Worst Iowa Town / City to drive through?

[MeanDean]

Added bonus, somehow Allamakee County is Cyclone territory.

Even more amazing is Louisa County. Literally adjacent to Johnson Co.

Granted its probably 2 ISU, I UofI and no UNI grads. Still...

 

[mramseyISU]

Winner!

I went to high school in Ft. Madison and wife was born and raised there. When they did the study to justify the new 61 bypass (which is really nice) they estimated that it would save every semi driving through town an average of 20+ minutes. I remember laughing that it could be that much, but sure enough after they built it you can now get by Ft. Madison in about 5-6 minutes and because of the bend in the river, etc., the trip was shortened by several miles.

I didn't know they got that done. I haven't been back to Ft. Madison in at least 13 years and even then it was only to stop at the boobie trap for a cheap beer and a game a pool.

 

[isuclone89]

Terre Haute, but only if you can find it.

 

[fatkid1974]

It's actually not too bad to get through town anymore. I remember a few years back it was borderline impossible to get through town without hitting almost every light. After they changed the sync, it's not too hard to get through town unstopped if no one turns. Any kind of left turn messes the whole thing up, though.

I couldnt disagree with this more. Carroll is a cluster screw to get through. They attempted to improve things by taking out 2 stop lights for a test study. It worked beautifully and traffic flowed through town loke a dream for a month. Then a city councilwoman took the cause of 3 people that complained they couldnt walk from bank to shopping now safely. In true city government fashion, the whole thing got blown up and now it sucks again.

 

[khardbored]

Terre Haute, but only if you can find it.

Wut?

All I can find is a cemetery north of Lamoni . . .

 

[Deleted member 8507]

Additionally, they placed 7 stoplights on the "bypass" because the city has allowed retail development along the bypass.

Also, because it's a river town there are some odd intersections as 61 Business goes through town, roughly following the river. They have just completed a project along the riverfront which cut 61 Business from 4 lanes down to 2, and added back-in parking on that section. So now through traffic has to stop for people wanting to turn to the riverfront while trains pass and also has to stop while people try to figure out how to back in to their diagonal parking spot. And then there's the issue of emergency vehicles trying to get through this section while all that is going on.

I used to prefer driving through town instead of taking the bypass until this. Quite a cluster...

That back in parking is the stupidest thing I have ever seen, followed closely by reducing the number of traffic lanes. Idiots running this town but they are all Hawkeye fans so I am being redundant.

 

[Rather]

I couldnt disagree with this more. Carroll is a cluster screw to get through. They attempted to improve things by taking out 2 stop lights for a test study. It worked beautifully and traffic flowed through town loke a dream for a month. Then a city councilwoman took the cause of 3 people that complained they couldnt walk from bank to shopping now safely. In true city government fashion, the whole thing got blown up and now it sucks again.

It’s been awhile, but I used to sleep ale gravel roads to avoid driving through Carroll.