I-380 construction expected to end within 3 months

CEDAR RAPIDS — Motorists, rejoice: Construction on I-380 is nearing the end.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 380 at the Highway 30 interchange no longer cross over the highway. Instead, drivers will continue straight onto the three widened lanes.

This work is part of a larger project by the Iowa Department of Transportation to rebuild and widen north and southbound lanes of I-380.

There still is more work to be done in the project’s north segment, which is the portion of I-380 between 120th Street and the Highway 30 interchange. The northbound stretch of the north segment isn’t in its final configuration yet, and some work on highway medians and the sides of the road remain, said John Lamping, an Iowa Department of Transportation resident construction engineer.

The southbound rest stop is still closed as well, but Lamping said workers are hoping to reopen it in mid-December. The weather will determine when exactly construction in the north segment will be finished, but Lamping estimated it could happen in the next three months.

The larger project’s south segment includes the stretch of I-380 north of Interstate 80 to north of Swan Lake Road. Work in the south segment is largely done, Lamping said, with just a little bit of tidying up left.

There could be temporary ramp closures in both segments over the next couple of months, Lamping said. However, they would most likely happen overnight and not affect the majority of motorists.

Changes to the Wright Brothers Boulevard interchange the City of Cedar Rapids is working on are mostly finished too, a spokesperson with the city told The Gazette. All that remains are the sidewalks, which are anticipated to be done in spring 2027. There may be lane closures as part of this work.

Pavement and bridges in the stretch of I-380 being worked on are over 50 years old, and enhancements are expected to save $1.2 million in operations and maintenance costs over the next 20 years, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation website.

More construction is planned for a segment of I-380 from north of Swan Lake Road to near 120th Street. That work is not expected to begin until 2030 and is in the design phase.

Up-to-date information on construction and road closures in Iowa can be found on the 511 website.