Iowa Highway 2
{{short description|State highway in Iowa, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox road
|state=IA
|type=IA
|route=2
|map={{maplink-road|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Iowa Highway 2}}}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Iowa 2 highlighted in red
|length_mi=251.376
|length_ref={{IowaDOT|2014-01-14|year=2012}}
|established=
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=NE|NE|2}} at Nebraska City, NE
|junction={{plainlist|
- {{Jct|state=IA|I|29}} near Percival
- {{Jct|state=IA|US|71}} at Clarinda
- {{Jct|state=IA|I|35}} near Decatur City
- {{Jct|state=IA|US|65}} near Humeston
- {{Jct|state=IA|US|63}} at Bloomfield
- {{Jct|state=IA|US|218|IA|27}} at Donnellson
}}
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=IA|US|61}} at Fort Madison
|counties={{flatlist|
}}
|previous_type=IA
|previous_route=1
|next_type=IA
|next_route=3
}}
Iowa Highway 2 (Iowa 2) is a {{convert|251|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} state highway which runs across the southernmost tier of counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. At no point along its route is Iowa 2 more than {{convert|15|mi}} from the Missouri state line, except for a small section near its eastern terminus. Iowa 2 stretches across the entire state; from the Missouri River near Nebraska City, Nebraska, to U.S. Highway 61 (US 61) at Fort Madison. Prior to becoming a primary highway, the route was known as the Waubonsie Trail.
Route description
File:US 71 and IA 2 near Clarinda, Iowa.jpg
Iowa Highway 2 begins at the Nebraska City Bridge just east of Nebraska City, Nebraska. It goes northeast and then east as an expressway until meeting Interstate 29. It then continues east as a two-lane highway until meeting U.S. Highway 275 and turning north. It continues north, bypassing Sidney with U.S. 275, and turning east of Sidney. It goes east and meets U.S. 59 at Shenandoah and then U.S. 71 at Clarinda, which is served with Business Route 2. It continues east through New Market and meets Iowa Highway 148 at Bedford. After intersecting Iowa Highway 25 east of Bedford, it passes through Benton before beginning an overlap with U.S. Highway 169 through Mount Ayr. After passing through Kellerton, Iowa 2 intersects Interstate 35 at Decatur City.
Iowa Highway 2 continues east through Decatur City and meets U.S. Highway 69 in Leon. It continues east and intersects U.S. Highway 65 before entering Corydon, where it intersects Iowa Highway 14. After passing through Promise City, it goes through Centerville, where it intersects Iowa Highway 5. It later intersects Iowa Highway 202 near Moulton and then begins a concurrency with U.S. Highway 63 which ends in Bloomfield.
File:Charleston Township on IA2.jpg
After Bloomfield, Iowa Highway 2 turns southeasterly to pass through Pulaski, Milton, and Cantril, then turns briefly northeast. It turns east, intersects Iowa Highway 1 south of Keosauqua, then turns southeast towards Farmington. At Farmington, Iowa 2 meets Iowa Highway 81 and crosses the Des Moines River. It continues east and meets U.S. Highway 218 and Iowa Highway 27 at Donnellson. From there, it then meets U.S. Highway 61 and ends on the west side of Fort Madison.
{{Clear}}
=Clarinda business loop=
{{Infobox road small
|state=IA
|type=IA-Bus
|route=2
|name=Iowa Highway 2 Business
|location=Clarinda
}}
Iowa Highway 2 Business begins at the western edge of Clarinda on an old alignment of Iowa 2. It follows State Street east into Clarinda. At 16th Street (Glenn Miller Avenue), IA 2 Bus. heads south until its junction with US 71 Business. Both routes follow Washington Street east towards US 71. Iowa 2 Business follows US 71 south to IA 2 to complete the business loop.
{{Clear}}
History
The current Iowa Highway 2 was designated in 1920 as Primary Road No. 3 (PR No. 3). The {{convert|285|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} route connected Nebraska City, Nebraska, to Burlington. PR No. 3 was overlaid upon the Waubonsie Trail from the Missouri River to Fort Madison. From Fort Madison, it overlapped the Mississippi Valley Scenic Highway, a precursor to the Great River Road.{{cite map|publisher=Rand McNally|title=Official Auto Trails Map|year=1921|scale=1:1,081,344|page=330-331}} In 1941, the route had been renumbered Iowa 2 and the section between Fort Madison and Burlington was no longer part of the route.{{cite map|title=Road and Reference Atlas|year=1947|publisher=Rand McNally & Company|scale=1:1,077,120|page=42–43}}
The segment west of Interstate 29 was constructed as an expressway in 1986 with the plan of connecting Lincoln, Nebraska with Interstate 29 using a divided highway.
