Traffic is now flowing on the Interstate 380 interchange at Tower Terrace Road in Hiawatha, culminating a project more than two decades in the making. Officials from the Iowa Department of Transportation and local government leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the opening of the new $22 million interchange, which has been […]
Traffic is now flowing on the Interstate 380 interchange at Tower Terrace Road in Hiawatha, culminating a project more than two decades in the making.
Officials from the Iowa Department of Transportation and local government leaders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the opening of the new $22 million interchange, which has been under construction for more than a year.
“We’ve come a long way, baby,” said Marion assistant city manager Kim Downs, who was among the key leaders in bringing the Tower Terrace Road interchange to fruition during her time as Hiawatha city administrator and city manager from 2005 to 2022.
Ms. Downs noted that several government agencies have been working on the
Tower Terrace Road project over the past several years, including the Iowa DOT, the cities of Hiawatha, Robins, Marion and Cedar Rapids, and Linn County.
She highlighted three “P’s” – persistence, perseverance and partnership – as key factors in the completion of the interchange project.
“We did this despite what others said,” Ms. Downs noted. “So many people over the years have said ‘well, that was going to happen 20 years ago. That's never going to happen now.’ … Our communities will continue to practice the three P’s. We continue to see the potential of what Tower Terrace Road will look like all the way to Highway 13, and we're going to continue to do that with our partners.”
Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said the collaboration that’s been demonstrated on the
Tower Terrace Road interchange should create a positive impression on federal leaders as they consider future funding for the Tower Terrace Road extension project.
“This is really a great example of a rising tide lifting all boats,” she said. “When you can say that five different communities came together for one thing, it's a miracle. And when it comes to money, that’s very true.”
The new interchange uses a diverging diamond design, which provides several safety improvements and is designed to handle projected traffic volumes using a smaller footprint than a cloverleaf-style interchange.
Two such interchanges are already in place in Iowa – one near Waukee, completed in 2015, and another near Ankeny, completed in 2020. Two other interchanges along Interstate 380, at Boyson Road and Wright Brothers Boulevard, are set to be rebuilt in the coming years and will also utilize the diverging diamond design, and the new interchange under construction at I-80 and First Avenue in Coralville is also employing the new design.
