U.S. Route 218#Iowa

{{See also|Avenue of the Saints}}

US 218 begins in downtown Keokuk at an intersection with US 136 and US 61 Business (US 61 Bus.) at Main and 7th streets. The highway heads north along Main Street with US 61 Bus. As they exit Keokuk, the business route ends at an intersection with the mainline US 61, which bypasses the city. US 218 and US 61 head north concurrently for a few miles before US 218 exits to the northwest; US 61 follows the Mississippi River north towards Fort Madison. US 218 travels northwesterly for almost {{convert|10|mi|spell=in}} along a two-lane road. As it approaches Donnellson, it meets up with and joins Iowa Highway 27 (Iowa 27), the Avenue of the Saints.

The two highways head north on a four-lane expressway. In Donnellson, they meet Iowa 2 at a diamond interchange. Further north, and east of Houghton, they intersect Iowa 16 at an at-grade intersection. Prior to crossing the Skunk River, the roadway angles to the northeast and a freeway bypass of Mount Pleasant begins. From the east, the highways are joined by US 34 and Iowa 163. The four highways loop around the city's eastern side and begin traversing the northern side when US 34 and Iowa 163 split away to continue bypassing Mount Pleasant; US 218 and Iowa 27 continue north.

From Mount Pleasant it continues to the Iowa City area, which it bypasses to the south and west. The US 218/IA27 concurrency intersects with I-80, and continues north with I-380 towards Cedar Rapids. There US 218 diverges from IA 27 and joins the US30/US151 bypass of south Cedar Rapids. US 151 heads south at Exit 248, and the US 30/218 concurrency continues west for 15 miles, where US 30 continues on as a 4 lane highway and US 218 exits north as a rural 2 lane highway. US 218 heads northwest through Vinton, La Porte City, and Washburn before it reaches Waterloo.

Route 218 remains a 2 lane highway until it becomes a freeway right before US 20 and once again joins I-380 for a couple miles to downtown Waterloo. When I-380 ends, US 218 continues through downtown Waterloo and then to Cedar Falls, where it crosses the Cedar River. It continues northwest as a 4 lane highway through Waverly, Charles City, and Osage until the Minnesota state line.

US 218 enters the state at Lyle, in Mower County. It follows along the east side of the Iowa, Chicago, and Eastern Railroad line as it continues northward through farm fields. Southeast of Austin, US 218 angles northeastward to bypass the city, its former route following County Road 45 (CR 45) into town.{{cite map |author = Minnesota Department of Transportation |year = 2010 |url = http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/mower.pdf |title = General Highway Map of Mower County, Minnesota |scale = 1:126,720 |location = St. Paul |publisher = Minnesota Department of Transportation |access-date = December 29, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120910162716/https://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/mower.pdf |archive-date = September 10, 2012 }}

US 218 passes by the Austin Municipal Airport just before its interchange with I-90. The highway runs concurrently with I-90 for nearly {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} through northern Austin. When US 218 departs from the Interstate and turns back north, it becomes a four-lane divided highway for a short distance. After its junction with State Highway 251 (MN 251), the highway angles north-northwestward again following the IC&E rail line, this time on the west side of the tracks.

The highway enters Dodge County for less than a mile, then reaches Steele County, Blooming Prairie, and an eight-block-long concurrency with MN 30. It continues north-northwesterly after leaving Blooming Prairie, traveling through predominantly agricultural scenery. It passes by Oak Glen Lake before going through the unincorporated community of Bixby.

After passing through the unincorporated community of Pratt, US 218 meets US 14 at a folded diamond interchange. US 218 runs westward concurrently with US 14, while its historic route through downtown Owatonna continues ahead as CR 48. After an interchange with CR 45 (former US 65), US 14/US 218 passes by Kaplan's Woods Park and reaches I-35, where US 218 ends.

Legally, the Minnesota section of US 218 is defined as Route 40 in Minnesota Statutes § 161.114(2).[https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/161.114 Minnesota Codified Laws]

File:US 218.jpg

In 1913, work on the road that is now US 218 was begun. At this time it was called the Red Ball Route. It was called this because the original route was marked with poles which had red balls, {{convert|6|in|spell=in}} in diameter, mounted on each side. In 1920, the Minnesota portion of the route was designated as Constitutional Route 40, as part of the Babcock Amendment that established the Minnesota trunk highway system.

