Continued road work will close eastbound Interstate 80 on-ramp through mid-August

More travel disruptions are on the way for drivers in Coralville.

Crews will begin construction on the eastbound Interstate 80 on-ramp on Monday, June 3, shutting down a heavily used route. The on-ramp will be closed through mid-August.

The closure means drivers heading east should find an alternate route. The marked detour will send drivers onto I-80 westbound, pushing them two miles west to the Coral Ridge Avenue exit and redirecting them east.

The latest shutdown is part of construction for the 1st Avenue and I-80 "diverging diamond" interchange, which opened Thursday, May 23. Construction recently impacted the exit ramps north of the interstate, which closed the westbound on-ramp for several weeks in March and April.

The $42 million project got underway in March 2023 and is expected to be completed by the fall.

From March: Work on 1st Avenue 'diverging diamond' interchange will close westbound exit ramp through June

Project recently debuted 'diverging diamond' configuration

In diverging diamonds, drivers are directed to the opposite side of the road near on- and off-ramps. The Iowa Department of Transportation said the design "eliminates conflicts where traffic crosses," reducing the likelihood of collisions while providing a more efficient means of navigation.

Drivers exiting the interstate and turning left need only pull into the closest lane rather than crossing traffic.

The Coralville interchange at 1st Avenue (between 9th Street and Holiday Road) is one of the busiest in the Iowa City metro area. It leads to the heart of Coralville, the Iowa River Landing and Xtream Arena, and residential areas to the north.

The new interchange impacts all types of traffic. Vehicles heading north and south along 1st Avenue will also cross onto the opposite side of the road.

Currently, 1st Avenue has been reduced to one lane of traffic through the interchange. As the project nears completion this fall, it will transition into a two-lane road.

More: Diverging diamond traffic pattern debuting at 1st Avenue interchange. Here's how it'll work:

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Find out how long a Coralville eastbound I-80 on-ramp will be closed