Major road work is scheduled to begin on U.S. Highway 63 through Waterloo on Monday (March 5, 2018).

Workers will close the highway between Franklin and Newell/Conger streets, starting at 8 AM. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT), the project is expected to take about two years to complete. The targeted reopening date is late November, 2019, weather permitting.

IDOT officials said the project will require building a bridge to carry U.S. 63 traffic over the current Canadian National railroad structure and replacing the pedestrian bridge with an underpass. Workers will demolish the existing pedestrian bridge and railroad structure. Additional work includes replacement of utilities and pavement.

Meanwhile, road work on northbound U.S. 63 downtown will force the closure of First Street between Franklin and Jefferson streets. Local traffic will be shifted to one lane in each direction utilizing the highway's southbound lanes on Mullan Ave, which was rebuilt last year. A middle lane will allow left turns at intersections.

According to IDOT, through traffic on U.S. 63 will be detoured around the work zone. Southbound traffic will be sent onto Airline Hwy., Airport Blvd. and U.S. Highway 218 to the U.S. 63 interchange approaching downtown Waterloo. The same detour will be used for northbound motorists in reverse order.

During this project, U.S. 63 traffic will be detoured around the work zone using Airline Highway, Airport Boulevard, and U.S. 218.

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