In Iowa, US 218 was extended from its previous southern terminus, at its intersection with US 30 in Benton County, in 1934 when US 161 was split and renamed. The former US 161 had extended from Dubuque, through Cedar Rapids, to Keokuk. After the split, the section of former US 161 from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids extended US 151 south, and the section of US 30 from the former terminus of US 218 to its intersection with the former US 161 in Cedar Rapids, along with the section of former US 161 from Cedar Rapids to Keokuk, extended US 218 south.

In 1965, US 218 was rerouted along bypasses of Austin, Minnesota and Owatonna, Minnesota,{{cite MnDOT map |year = 1965 |sections = J20–K21 |access-date = January 25, 2010 }}{{cite MnDOT map |year = 1966 |sections = J20–K21 |access-date = January 25, 2010 }} the latter following a route that would later become the US 14 bypass of that city as well.

In 1985, US 218 was bypassed around Iowa City and Coralville, joining I-380 at the I-80 interchange. US 218 to Cedar Rapids was replaced by Iowa 965.{{cite map |publisher = Iowa Department of Transportation |title = Iowa State Highway Map |year = 1985 }}

The interchange with I-80 and I-380/US 218/Iowa 27 in Coralville was converted from a cloverleaf to a turbine interchange to eliminate weaving.

{{jcttop|state_col=state|exit|length_ref={{IowaDOT|2010-11-20|year=2009}}{{cite web |author = Minnesota Department of Transportation |url=http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadway/data/reports/logpoint/d6.pdf |title=Trunk Highway Log Point Listing – Construction District 6 |publisher=Minnesota Department of Transportation |date=August 23, 2010 |access-date=November 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204174710/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadway/data/reports/logpoint/d6.pdf |archive-date=December 4, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}|exit_ref={{cite IowaDOT map |access-date = November 21, 2010 |year = 2010 |link = no }}}}

{{IAint|exit

|sspan=54

|county=Lee

|cspan=6

|location=Keokuk

|lspan=2

|mile=0.000

|espan=3

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|136|dir1=west|US-Bus|61|dir2=south|dab2=Keokuk|name2=7th Street|US|136|dir3=east|name3=Main Street|noshield3=y}}

|notes=Southern end of US 61 Bus. overlap

}}

{{IAint

|mile=3.480

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|61|dir1=south|US-Bus|61|dir2=ends|dab2=Keokuk}}

|notes=Southern end of US 61 overlap; northern end of US 61 Bus.

}}

{{IAint

|township=Montrose

|ctdab=Lee

|mile=9.132

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|61|dir1=north}}

|notes=Northern end of US 61 overlap

}}

{{IAint|exit

|township=Charleston

|ctdab=Lee

|mile=18.746

|exit=18

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|AOTS||dir1=south|location1=St. Louis}}

|notes=Southern end of Iowa 27 overlap; exit 10 on Iowa 27/Ave. of the Saints

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Donnellson

|mile=20.673

|exit=19

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|2|city1=Donnellson|city2=Fort Madison}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|township=Marion

|ctdab=Lee

|mile=30.760

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|16}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Henry

|cspan=4

|location=Mount Pleasant

|lspan=3

|mile=41.663

|exit=40

|road=255th Street – Mount Pleasant

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=43.349

|exit=42

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|34|dir1=east|US-Bus|218|dab2=Mount Pleasant|IA|163|dir3=east|city2=Burlington|city1=Mount Pleasant}}

|notes=Southern end of US 34 overlap; signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west)

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=45.787

|mile2=47.223

|exit=45

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US-Bus|218|dab1=Mount Pleasant|name1=Iowa 438|to2=y|US|34|dir2=west|IA|163|dir3=west|city1=Mount Pleasant|city2=Ottumwa}}

|notes=Northern end of US 34 overlap; US 218 Bus. only signed southbound

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Olds

|mile=55.447

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|78}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Washington

|cspan=3

|township=Oregon

|ctdab=Washington

|lspan=2

|mile=67.581

|exit=66

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|92|city1=Washington|city2=Columbus Junction}}

|notes=Also serves Ainsworth and Cotter

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=70.960

|exit=70

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|G36|county1=Washington}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Riverside

|mile=81.072

|exit=80

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|22|city1=Kalona|city2=Lone Tree}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Johnson

