Interstate 29

Interstate 29 (I-29) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70, to the Canada–US border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75.[2] The road follows the course of three major rivers, all of which form the borders of U.S. states. The southern portion of I-29 closely parallels the Missouri River from Kansas City northward to Sioux City, Iowa, where it crosses and then parallels the Big Sioux River. For the northern third of the highway, it closely follows the Red River of the North. The major cities that I-29 connects to includes (from south to north) Council Bluffs, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Fargo, North Dakota.

The Interstate 29 "END" shield at its southern terminus in Kansas City.
"I-29" redirects here. For the submarine, see Japanese submarine I-29.

Interstate 29
I-29 highlighted in red
Route information
Length750.58 mi[1] (1,207.94 km)
Major junctions
South end I-35 / I-70 / US 24 / US 40 / US 71 in Kansas City, Mo.
 
North end US 81 / PTH 75 at Pembina–Emerson Border Crossing
Location
StatesMissouri, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota
Highway system

Route description
Lengths
 mikm
MO 128.71 207.14
IA 151.83 244.35
SD 252.50 406.36
ND 217.54 350.10
Total 750.58 1,207.94

Missouri
Main article: Interstate 29 in Missouri

Near its southern terminus, I-29 is concurrent with I-35 and U.S. Route 71. The interstate diverts from U.S. 71 just north of St. Joseph and follows a sparsely populated corridor along the Missouri River to Council Bluffs. During the design phase there was an alternative sending the route further along U.S. 71 through the bigger towns of Maryville, Missouri, and Clarinda, Iowa. During the Great Flood of 1993 the Missouri River flooded this section and traffic was rerouted to U.S. 71 through Maryville and Clarinda. I-29 was closed again for about two months during the 2011 Missouri River Flood.

Almost all of I-29 in Missouri is in an area called the Platte Purchase that was not originally part of Missouri when it entered the Union.

Iowa
The Loess Hills flank Interstate 29 to the east in Iowa
Main article: Interstate 29 in Iowa

Interstate 29 begins in Iowa near Hamburg. It goes northwest to an interchange with Iowa Highway 2, then goes north until Council Bluffs. It briefly runs concurrent with Interstate 80 until separating from I-80 less than a mile east of Omaha, Nebraska to follow the Missouri River north, winding its way along the western and northern edges of Council Bluffs. North of Council Bluffs, I-29 runs concurrent with Interstate 680 between Exits 61 and 71. After Interstate 680 separates, I-29 continues on a northwesterly path toward Sioux City. At Sioux City, Interstate 129 spurs off of I-29 to go west toward South Sioux City, Nebraska. After continuing toward downtown Sioux City on a northerly route, I-29 turns west and enters South Dakota.

South Dakota
Main article: Interstate 29 in South Dakota

Interstate 29 enters South Dakota at North Sioux City by crossing over the Big Sioux River. It runs northwest until its interchange with South Dakota Highway 50 near Vermillion, where it turns north. The highway alignment is due north until just before Sioux Falls. In the Sioux Falls area, I-29 serves the western part of Sioux Falls while I-229 spurs off and serves eastern Sioux Falls. In northwestern Sioux Falls, I-29 meets Interstate 90. After that, it continues north past Brookings and an intersection with US 14. At the intersection with South Dakota Highway 28, I-29 turns northwest toward Watertown. After Watertown, the highway continues north and passes an intersection with US 12 before continuing into North Dakota.

North Dakota
Main article: Interstate 29 in North Dakota

Interstate 29 enters North Dakota from the south, near Hankinson. At Fargo, it meets Interstate 94/U.S. Highway 52 and continues north along the Red River toward Grand Forks. At its northern terminus, I-29 enters Canada and becomes Manitoba Provincial Trunk Highway 75, which leads to Winnipeg.

History

Interstate 31
LocationFargo, North Dakota, to Canada–US border
Existed1957–1958

Interstate 31

The portion from Fargo, North Dakota, to the Canada–US border was originally considered for designation as Interstate 31 in 1957 for present-day I-29.[3] No freeway was initially planned south of Fargo. However, it was subsequently decided in 1958 to connect I-29 and I-31 between Sioux Falls and Fargo. The entire freeway was then built and numbered as I-29.[4]

