U.S. Route 218

U.S. Route 218
Route information
Length: 319 mi[2] (513 km)
Iowa:272 mi (438 km)
Minnesota:47 mi (76 km)
Existed: 1926[1] – present
Major junctions
South end: US 136 at Keokuk, IA
 

US 34 at Mount Pleasant, IA
I-80 / I-380 at Coralville, IA
I-380 / US 30 / US 151 in Cedar Rapids, IA
I-380 / US 20 at Waterloo, IA
US 18 at Floyd, IA

I-90 at Austin, MN
North end: I-35 / US 14 at Owatonna, MN
Highway system

United States Numbered Highways
List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced

← Iowa 212 IA Iowa 220 →
← MN 217 MN MN 219 →

U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for 8 miles (13 km) near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends 319 miles (513 km) away at Interstate 35 and U.S. Route 14 at Owatonna, Minnesota. A large portion of US 218 in Iowa is part of the Avenue of the Saints, which connects St. Louis, Missouri, and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Contents

Route description

Iowa

See also: Avenue of the Saints

U.S. 218 is part of the Avenue of the Saints between Floyd and Cedar Falls, and again between Cedar Rapids and a point south of Donnellson. North of Mount Pleasant, the parts of US 218 that follow the Avenue have been completely upgraded to four lanes, with either at-grade intersections or controlled access. When 218 is part of the Avenue of the Saints, it is co-signed with Iowa Highway 27.

Minnesota

U.S. 218 enters the state at Lyle, in Mower County. It follows along the east side of the Iowa, Chicago, and Eastern Railroad line as it continues northward through farm fields. Southeast of Austin, U.S. 218 angles northeastward to bypass the city, its former route following County Road 45 into town.[3]

U.S. 218 passes by the Austin Municipal Airport just before its interchange with Interstate 90. The highway runs concurrent with I-90 for nearly three miles through northern Austin. When U.S. 218 departs from the interstate and turns back north, it becomes a four-lane divided highway for a short time. After its junction with State Highway 251, the highway angles north-northwestward again following the IC&E rail line, this time on the west side of the tracks.[3]

The highway enters Dodge County for less than a mile, then reaches Steele County, Blooming Prairie, and an 8-block-long concurrency with State Highway 30. It continues north-northwest after leaving Blooming Prairie, traveling through predominantly agricultural scenery. It passes by Oak Glen Lake before going through the unincorporated town of Bixby.

After passing through the town of Pratt, U.S. 218 meets U.S. 14 at a folded diamond interchange. 218 runs westward concurrent with 14, while it's historic route through downtown Owatonna continues ahead as County Road 48. After an interchange with County Road 45 (former U.S. 65), 218 and 14 pass by Kaplan's Woods Park and reach Interstate 35, where U.S. 218 ends.

Legally, the Minnesota section of U.S. 218 is defined as Route 40 in Minnesota Statutes § 161.114(2).[4]

History

In 1913, work on the road that is now U.S. 218 was begun. At this time it was called the Red Ball Route. It was called this because the original route was marked with poles which had red balls, six inches in diameter, mounted on each side. In 1920, the Minnesota portion of the route was designated as Constitutional Route 40, as part of the Babcock Amendment that established the Minnesota trunk highway system.

In Iowa, U.S. 218 was extended from its previous southern terminus, at its intersection with U.S. 30 in Benton County, in 1934 when U.S. Route 161 was split and renamed. The former U.S. 161 had extended from Dubuque, through Cedar Rapids, to Keokuk. After the split, the section of former U.S. 161 from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids extended U.S. 151 south, and the section of U.S. 30 from the former terminus of U.S. 218 to its intersection with the former U.S. 161 in Cedar Rapids, along with the section of former U.S. 161 from Cedar Rapids to Keokuk, extended U.S. 218 south.

In 1965, U.S. 218 was rerouted along bypasses of Austin, Minnesota and Owatonna, Minnesota,[5][6] the latter following a route that would later become the U.S. 14 bypass of that city as well.

