35 to Ames, my route 80-380-30, and her route get on 30 at Wheatland and I was surprised the travel time isn't that different.
I will say, last Feb we visited our son and had early dinner and left Ames on 30. The forecast didn't call for any weather when we drove over. It started snowing pretty good around Marshalltown exit. That snow squall hit that night and I was so glad to stay off 80 the whole way home. We had to stop several times between Tipton and Big Rock Rd. as I couldn't see at all at times. Took us about 5 hours to get home. Our gravel road was so bad to our place. I almost had to stop at a Casey's to buy my wife a bottle and tell her to get in back of our SUV to drink and go to sleep!! She is a nervous passenger as it is. She usually drives to Ames and I usually drive home. That night was brutal!!
Eastbound lanes reopened, but westbound lanes closed on I-80 near Iowa Highway 1 after crash
Both the eastbound and westbound lanes on I-80 at mile marker 246 near the Iowa Highway 1 exit are closed due to a Sunday morning multi-vehicle crash.
www.kcrg.com
Sounds like traffic was stopped on both sides, westbound traffic stopped for hours. Just 3 or 4 miles from me, slept through it all. Wondering if it has cleared up.
KidSilverhair
Well-Known Member
I saw the traffic camera a couple of hours ago - looked like a couple of semis were wedged crossways across the entire westbound lanes.Eastbound lanes reopened, but westbound lanes closed on I-80 near Iowa Highway 1 after crash
Both the eastbound and westbound lanes on I-80 at mile marker 246 near the Iowa Highway 1 exit are closed due to a Sunday morning multi-vehicle crash.
Sounds like traffic was stopped on both sides, westbound traffic stopped for hours. Just 3 or 4 miles from me, slept through it all. Wondering if it has cleared up.
I had to go new 30 from Nevada to Ames around 7 this morning and fog was so bad you could maybe see 3 car links ahead of you. Luckily it was just highway and roads empty because it was a Sunday. Would want no part of being on a interstate with fog this bad.