Interstate 49
Main article: Interstate 49

Residents of Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana began campaigning in 1965 via, the "US 71 - I-29 Association," to extend Interstate 29 all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana following the US 71 corridor.[5] The campaign would create a limited access highway from New Orleans to Canada and on to Winnipeg. That extension came to be called Interstate 49, which was not part of the 1957 master plan. It was named I-49 instead of I-29 because the interstate naming rules mandate that north-south roads are odd numbered and named in increasing order from west to east. North of their concurrence, I-29 is west of I-35, but south of Kansas City Interstate 35 and Interstate 45 are to the west of the proposed route, and Interstate 55 is to the east. Interstate 49 was the number eventually chosen.[6] When Interstate 49 is complete, the goal of the Association will have been accomplished, with only a brief gap (served by other Interstates or US 71) and name change in Kansas City. As of 2020, the Bella Vista Bypass, which will extend I-49 in Arkansas and Missouri (and thus subsequently bypass the heart of Bella Vista, which is served by Highway 71), is currently under construction with completion sometime in 2021, barring any setbacks due to weather or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

2019 closures

In March and April 2019, as a result of the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods, Interstate 29 was closed in both directions for approximately 187 miles (301 km) between St. Joseph and Council Bluffs. Much of this section of I-29, including at the Missouri-Iowa border, runs over or through a large floodplain for the Missouri and Platte rivers. As such, multiple elevated sections of the highway collapsed and other sections were submerged or washed out by floodwaters. This was the largest closure of an Interstate Highway in terms of distance in the history of the Interstate Highway system. A signed detour was not officially designated in most areas, as the roads that would be used as detours are mostly rural farm roads that were also submerged by flooding. However, along I-80 in Iowa, traffic from I-80 in Iowa was officially detoured via I-35 from Des Moines to Kansas City. U.S. Route 75, paralleling I-29 on the other side of the Missouri River, was also closed in large sections due to flooding.

By May 2019, the vast majority of Interstate 29 had been repaired and reopened, with the exception of 10 miles (16 km) around Council Bluffs where the highway runs concurrent with Interstate 680. However, throughout the remainder of the spring and summer, and even early fall, more rainfall and flooding resulted in sections of Interstate 29 being closed again, including on the recently repaired sections. At a few times, the entire 187-mile section between St. Joseph and Council Bluffs was completely shut down, although this was rare after May 2019.[7][8][9]

As of October 2019, all of Interstate 29 is open to traffic in both directions, although some Missouri River bridges and local farm roads remain closed due to flooding.

Junction list
Missouri
I-35 / I-70 / US 24 / US 40 / US 71 in Kansas City. I-29 / I-35 travel concurrently through Kansas City. I-29 / US 71 travel concurrently to east of Amazonia.
US 69 on the Gladstone–Kansas City city line
US 169 on the Gladstone–Kansas City city line
I-635 in Kansas City
I-435 in Kansas City. The highways travel concurrently to Platte City.
I-229 south-southeast of St. Joseph
US 169 in St. Joseph
US 36 in St. Joseph
US 169 in St. Joseph
US 59 north-northeast of St. Joseph. The highways travel concurrently to east of Amazonia.
I-229 / US 59 / US 71 north of St. Joseph
US 59 northwest of Amazonia. The highways travel concurrently for approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km).
US 59 north of Oregon
US 159 south-southeast of Mound City
US 59 east of Craig
US 136 in Rock Port
Iowa
US 34 / US 275 west of Glenwood. I-29 / US 275 travel concurrently to Council Bluffs.
I-80 in Council Bluffs. The highways travel concurrently through Council Bluffs.
I-480 / US 6 in Council Bluffs
I-680 west-southwest of Crescent
I-880 west-southwest of Loveland
US 30 in Missouri Valley
I-129 / US 20 / US 75 in Sioux City
US 77 in Sioux City
South Dakota
US 18 south-southwest of Worthing. The highways travel concurrently for approximately 3.02 miles (4.86 km).
I-229 in Sioux Falls
I-90 in Sioux Falls
US 14 in Brookings
US 212 in Watertown
US 81 northeast of Watertown. The highways travel concurrently to east of Manvel, North Dakota.
US 12 northwest of Summit
North Dakota
I-94 / US 52 in Fargo
US 10 in Fargo
US 2 in Grand Forks
US 81 south-southwest of Joliette. The highways travel concurrently to the Canada–United States border north of Pembina.
US 81 / PTH 75 at the Canada–United States border north of Pembina

Auxiliary routes

See also

References
  1. Federal Highway Administration (2002-10-31). "FHWA Route Log and Finder List: Table 1". Retrieved 2007-03-28.
  2. "Overview Map of I-29". Google Maps. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
  3. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, August 14, 1957
  4. Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, June 27, 1958
  5. "Newspapers.com search". Newspapers.com.
  6. "I-49 Conversion".
  7. "Stretch of I-29 closes again". KMTV. October 6, 2019.
  8. writer, Jessica Wade World-Herald staff. "Flooding closes parts of I-680, I-29 near Council Bluffs, Missouri Valley". Omaha.com.
  9. Hartnett, Mary. "Flooding Again Closes Section of I-29, Grassley Grandson to Lead Iowa House". www.kwit.org.

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