Highway 218 work resumes, should last 2.5 months

WASHINGTON - A second round of roadwork on Highway 218 between Riverside and Hills will likely last well into summer, a Department of Transportation spokesperson said. The resulting reduced speed limit and temporary lane reduction through the roughly 5-mile stretch is expected to slow daily commutes for many between Johnson and Washington counties.

Iowa DOT Fairfield Resident Construction Engineer Christy VanBuskirk said the work would take about two and a half months, as crews complete an asphalt overlay project, improve a few ditches and reinstall a handful of guardrails near bridges along the road.

“We’re putting an overlay on the pavement to help it ride smoother, and also prolong the life of the pavement,” she said. “Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, everyone will be happy with the end result. I think it’ll ride better, it’ll be safer, and it’ll hold up for a while.”

The latest round of construction comes after last summer’s, when contractors laid a base layer on the highway, but needed additional time and an extra $1.7 million for unexpected improvements to bridge approaches and paved shoulders in the same area.

In total, VanBuskirk said the two-year project will run the state a little under $10.8 million.

2025 won’t be the end of construction for Washington County’s 4-lane highway. VanBuskirk said the DOT expected to collect bids in January for another roughly $11 million project, featuring similar improvements from Riverside all the way south to Henry-Washington Road.

“That project’s in development, so yes, there’ll be some work in the future,” she said. “We’ll have some lane closures, we’ll have some bridge approaches, we’ll have some similar work on more of U.S. 218.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com