In late 2013, the Fort Madison city council accepted the jurisdiction of Iowa 2 within the city limits, which eliminated the last {{convert|5.8|mi|km}} from the route.{{cite web|title=City Council Minutes|url=http://www.fortmadison-ia.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/452|publisher=City of Fort Madison|access-date=January 14, 2014|format=PDF|date=October 1, 2013}}{{cite web|last=Iowa Transportation Commission|title=Commission Meeting Minutes|url=http://www.iowadot.gov/commission/pdf/11-12-13%20Commission%20Minutes.pdf|publisher=Iowa Department of Transportation|format=PDF|date=November 12, 2013|access-date=January 14, 2014}}
Major intersections
{{Jcttop|length_ref={{cite web |title=Road Network (Portal) |url=https://gis.iowadot.gov/agshost/rest/services/RAMS/Road_Network/FeatureServer/0 |publisher=Iowa Department of Transportation |access-date=August 18, 2021 |location=Ames |format=ESRI shapefile |date=April 9, 2021}}
}}
{{Jctint
|river=Missouri River
|lspan=2
|mile=0.000
|mspan=2
|road={{Jct|state=NE|NE|2|dir1=west|city1=Nebraska City|city2=Lincoln}}
|notes=Continuation into Nebraska
}}
{{Jctplace
|mile=none
|bridge=Nebraska City Bridge
}}
{{IAint
|county=Fremont
|cspan=4
|township=Benton
|ctdab=Fremont
|mile=3.131
|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|29|name1=Exit 10|city1=Council Bluffs|location2=Kansas City}}
}}
{{IAint
|township=Washington
|ctdab=Fremont
|mile=8.591
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|L48|location1=Waubonsie State Park}}
|notes=Former Iowa 239
}}
{{IAint
|township1=Washington
|township2=Sidney
|ctdab=Fremont
|type=concur
|mile=10.501
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|275|dir1=south|CR|J46|city1=Hamburg|city2=Riverton}}
|notes=Western end of US 275 overlap; former Iowa 42
}}
{{IAint
|township=Sidney
|ctdab=Fremont
|type=concur
|mile=15.222
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|275|dir1=north|name1=Illinois Street|city1=Sidney|city2=Tabor}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 275 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|county1=Fremont
|county2=Page
|location=Shenandoah
|mile=27.997
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|59|city1=Shenandoah|location2=Tarkio, Mo.}}
}}
{{IAint
|county=Page
|cspan=3
|location=Clarinda
|lspan=2
|mile=45.013
|road={{jct|state=IA|IA-Bus|2|dir1=east|name1=State Street}}
}}
{{IAint
|type=concur
|mile=46.809
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|71|dir1=south|US-Bus|71|dab2=Clarinda|name1=Glenn Miller Avenue|location1=Maryville, Mo.}}
|notes=Western end of US 71 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|township=Nodaway
|ctdab=Page
|type=concur
|mile=48.543
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|71|dir1=north|IA-Bus|2|dir2=west|city1=Villisca}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 71 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|county=Taylor
|cspan=3
|location=Bedford
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=65.650
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|148|dir1=north|city1=Corning}}
|notes=Western end of Iowa 148 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|type=concur
|mile=65.873
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|148|dir1=south|name1=Madison Avenue}}
|notes=Eastern end of Iowa 148 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|township=Bedford
|ctdab=Taylor
|mile=66.658
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|N44|city1=Sharpsburg}}
|notes=Former Iowa 49
}}
{{IAint
|county1=Taylor
|county2=Ringgold
|cspan=2
|township1=Gay
|ctdab1=Taylor
|township2=Benton
|ctdab2=Ringgold
|lspan=2
|mile=79.265
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|P14|city1=Blockton}}
|notes=Former Iowa 25
}}
{{IAint
|mile=81.759
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|25|dir1=north|city1=Clearfield}}
}}
{{IAint
|county=Ringgold
|cspan=3
|township=Waubonsie
|ctdab=Ringgold
|mile=89.239
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|P33|city1=Diagonal}}
|notes=Former Iowa 66
}}
{{IAint
|township=Rice
|ctdab=Ringgold
|type=concur
|mile=92.315
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|169|dir1=south|location1=Grant City, Mo.}}
|notes=Western end of US 169 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|location=Mount Ayr
|type=concur
|mile=94.753
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|169|dir1=north|name1=Cleveland Street|city1=Winterset}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 169 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|county=Decatur
|cspan=5
|township=Grand River
