Road Conditions 12-27-08

[clone2011]

Anyone been out today? Specifically looking for first-hand reports on Hwy 30 from Ames to Cedar Rapids, or I-35 & I-80 from Ames to Iowa City.

 

[brianhos]

I just took the trash to the curb, that was enough for me.

 

[isuno1fan]

Ditto...I'm wanting to go from DSM to Albia. Can't decide whether to chance it or not.

Don't need to leave for another 90 minutes or so.

 

[clone2011]

Yeah we're not leaving Ames until around 11:30, just wondering which route would be better, or if it would be best to stay in Ames. Supposed to have a family Christmas in Eastern IA.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Yeah we're not leaving Ames until around 11:30, just wondering which route would be better, or if it would be best to stay in Ames. Supposed to have a family Christmas in Eastern IA.

Yeah, well in Eldridge right now it's a balmy 48 degrees and we're supposed to have a high of 51.

 

[Cyclone62]

I just decided that my car isn't going anywhere today. I hate ice.

 

[ornryactor]

It's 35 in Iowa City, and supposed to hit 44 today. On the other hand, apparently 9 out of the first 10 flights out of the Cedar Rapids airport have been grounded so far... Dunno what all of that means together. I'm just glad I'm going to south Texas for a few days, where the current "cold spell" means lows of 50 degrees!

 

[DavClone]

I drove from Urbandale to downtown Des Moines around 9 am. The roads seemed more heavy slush than ice - even on the side streets. There wasn't much traffic.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

This is probably too late for most of who's posted here, but my dad called earlier (they live an hour east of Des Moines) and said our Christmas today is postponed until tomorrow. WHO and other places said semis going 10-15 mph, people sliding into ditches, etc. They already had an ince or so of ice on the ground and were getting freezing rain.
Conditions will improve later today for here, and stay above freezing for several days. That's reason enough for us to stay put today.

 

[CyGuy33]

Anyone been out lately with an update on the roads?

 

[CycloneErik]

Ames was fine.

 

[AirWalke]

I was out earlier driving from downtown Des Moines toward Norwalk. Side roads are going to be a lot worse than the main roads at this point. I had about a quarter inch of ice on my car that took a good while to chip off.

 

[clone2011]

Decided to stay home. Drove over to Target earlier and the Ames roads weren't bad. Didn't want to chance it on roads with tow bans in a car that doesn't have good handling.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Anyone got an update on 380 north of CR?

 

[mwitt]

I didn't realize it was bad in central Iowa at all. It's mid 40s in eastern Iowa.

 

[cytech]

I was just out and about all over CR and Marion. Secondary roads are forming a thin layer of ice, 30, 13, and 380 all seem ok for now. But I don't expect that to stay the same as it just started freezing on roads within the last hour.

 

[serverguy]

The roads are fine in the far northeast corner. I have been around Waukon and Decorah today without any issues.

 

[CrossCyed]

The roads are fine in the far northeast corner. I have been around Waukon and Decorah today without any issues.

Closer to Waterloo it's like a damn sheet of ice. I walked to the end of the driveway, and decided that if I went down to the street, I wouldn't be able to make it back up the slight incline back up the driveway.

 

[Cyclone90]

Here's the best Iowa road condition application out there. Sampled Google Maps background and you can overlay radar, road temps and air temps.

http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/roads/maps.phtml

 

[Cyclone62]

I'm in Colfax and I walked to the grocery store and had to add bandages to my shopping list after I fell down and cut open my hand. I'm glad I decided to not drive anywhere today.