Those who travel between Omaha and Council Bluffs on I-80 and the I-29 Expressway will see big changes on August 19th. A duel divided freeway officially will open.
Iowa DOT reports that a divide on the westbound expressway opened in March and is working well. The roadway will have a physical barrier so drivers have to be certain about what interstate they want to be on.
That means some changes for some drivers. Those heading into Council Bluffs or to get onto the South Expressway, drivers will need to take the 1B exit and connect to I-29 South. Those not wanting to exit can stay on I-80 eastbound.
IDOT Traffic Engineer Austin Yates tells 6 News this will keep traffic flowing a lot better than before.“There are lots of merges and weaving patterns, so we're separating the traffic that wants to stop in town and the traffic that doesn't need to stop in town, in Council Bluffs."
Drivers should watch and pay attention to signs.
This is the half-way mark in a 10 year improvement project that includes 18 miles of I-80, I-29 and I-480.