Interstate 29 in Iowa

Interstate 29
Iowa's Interstate Highways with I-29 highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by Iowa DOT
Length:	151.826 mi[2] (244.340 km)
Existed:	ca. October 1, 1958[1] – present
History:	Under construction 1958–1972
Major junctions
South end:	I-29 near Hamburg
	Iowa 2 near Percival US 34 near Glenwood I-80 overlap at Council Bluffs I-480 / US 6 at Council Bluffs I-680 overlap US 30 at Missouri Valley I-129 / US 20 / US 75 at Sioux City US 77 in Sioux City
North end:	I-29 at Sioux City
Location
Counties:	Fremont, Mills, Pottawattamie, Harrison, Monona, Woodbury
Highway system
Main route of the Interstate Highway System Main • Auxiliary • Business Iowa Primary Highway System Interstates • U.S. Highways • State Highways ← Iowa 28 US 30 →

In the U.S. state of Iowa, Interstate 29 (I-29) is a north–south Interstate Highway which closely parallels the Missouri River. I-29 enters Iowa from Missouri near Hamburg and heads to the north-northwest through the Omaha-Council Bluffs and the Sioux City areas. It exits the state by crossing the Big Sioux River into South Dakota. For its entire distance through the state, it runs on the flat land between the Missouri River and the Loess Hills.

I-29 was built in sections over a period of 15 years. When there was a shortage of male workers, female workers stepped in to build a 20-mile (32 km) section near Missouri Valley. Between Council Bluffs and Sioux City, I-29 replaced U.S. Route 75 (US 75) as the major route in western Iowa. As a result of I-29's creation, US 75 south of Sioux City was relocated into Nebraska.

Contents 1 Route description 2 History 3 Exit list 4 References 5 External links

Route description

Interstate 29 enters Iowa south of Hamburg. The interstate heads northwest, where it meets Iowa Highway 333 (Iowa 333) at a diamond interchange. From Hamburg, I-29 continues to the northwest for 7 miles (11 km) where it meets Iowa 2 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Nebraska City, Nebraska. North of the Iowa 2 interchange, the interstate straightens out to the north; interchanges serving Percival, Thurman, and Bartlett are spaced out every 4+¹⁄₂ miles (7.2 km). Near Pacific Junction, I-29 is joined by US 34 for 3 miles (4.8 km). At the same interchange where US 34 splits away near Glenwood, I-29 is joined by US 275.^[2]

North of Glenwood, I-29 / US 275 continue north towards Council Bluffs. The two routes meet Iowa 370, which crosses into Nebraska providing access to Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska. Near Lake Manawa, US 275 splits away from I-29 at the Iowa 92 interchange. ³⁄₄ miles (1.2 km) north of the split, the interstate is joined from the east by Interstate 80. The two interstates head west together through southern Council Bluffs for 3 miles (4.8 km). When the two interstates split at a Y interchange, I-80 immediately crosses the Missouri River into Nebraska, and I-29 immediately turns to the north. Two miles (3.2 km) to the north is a modified Y interchange with US 6 and the eastern end of I-480.^[2]

North of Council Bluffs, I-29 is joined by I-680 near Crescent. The two interstates travel north together for 9 miles (14 km) before I-680 splits off to the east near Loveland. I-29 continues north for 4 miles (6.4 km) to Missouri Valley, where it intersects US 30. North of Missouri Valley, the interstate turns to the northwest towards Modale and then straightens out again south of Mondamin, where I-29 meets the western end of Iowa 127. From Mondamin, it travels north for 23 miles (37 km) to the Iowa 175 interchange at Onawa, passing Little Sioux and Blencoe.^[2]

North of Onawa, I-29 continues northwest for 15 miles (24 km) towards Sloan, where it meets the western end of Iowa 141. As it approaches the Sioux City metro area, it passes the Sioux Gateway Airport at Sergeant Bluff. At the Singing Hills Boulevard interchange, northbound is joined by southbound U.S. Route 75 Business (US 75 Bus.). One mile (1.6 km) later, US 75 Bus. ends at the cloverleaf interchange with US 20 / US 75, which is also the eastern end of Interstate 129.^[2]

For the next 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the I-129 interchange, I-29 runs closely, as close as 200 feet (61 m), to the Missouri River. The interstate follows the curve of the river and turns to the west. It meets Gordon Drive, which carries US 20 Bus. US 20 Bus. traffic is directed onto the interstate for ¹⁄₂ miles (0.80 km) before it exits via a volleyball interchange which represents the national northern end of U.S. Route 77.^[2] I-29 continues west along the Missouri River, and after the Big Sioux River converges into the Missouri, I-29 follows the Big Sioux. Shortly before it crosses the Big Sioux into South Dakota, Iowa 12 splits away to the north.^[3]

History

Construction of Interstate 29 began in the late 1950s in the Sioux City area. The first section to open, a 3-mile (4.8 km) long stretch from the Big Sioux River to the then-US 20 / US 77 bridge across the Missouri River, opened around October 1, 1958. In September 1961, I-29 was extended across the Big Sioux River to South Dakota. On April 1, 1962, one of the directional spans collapsed 4 feet (1.2 m) as a result of flooding, but did not fall into the river.^[4]

