Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Council Bluffs office are reporting good news for those planning on traveling southbound on Interstate 29 in Council Bluffs in the coming months. According to the DOT, the new southbound I-29 bridge is scheduled to open the morning of Friday, Oct. 10, weather permitting. Traffic will use this new southbound I-29 bridge to merge with eastbound I-80 on the right when traveling through the area.![205](http://www.kjan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/205.png)
The DOT says reconstruction of the section of the interstate system will provide for efficient and safe vehicle movement on both I-29 and I-80. The improvements are located approximately one-half mile east of the Missouri River where I-80 intersects I-29 near the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs.
Once the new southbound I-29 bridge opens, eastbound I-80 traffic destined for 24th Street will exit earlier on the system just east of the Missouri River bridge. New lighting and signs in Nebraska and Iowa will inform travelers of the shift in traffic flow, so keep an eye out for these changes.
Iowa DOT is in the process of reconstructing I-80, I-29, and I-480 in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area. This comprehensive interstate redesign will modernize the highway system and improve mobility and safety of approximately 18 miles of interstate. If you would like more information about detours and traffic impacts visit the program’s website: www.councilbluffsinterstate.iowadot.gov.