|cspan=8

|township=Liberty

|ctdab=Johnson

|mile=85.534

|exit=85

|road=Hills

}}

{{IAint|exit

|township=West Lucas

|ctdab=Johnson

|mile=89.708

|exit=89

|road=Riverside Drive, Airport

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Iowa City

|lspan=2

|mile=91.318

|exit=91

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|1|city1=Iowa City|city2=Kalona}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=93.561

|exit=93

|road=Melrose Avenue – University Heights

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Coralville

|mile=96.934

|exit={{tooltip|97|97 (northbound)}}

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|80|city1=Iowa City|city2=Davenport|city3=Des Moines}}
{{Jct|state=IA|I|380|dir1=begins}}

|notes=Northbound exit numbers follow mileage of US 218; signed as exits 97A (eastbound) and 97B (westbound); southbound exit numbers follow mileage of I-380, signed as exits 0A (eastbound) and 0B (westbound)

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location1=Coralville

|location2=North Liberty

|mile=98.974

|exit=2

|road=Forevergreen Road

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=North Liberty

|mile=100.980

|exit=4

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|F28|county1=Johnson|city1=north Liberty}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Shueyville

|mile=107.791

|exit=10

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|F12|county1=Johnson|city1=Swisher|city2=Shueyville}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Linn

|cspan=6

|location=Cedar Rapids

|lspan=5

|mile=110.750

|exit=13

|road=Wright Brothers Boulevard SW – Ely, The Eastern Iowa Airport

|notes=Former Iowa 84

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=113.263

|exit=16A

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|380|dir1=north|US|30|dir2=east|US|151|dir3=north|AOTS||dir4=north}}

|notes=Northern end of I-380 and Iowa 27 overlaps; southern end of US 30 and US 151 overlaps

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=113.596

|exit=252A

|road=6th Street SW

|notes=Exit numbers follow US 30

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=115.780

|exit=250

|road=Edgewood Road SW

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=117.151

|exit=248

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|151|dir1=south|US-Bus|151|dab2=Cedar Rapids|name2=Williams Boulevard SW}}

|notes=Northern end of US 151 overlap

}}

{{IAint|exit

|township=Clinton

|ctdab=Linn

|mile=119.130

|mile2=119.651

|exit=246

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|100|road|16th Avenue / 80th Street|city1=Fairfax}}

|notes=Interchange under reconstruction to connect to Iowa 100

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Benton

|cspan=3

|township=Eldorado

|ctdab=Benton

|mile=135.239

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|30|dir1=west}}

|notes=End of US 30 overlap

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Vinton

|mile=148.199

|espan=2

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|150|dir1=north}}

}}

{{IAint

|township=Monroe

|ctdab=Benton

|mile=158.602

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|8|dir1=west}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Black Hawk

|cspan=11

|location=Waterloo

|lspan=8

|mile=179.468

|exit=71

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|380|dir1=south|US|20|AOTS||city1=Cedar Falls|city2=Cedar Rapids|city3=Dubuque}}

|notes=Southern end of I-380 overlap; signed as exits 71A (eastbound) and 71B (westbound); exit numbers follow I-380

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=180.535

|exit=72

|road={{jct|extra=hospital}} San Marnan Drive

|notes=Access to Covenant Medical Center

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=181.116

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|I|380|dir1=ends}}

|notes=Northern end of I-380; exit numbers follow US 218

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=182.864

|mile2=183.102

|exit=181A

|type=incomplete

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|63|dir1=north|location1=Downtown Riverfront|location2=Young Arena|location3=Sullivan Brothers Convention Center|extra=hospital}}

|notes=No northbound entrance; signed as exit 180 southbound; access to Allen Hospital

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=183.425

|exit=181B

|type=incomplete

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|63|dir1=south|toroad=y|road|University Avenue}}

|notes=No southbound entrance; signed as exit 181 southbound

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=184.201

|mile2=184.785

|exit=182

|road=Fletcher Avenue, Ansborough Avenue

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=185.659

|exit=184

|road=Greenhill Road

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=187.228

|exit=185

|road=Broadway Street, Airport

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Cedar Falls

|lspan=2

|mile=189.067

|exit=—

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|AOTS|27|dir1=south|IA|57|dir2=west|IA|58|dir3=south|city1=Cedar Falls|city2=Hudson|location3=UNI|location4=UNI-Dome}}

