The Iowa Department of Transportation late Thursday released details on the planned, temporary closure of U.S. 30 between Interstate 29 (west of Missouri Valley) and the Missouri River (near Blair, Neb.), which is scheduled to begin next week. An accelerated work schedule and special traffic control measures are being employed to get traffic moving as quickly as possible.

Closure points
·  Western end – one mile east of the Missouri River (near Blair, Neb.)
·  Eastern end – approximately ½ mile east of Harrison County Road K-45
·  No access will be available to U.S. 30 from side roads, including Corning Avenue
and Harrison County Road K-45/Austin Avenue

The project will be completed in two stages.
Stage 1
·  Work during this stage will involve removal of granular material from the TrapBags, stockpiling of the material at various locations, disposal of the plastic bag material, broom and wash the surface of the pavement and paved shoulders, dispose of all sandbags and plastic materials, and place final pavement markings.
·  U.S. 30 will be closed to all traffic, around-the-clock, for five continuous days, beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24.
·  Due to the importance of this highway and river crossing to regional traffic, the contract includes an incentive/disincentive provision. The contractor is allowed a maximum of five calendar days to complete the work. An incentive is available to the contractor for reopening the roadway in fewer calendar days. Liquidated damages would apply if the roadway is not opened within this period.
·  Because the contractor will be working quickly to restore traffic, it is unknown precisely when the road will be reopened to traffic. However, the closure is not expected to extend beyond 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.
Stage 2
·  Repairs to the foreslopes and shoulders will be completed during this stage.
·  U.S. 30 will be open to single-lane traffic during daylight hours with use of flaggers and pilot cars. During nighttime hours, all lanes of U.S. 30 will be open to traffic by using a shoulder closure.
·  The contractor has 20 working days to complete this stage. Weather can impact available working days.
·  Contract specifications allow traffic control to be set up starting 30 minutes after sunrise, and must be taken down and off the roadway 30 minutes before sunset.

Detour: Persons wishing to cross the Missouri River may take the following detour on
the Iowa side of the river.
·  Starting at the I-29/U.S. 30 interchange near Missouri Valley
·  Travel south on I-29 to I-80
·  Then west on I-80 across the Missouri River into Omaha, Neb.

As a reminder, I-680 is closed from I-29 west to the Missouri River. This road is currently being rebuilt following the flooding.