Second phase of US 18 reconstruction project near Floyd getting underway this week

FLOYD — The Iowa Department of Transportation says those traveling on the Avenue of the Saints near Floyd should be aware of changes coming up on Friday.

The DOT’s Pete Hjelmstad says with construction crews needing to remove the existing westbound lanes on US Highway 18, traffic will be put into a head-to-head pattern on the highway.  “The traffic switch is Friday. All traffic will be head-to-head in the new eastbound lanes. They will all be directed down the ramps. If you want to continue on the main line, the US 18/218, you will just go right back up the ramp as directed by the traffic signals.”

Hjelmstad says the DOT was pleased with the completion of the first half of the project and now are looking forward to the second phase.  “We were so happy with the way things went last year as far as work going through the workzone, and now people being able to use the new on-off ramps for eastbound traffic. Southbound was closed during the construction season last year and is now open. Things through the winter worked really well also. We really want to thank everybody who is driving through there for their patience and following the directions from the signs and the electronic message boards. Yeah, things have gone really, really well and we are really hoping for continued success this construction season.”

Construction on the project will continue through the fall, weather permitting.