Half of a summer-long construction project on U.S. Highway 20 in Waterloo is nearly complete.

In May, the Iowa Department of Transportation began rebuilding the eastbound lanes of U.S. 20 between the Cedar River near Evansdale and Iowa Highway 21 (Hawkeye Road). Next week, the those lanes are scheduled to open and the westbound lanes are set to close.

In order to continue the project, IDOT officials said work crews will have to switch the traffic pattern through the construction zone. Starting at 7 PM Monday, eastbound U.S. 20 traffic that's currently in a head-to-head pattern in the westbound inside lane of the highway, will move to the outside lane of the newly-completed eastbound lanes. The traffic shift is expected to be completed before 6 AM Tuesday, weather permitting.

Between 7 PM Tuesday an 6 AM Wednesday, westbound U.S. 20 traffic will be shifted to the inside eastbound lane.

Once all U.S. 20 traffic is in the eastbound lanes, pavement removal and replacement will begin in the westbound lanes. IDOT officials said the head-to-head lane configuration will be in effect until the westbound lanes are replaced.

Starting Monday night, the River Forest Road ramp from Evansdale to northbound I-380/U.S. Highway 218 will reopen. However, access to westbound U.S. 20 will remain closed with no marked detour route.

Several ramps along U.S. 20 will be closed with marked detours during the project. According to IDOT officials, the closures effect the following ramps:

  • Southbound Interstate 380 to westbound U.S 20: Detour will follow U.S. 218, Shaulis Road and Iowa 21.
  • Northbound U.S. 218 to westbound U.S. 20: Detour will follow Shaulis Road and Iowa 21.
  • Iowa 21 to eastbound U.S. 20: Detour will follow Shaulis Road and U.S. 218.
  • Westbound U.S. 20 to Iowa 21: Detour will follow U.S. 20, using the Ansborough Ave. interchange.
  • Westbound U.S. 20 to southbound U.S. 218: Detour will follow U.S. 218/I-380, using the San Marnan Drive interchange.

The entire U.S 20 project is scheduled to be completed by mid-fall 2019.

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