Major intersections

State County Location Mile[7][8] Exit[9] Destinations Notes
Iowa Lee
 Keokuk 0.000
US 136 west / US 61 Bus. south (7th Street) / US 136 east (Main Street)		 South end of US 61 Bus. overlap
3.480
US 61 south / US 61 Bus. south		 South end of US 61 overlap; north end of US 61 Bus.
Montrose Township 9.132 US 61 north North end of US 61 overlap
Charleston Township 18.746 18 Iowa 27 south – St. Louis South end of Iowa 27 overlap
Donnellson 20.673 19 Iowa 2 – Donnellson, Fort Madison
Marion Township 30.760 Iowa 16
Henry
 Mount Pleasant 41.663 40 255th Street – Mount Pleasant
43.349 42
US 34 east / US 218 Bus. east / Iowa 163 – Mount Pleasant, Burlington		 South end of US 34 overlap; signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west)
45.787–
47.223		 45
US 218 Bus. (Iowa 438) to US 34 west / Iowa 163 west – Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa		 North end of US 34 overlap; US 218 Bus. only signed southbound
Olds 55.447 Iowa 78
Washington
 Oregon Township 67.581 66 Iowa 92 – Washington, Columbus Junction
70.960 70 CR G36
Riverside 81.072 80 Iowa 22 – Kalona, Lone Tree
Johnson
 Liberty Township 85.534 85 Hills
West Lucas Township 89.708 89 Riverside Drive, Airport
Iowa City 91.318 91 Iowa 1 – Iowa City, Kalona
93.561 93 Melrose Avenue – University Heights
Coralville 96.934 0 I-80 / I-380 north – Davenport, Des Moines Southern end of I-380; Southbound exits signed 0A (eastbound) and 0B (westbound); exit numbers follow I-380
North Liberty 100.980 4 CR F28 – North Liberty
Shueyville 107.791 10 CR F12 – Swisher, Shueyville
Linn
 Cedar Rapids 110.750 13 Wright Brothers Boulevard SW – Ely, The Eastern Iowa Airport
113.263 16A I-380 north / US 30 east / US 151 north / Iowa 27 north North end of I-380 and Iowa 27 overlaps; south end of US 30 and US 151 overlaps
113.596 252A 6th Street SW Exit numbers follow US 30
115.780 250 Edgewood Road SW
117.151 248
US 151 south / US 151 Bus. (Williams Boulevard SW)		 North end of US 151 overlap
Clinton Township 119.130–
119.651		 246 16th Avenue / 80th Street – Fairfax
Benton
 Eldorado Township 135.239 US 30 west End of US 30 overlap
Vinton 148.199 Iowa 150 north
Monroe Township 158.602 Iowa 8 west
Black Hawk
 Waterloo 179.468 71 I-380 south / US 20 / Iowa 27 – Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque South end of I-380 overlap; signed 71A (eastbound) and 71B (westbound); exit numbers follow I-380
180.535 72 San Marnan Drive
181.116 I-380 ends North end of I-380; exit numbers follow US 218
182.864–
183.102		 181A US 63 north – Downtown Riverfront, Young Arena, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center Signed as exit 180 southbound; no northbound entrance
183.425 181B US 63 south to University Avenue Signed as exit 181 southbound; no southbound entrance
184.201–
184.785		 182 Fletcher Avenue, Ansborough Avenue
185.659 184 Greenhill Road
187.228 185 Broadway Street, Airport
Cedar Falls 189.067 — Iowa 27 south / Iowa 57 west / Iowa 58 south – Cedar Falls, Hudson, UNI, UNI-Dome South end of IA 27 overlap
190.719 189 Lone Tree Road
Bremer
 Waverly 200.256 198
US 218 Bus. – Waverly
204.757 203 Iowa 3 – Waverly, Shell Rock
206.757 205
US 218 Bus. – Waverly Airport
Plainfield 214.012 212 Iowa 188 – Plainfield
Chickasaw
 Nashua 221.316 220 Iowa 346 / CR B60 – Nashua
Floyd
 Charles City 230.538 218
US 18 east / US 218 Bus. / CR T64 – Charles City, New Hampton		 South end of US 18 overlap; exit numbers follow US 18
234.114 214 Iowa 14 – Charles City, Greene
236.238 212
US 218 Bus. / CR B35 – Charles City
Floyd 238.655 US 18 west / Iowa 27 north North end of US 18 and IA 27 overlaps
Mitchell
 Burr Oak Township 249.987 Iowa 9 east South end of IA 9 overlap
Osage 253.985 Iowa 9 west North end of IA 9 overlap
St. Ansgar 265.754 CR 105
 