North of Council Bluffs, a 20-mile (32 km) section to Missouri Valley opened in November 1958. By December 1967, the two sections were connected, creating 100 miles (160 km) of continuous interstate highway.^[1] Due to a shortage of male workers, at least 20 women were enlisted to help build this section of I-29. The women were paid $2.00 hourly ($13.00 hourly in 2012 dollars^[5]), the same wage as men would have earned.^[6]

Construction of I-29 in the Council Bluffs area was completed in 1970 and the route was open to Glenwood in the same year. Additional interchanges were added in the Sioux City and Council Bluffs areas between 1970 and 1971. The last 30 miles (48 km) of interstate were constructed and opened in sections over the next two years; the last section opened on December 15, 1972.^[1]

In 1973, US 34 was expanded to four lanes near Glenwood, which resulted in US 34 being rerouted onto I-29 for 3 miles (4.8 km).^[1] In 2003, US 275 was rerouted onto I-29 from the same interchange near Glenwood northward to Iowa 92 at Council Bluffs. The former US 275 alignment was turned over to Mills and Pottawattamie Counties.^[7]

Much of I-29 was built next to existing highways, most notably US 75. When the section of I-29 opened between Council Bluffs and Missouri Valley, US 75 was rerouted onto I-29.^[8] When construction connecting the Sioux City and Council Bluffs segments was completed, US 75 was again rerouted onto I-29.^[9] In the mid-1980s, US 75, from Council Bluffs to Sioux City, was completely rerouted out of Iowa, instead extending up the former US 73 corridor in Nebraska.^[10]

Exit list

County	Location	Mile[2]	Exit[11]	Destinations	Notes
Fremont	Hamburg	0.000		I-29 south – St. Joseph, Kansas City
		1.811	1	Iowa 333 east – Hamburg
	Benton Township	10.144	10	Iowa 2 – Nebraska City
		15.458	15	CR J26 – Percival
	Scott Township	19.917	20	CR J24 – McPaul, Thurman
		24.447	24	CR L31 – Bartlett, Tabor	Connects to Fremont CR J10
Mills	Pacific Junction	32.386	32	US 34 west – Pacific Junction, Plattsmouth	South end of US 34 overlap; connects to Mills CR L35
		35.477	35	US 34 east / US 275 south – Glenwood, Red Oak	North end of US 34 overlap; south end of US 275 overlap
	Saint Marys Township	42.805	42	Iowa 370 west – Bellevue	Serves Offutt Air Force Base; connects to Mills CR H10
Pottawattamie	Council Bluffs	47.865	47	US 275 north / Iowa 92 – Lake Manawa	North end of US 275 overlap.
		48.526	48	I-80 east – Des Moines	South end of I-80 overlap
		49.230	3	Iowa 192 north (South Expressway) – Lake Manawa, Council Bluffs
		50.683	1B	South 24th Street
		51.644	51	I-80 west – Omaha	North end of I-80 overlap
		52.378	52	Nebraska Avenue
		53.199	53A	9th Avenue, Harrah's Boulevard
		53.777	53B	I-480 west / US 6 west – Omaha	Northbound left exit; no exit to US 6 east; serves Eppley Airfield
		54.204	54A	Avenue G	Southbound exit and entrance only
		54.623	54B	North 35th Street	Northbound exit and entrance only
		55.715	55	North 25th Street
		56.917	56	Iowa 192 south – Council Bluffs	Southbound left exit and northbound entrance only.
	Crescent	61.966	61	I-680 west / CR G37 east – Crescent – North Omaha	South end of I-680 overlap; signed as exits 61A (east) and 61B (west)
	Honey Creek	66.465	66	Honey Creek
	Loveland	71.623	71	I-680 east – Des Moines	North end of I-680 overlap
		71.988	72	Loveland	Pottawattamie CR G12 (west) and G14 (east)
Harrison	Missouri Valley	75.786	75	US 30 – Missouri Valley, Blair
	Modale	82.088	82	CR F50 – Modale
	Mondamin	89.309	89	Iowa 127 east – Mondamin
	Little Sioux	95.714	95	CR F20 – Little Sioux
Monona	Blencoe	105.347	105	CR K45 – Blencoe
	Onawa	112.326	112	Iowa 175 – Onawa, Decatur
	Whiting	120.210	120	CR E24 – Whiting
Woodbury	Sloan	127.571	127	Iowa 141 east – Sloan
	Salix	133.970	134	Salix	Woodbury CR K25
		135.708	135	Port Neal Landing	Woodbury CR D51
	Sergeant Bluff	141.194	141	CR D38 – Sergeant Bluff, Sioux Gateway Airport
	Sioux City	143.413	143	US 75 Bus. (Singing Hills Boulevard)
		144.473	144	I-129 west / US 20 / US 75 – Le Mars, Fort Dodge, South Sioux City	Signed as exits 144A (east/north) and 144B (west/south)
		147.476	147A	Floyd Boulevard
		148.050	147B	US 20 Bus. (Gordon Drive)
		148.493	148	US 20 Bus. (Wesley Parkway) / US 77 south – South Sioux City	Northbound exit only
		149.081	149	US 20 Bus. (Wesley Parkway) / US 77 south / Hamilton Boulevard – South Sioux City	Southbound exit only for US 20 Bus./US 77
		151.365	151	Iowa 12 north (Riverside Boulevard) – Akron
		151.826		I-29 north – Sioux Falls
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

External links

• The Iowa Highways Page (I-29)

Interstate 29
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