|ctdab=Decatur
|mile=109.123
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|R15|city1=Grand River}}
|notes=Former Iowa 294
}}
{{IAint
|township=Decatur
|ctdab=Decatur
|mile=115.118
|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|35|city1=Des Moines|location2=Kansas City}}
|notes=exit 12
}}
{{IAint
|location=Leon
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=119.578
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|69|dir1=south|name1=Lorraine Street|city1=Lamoni}}
|notes=Western end of US 69 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|type=concur
|mile=120.263
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|69|dir1=north|name1=Church Street|road|Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail|city1=Osceola}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 69 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|township=High Point
|ctdab=Decatur
|mile=128.635
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|R69|city1=Garden Grove}}
|notes=Former Iowa 204
}}
{{IAint
|county=Wayne
|cspan=6
|township=Clay
|ctdab=Wayne
|mile=133.626
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|65|city1=Humeston|location2=Princeton, Mo.}}
}}
{{IAint
|township=Benton
|ctdab=Wayne
|lspan=2
|mile=140.221
|road=Liberty Road
|notes=Former Iowa 2
}}
{{IAint
|mile=140.705
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|S26|city1=Allerton}}
|notes=Former Iowa 40
}}
{{IAint
|location=Corydon
|mile=143.218
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|14|dir1=north|city1=Chariton}}
}}
{{IAint
|township=Corydon
|ctdab=Wayne
|mile=147.907
|road=Liberty Road
|notes=Former Iowa 2
}}
{{IAint
|township=South Fork
|ctdab=Wayne
|mile=153.421
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|S60|city1=Seymour}}
|notes=Former Iowa 55
}}
{{IAint
|county=Appanoose
|cspan=3
|location=Centerville
|mile=167.215
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|5|name1=18th Street|city1=Cincinnati|city2=Albia}}
}}
{{IAint
|township=Washington
|ctdab=Appanoose
|lspan=2
|mile=176.411
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|T61|city1=Unionville}}
|notes=Former Iowa 369
}}
{{IAint
|mile=177.787
|road={{jct|state=IA|IA|202|dir1=south|city1=Moulton}}
}}
{{IAint
|county=Davis
|cspan=2
|township=West Grove
|ctdab=Davis
|type=concur
|mile=186.787
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|63|dir1=south|location1=Lancaster, Mo.}}
|notes=Western end of US 63 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|location=Bloomfield
|type=concur
|mile=191.818
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|63|dir1=north|name1=Washington Street|city1=Ottumwa}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 63 overlap
}}
{{IAint
|county=Van Buren
|cspan=4
|location=Milton
|mile=207.088
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|V56|county1=Van Buren|location1=Memphis, Mo.}}
|notes=Former Iowa 15
}}
{{IAint
|township1=Des Moines
|township2=Vernon
|ctdab=Van Buren
|mile=219.134
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|1|dir1=north|city1=Keosauqua}}
}}
{{IAint
|township=Bonaparte
|ctdab=Van Buren
|mile=226.581
|mile2=226.807
|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|W40|city1=Bonaparte}}
|notes=Former Iowa 79
}}
{{IAint
|township=Farmington
|ctdab=Van Buren
|mile=231.208
|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|81|dir1=south|location1=Kahoka, Mo.}}
}}
{{IAint
|county=Lee
|cspan=3
|location=Donnellson
|lspan=2
|mile=242.289
|road=Main Street
|notes=Former US 218
}}
{{IAint
|mile=242.728
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|218|AOTS|27|city1=Keokuk|city2=Mount Pleasant}}
}}
{{IAint
|location=Fort Madison
|mile=251.322
|mile2=251.633
|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|61|US-Bus|61|dir2=begins|dab2=Fort Madison|name2=Avenue O|road|Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail|city1=Keokuk|city2=Burlington}}
|notes=Road continues as US 61 Business
}}
{{Jctbtm|keys=concur}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Attached KML}}
- [http://www.iowahighways.org/ The Iowa Highways Page] by Jason Hancock
Category:Transportation in Decatur County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Fremont County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Page County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Ringgold County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Taylor County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Wayne County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Appanoose County, Iowa
Category:Transportation in Davis County, Iowa