 274.995
0.000		 Iowa–Minnesota state line
Minnesota Mower
 Austin 12.195 180B I-90 East end of I-90 overlap
12.478 180A Oakland Place Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
13.071 179 11th Drive NE Interchange
13.725 178B CR 16 (6th Street NE) Interchange
14.347 178A CR 45 (4th Street NW) Interchange
15.031 177 I-90 West end of I-90 overlap
Lansing Township 20.633 MN 251
Dodge
 No major junctions
Steele
 Blooming Prairie 28.365 MN 30 South end of MN 30 overlap
29.459 MN 30 North end of MN 30 overlap
Owatonna Township 43.717 — US 14 East end of US 14 overlap
45.539 — CR 45 Former U.S. 65
46.739 — I-35
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
     Concurrency terminus •      Closed/Former •      Incomplete access •      Unopened

Related routes

Further information: Interstate 380, U.S. Route 18, U.S. Route 161, and Avenue of the Saints

Mount Pleasant business route


U.S. Route 218 Business
Location: Mount Pleasant
Existed: 2003–present

U.S. Route 218 Business was designated along a former routing of US 218 through Mount Pleasant, the northernmost 0.7 miles (1.1 km) are officially known as Iowa Highway 438. The routing was created as a result of construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor through Iowa.[10] The new Avenue of the Saints corridor took US 218 / IA 27 and U.S. Route 34 around the eastern and northern edges of Mount Pleasant. The Iowa 438 section of US 218 Business serves as a connector from southbound US 218/IA 27 to westbound US 34.

Waverly business route


U.S. Route 218 Business
Location: Waverly
Length: 6.6 mi[11] (10.6 km)
Existed: December 1998–present

U.S. Route 218 Business was designated December 2, 1998 on the old segment of US 218 after it was routed around Waverly, spanning 6.6 miles (10.6 km). It intersects Iowa Highway 3 in downtown Waverly and runs concurrently for about one mile.[11] South of Iowa Highway 3, U.S. Route 218 Business is officially known as Iowa Highway 116.[12] U.S. Route 218 Business begins at exit 198 of US 218 / IA 27 south of Waverly and ends at exit 205 of US 218 / IA 27.

Charles City business route


U.S. Route 218 Business
Location: Charles City
Existed: 2000–present

U.S. Route 218 Business was designated along the old alignment of US 218 in 2000 after the construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor created a bypass around Charles City. Upon its designation, the route was officially known by two Iowa state highways – Iowa Highway 337 and Iowa Highway 162. Iowa 337 was deleted in 2001 and Iowa 162 was deleted in 2006 after US 18 was relocated through Charles City.

Browse numbered routes
← Iowa 415 IA 438 Iowa 922 →
← Iowa 110 IA 116 Iowa 117 →

References

  1. ^ US Highways.com
  2. ^ "United States Numbered Highways". AASHTO. 1989 Edition. http://cms.transportation.org/?siteid=68&pageid=1760. Retrieved 24 December 2009. 
  3. ^ a b Minnesota Department of Transportation (2010). General Highway Map of Mower County, Minnesota (Map). http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/mower.pdf. Retrieved December 29, 2010. 
  4. ^ Minnesota Codified Laws
  5. ^ Minnesota Department of Highways (1965). 1965 Official Road Map of Minnesota (Map). Section J20-K21. http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mdt&CISOPTR=1213&REC=4. Retrieved January 25, 2010. 
  6. ^ Minnesota Department of Highways (1966). 1966 Official Road Map of Minnesota (Map). Section J20-K21. http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mdt&CISOPTR=1216&REC=5. Retrieved January 25, 2010. 
  7. ^ "2010 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa" (PDF). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2010. http://www.iowadotmaps.com/trafbook/trafbook2010.pdf. Retrieved November 20, 2010. 
  8. ^ "Trunk Highway Log Point Listing - Construction District 6" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. August 23, 2010. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadway/data/reports/logpoint/d6.pdf. Retrieved November 21, 2010. 
  9. ^ Iowa Department of Transportation (2010). Transportation Map (Map). http://www.iowadotmaps.com/msp/pdf/current/stmapmain.pdf. Retrieved November 21, 2010. 
  10. ^ Hancock, Jason (30 August 2009). "Iowa Highways: 400 to 478". The Iowa Highways Page. http://iowahighways.home.mchsi.com/highways/iowa400-475.html#438. Retrieved 17 March 2009. 
  11. ^ a b Google, Inc. Google Maps – U.S. Route 218 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. http://maps.google.com. 
  12. ^ Hancock, Jason (21 February 2007). "Iowa Highways: 100 to 119". The Iowa Highways Page. http://iowahighways.home.mchsi.com/highways/iowa100-119.html#116. 

External links

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