We just came over to Ames and was somewhat surprised to see the new four lane is open. There is still work at each end to get it finished, which I struggle to describe below.
The East End
Heading west from Cedar Rapids, you just keep driving directly onto the right lane of the new road. Those heading toward Cedar Rapids crossover early before the bridge and temporarily take the other lane of what will be the left lane of the new westbound road. That is so they can hook up the east bound lane to the old two lane highway. It's not going to make much difference in travel time when they get that end finished as it's probably only a quarter mile or so of four lane before it necks down to two lane anyway. At least until they complete the four lanes in Benton county.
The West End
At the west end of the new four lane road, westbound traffic merges into the right lane and directly connects to the old four lane into Tama. In similar fashion to what's going on at the east end, the east bound traffic coming off the old four lane must merge to one lane then crosses over to the use one lane of the eventual westbound road. Two lanes of opposing traffic continue for a while then the east bound traffic crosses back over to it's normal lane of the new four lane road. Again, this is so the work can be finished connecting the eastbound lane of the old road to the new four lane. This little maneuver is a bit longer than what's going on at the east end.
I hope they work on finishing the west end first so the four lane traffic doesn't have to neck down to two lanes and then back to four. On the east end you are going from four lanes to two anyway, so it's not that big of a deal that it happens a little sooner than it will when done.
The East End
Heading west from Cedar Rapids, you just keep driving directly onto the right lane of the new road. Those heading toward Cedar Rapids crossover early before the bridge and temporarily take the other lane of what will be the left lane of the new westbound road. That is so they can hook up the east bound lane to the old two lane highway. It's not going to make much difference in travel time when they get that end finished as it's probably only a quarter mile or so of four lane before it necks down to two lane anyway. At least until they complete the four lanes in Benton county.
The West End
At the west end of the new four lane road, westbound traffic merges into the right lane and directly connects to the old four lane into Tama. In similar fashion to what's going on at the east end, the east bound traffic coming off the old four lane must merge to one lane then crosses over to the use one lane of the eventual westbound road. Two lanes of opposing traffic continue for a while then the east bound traffic crosses back over to it's normal lane of the new four lane road. Again, this is so the work can be finished connecting the eastbound lane of the old road to the new four lane. This little maneuver is a bit longer than what's going on at the east end.
I hope they work on finishing the west end first so the four lane traffic doesn't have to neck down to two lanes and then back to four. On the east end you are going from four lanes to two anyway, so it's not that big of a deal that it happens a little sooner than it will when done.
