3 Major Construction Projects Will Reshape Interstates in Des Moines. What’s Their Status?

Now that summer has arrived, it is also peak season for construction activity in Iowa.

In recent years, commutes north of Des Moines on Interstate 35 to and from the city have been dotted with construction. Parts of I-35 and Interstate 80 have been closed several times due to construction taking place overnight.

Some Iowa Department of Transportation projects in the Des Moines metropolitan area are in the final stages of construction, while others are just getting started.

Here’s an update on current and upcoming construction projects in and around Des Moines.

What are Iowa DOT’s largest road construction projects in central Iowa?

• The widening of I-35 from Ankeny to Huxley is expected to be completed in 2028.

• The reconstruction of the northeast mixmaster, where highways 35, 80 and 235 intersect, is expected to be completed in 2028.

• The replacement of the southwestern mixing master will start in 2026. The work is expected to be completed in 2029.

What is the status of the I-35 lane expansion?

I-35 from Huxley to Ankeny will be expanded from a four-lane to a six-lane road for nine miles. Five new bridges will also be built, including two rebuilt interchanges.

The project will run from the 36th Street interchange in Ankeny to the 315th Street bridge near Huxley. The entire project is expected to cost $163 million, according to the Iowa DOT.

The bridges had reached the end of their useful life, the DOT said. The extra lanes also create more space for motorists as the Des Moines metro grows.

Construction of the bridge began at the Elkhart exit ramp over I-35. The ramps at the NE 126th Avenue/Elkhart interchange on I-35 were reopened in late June.

The entire project is expected to be completed in 2028.

What is the status of the Northeast Mixmaster project?

The Iowa DOT began rebuilding the northeast mixmaster in 2008. The interchange connects drivers to Interstates 35, 80 and 235 between Des Moines and Ankeny.

The entire project consists of two phases: bridges and paving.

The DOT has already replaced two bridges over the interstates to make room for other improvements. That includes the NE 54th Avenue Bridge over I-35 and the Delaware Avenue Bridge over I-35/80.

The bridge project is on track to be completed in mid- to early November, said Frank Leong, a structural engineer for the Iowa DOT’s Grimes office. It’s on schedule with a third of the work on the bridge completed.

The following connections will be rebuilt by the time the project is completed:

• From I-80 east to I-235 west

• From I-80 east to I-35 north

• From I-80 west to I-35 north

• From I-80 east to I-35 north

The final section begins in a few weeks with the Ankeny Connector, which will bring traffic from eastbound I-80 to northbound I-35. It will move the exit from the left side of the road to the right side, Leong said.

The paving project consists of connecting the intersections and new access roads to the highways.

The total budget for the project is $76 million.

“Most of the construction of the Northeast Mixmaster will be completed before winter this year,” Leong said.

When does construction of the southwest mixmaster start?

Reconstruction of the southwest mixmaster is expected to begin in 2026, with a planned completion in 2029, according to the Iowa DOT. The project will start north of University Avenue and extend south to Ashworth Road.

A new flyover bridge is being built from I-35/80 southbound to I-235 eastbound and I-80 westbound.

A new bridge will also be built for westbound I-235 to accommodate the I-235 realignment, according to the Iowa DOT. An additional lane will be added to eastbound I-235 between 50th Street and Valley West Drive. The ramps at 50th and Valley West Drive will also be improved.

The total budget for the project is $114.5 million

Kate Kealey is a general reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register: 3 Iowa DOT Construction Projects Will Reshape Des Moines’ Highways