Lane closures at the intersection of U.S. 18 and U.S. 218 in Floyd begin Monday

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

As winter turns into construction season, the long-awaited Floyd interchange work will begin this year in earnest, necessitating traffic changes for many months, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Bridge and road construction work at the intersection of U.S. 18 and U.S. 218 in Floyd will require closing the inside lanes of east- and westbound U.S 18 from Monday, April 4, until Friday, April 15, weather permitting, according to the Iowa DOT’s Mason City construction office.

This will impact traffic turning onto or off of the Avenue of the Saints (Highway 18/20).

Then, in the following week, beginning April 18, the eastbound lane of the Avenue will be closed and eastbound traffic will be diverted to the inside lane of the former two-lane westbound lane, creating head-on traffic.

A temporary traffic signal will be installed at the intersection, the DOT said.

Floyd county road T44 will also close at this time. Traffic needing to use T44 will need to use exit 212 (the first Charles City exit going east) east of the Floyd intersection.

This traffic pattern will continue until November when eastbound traffic will move to the new eastbound lanes and bridge.

For the next two weeks, the changes to traffic on U.S. 218 in Floyd will be as follows:

Eastbound U.S. 18:

• Northbound U.S. 218 traffic will be detoured on Lancer Avenue/Floyd County Road T-38 north to Iowa 9 then east to U.S. 218.
• Traffic needing to exit at Floyd will go east to exit 212 and return westbound to turn north into Floyd.
• Eastbound U.S. 18 traffic will be allowed to turn south on T-44.

Westbound U.S. 218/U.S. 18:

• Southbound Floyd County Road T-44 traffic will use Exit 212.
• Northbound U.S. 218 traffic will be allowed to turn north into Floyd.

Southbound U.S. 218:

• Southbound U.S. 218 traffic will be allowed to access to both directions of U.S. 18/U.S. 218.
• Southbound Floyd County Road T-44 traffic will need to turn east on U.S. 18/U.S. 218 and use Exit 212.

Northbound Floyd County Road T-44:

• Northbound Floyd County Road T-44 traffic will be allowed to turn eastbound on U.S. 18/U.S. 218.
• Northbound Floyd County Road T-44 traffic will travel east on U.S. 18/U.S. 218 and use exit 212 to return west and turn north on U.S. 218.
• Westbound Floyd County Road T-44 traffic will travel east on U.S. 18/U.S. 218 and use exit 212 to travel west.