|notes=Southern end of Iowa 27 overlap

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=190.719

|exit=189

|road=Lone Tree Road

}}

{{IAint|exit

|township=Washington

|ctdab=Black Hawk

|mile=193.565

|exit=192

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|C57|county1=Black Hawk|name1=W. Cedar–Wapsi Road}}

|notes=Interchange opened October 2016

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Bremer

|cspan=5

|location=Janesville

|mile=196.765

|exit=195

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|C50|city1=Janesville}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Waverly

|lspan=3

|mile=200.256

|exit=198

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US-Bus|218|dab1=Waverly|city1=Waverly|extra=hospital}}

|notes=Access to Waverly Health Center

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=204.757

|exit=203

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|3|city1=Waverly|city2=Shell Rock}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=206.757

|exit=205

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US-Bus|218|dab1=Waverly|location1=Waverly Airport}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Plainfield

|mile=214.012

|exit=212

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|188|city1=Plainfield}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Chickasaw

|location=Nashua

|mile=221.316

|exit=220

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|346|CR|B60|county2=Chickasaw|city1=Nashua}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|county=Floyd

|cspan=4

|location=Charles City

|lspan=3

|mile=230.538

|exit=218

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|18|dir1=east|US-Bus|218|dab2=Charles City|CR|T64|county3=Floyd|city1=Charles City|city2=New Hampton}}

|notes=Southern end of US 18 overlap; exit numbers follow US 18

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=234.114

|exit=214

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|14|city1=Charles City|city2=Greene}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|mile=236.238

|exit=212

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US-Bus|218|dab1=Charles City|CR|B35|county2=Floyd|city1=Charles City}}

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=Floyd

|mile=238.655

|espan=3

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|US|18|dir1=west|AOTS||dir2=north}}

|notes=Northern end of US 18 and Iowa 27 overlaps

}}

{{IAint

|county=Mitchell

|cspan=3

|township=Burr Oak

|ctdab=Mitchell

|mile=249.987

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|9|dir1=east}}

|notes=Southern end of Iowa 9 overlap

}}

{{IAint

|location=Osage

|mile=253.985

|type=concur

|road={{Jct|state=IA|IA|9|dir1=west}}

|notes=Northern end of Iowa 9 overlap

}}

{{IAint|exit

|location=St. Ansgar

|mile=265.754

|espan=2

|road={{Jct|state=IA|CR|105|county1=Mitchell}}

}}

{{Jctplace

|river= 

|river_wide=yes

|mile=274.995

|mile2=0.000

|line=y

|place=Iowa–Minnesota state line

}}

{{MNint|exit

|sspan=13

|county=Mower

|cspan=7

|location=Austin

|lspan=6

|type=concur

|mile=12.195

|exit=180B

|road={{jct|state=MN|I|90|dir1=east|CSAH|61|county2=Mower|location1=La Crosse}}

|notes=Eastern end of I-90 overlap

}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=12.478

|exit=180A

|road=Oakland Place

|notes=Westbound exit and eastbound entrance

}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=13.071

|exit=179

|road=11th Drive NE

|notes=Interchange

}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=13.725

|exit=178B

|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|16|name1=6th Street NE}}

|notes=Interchange

}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=14.347

|exit=178A

|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|45|name1=4th Street NW}}

|notes=Interchange

}}

{{MNint|exit

|type=concur

|mile=15.031

|exit=177

|road={{jct|state=MN|I|90|dir1=west|city1=Albert Lea}}

|notes=Western end of I-90 overlap

}}

{{MNint|exit

|location=Lansing Township

|mile=20.633

|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|251|dir1=west|city1=Hollandale}}

}}

{{jctco |state=MN |county=Dodge}}

{{MNint|exit

|county=Steele

|cspan=5

|location=Blooming Prairie

|lspan=2

|type=concur

|mile=28.365

|espan=2

|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|30|dir1=east|city1=Hayfield}}

|notes=Southern end of MN 30 overlap

}}

{{MNint

|type=concur

|mile=29.459

|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|30|dir1=west|city1=Ellendale}}

|notes=Northern end of MN 30 overlap

}}

{{MNint|exit

|location=Owatonna Township

|lspan=3

|type=concur

|mile=43.717

|exit=—

|road={{jct|state=MN|US|14|dir1=east|CSAH|48|county2=Steele|city1=Rochester}}

|notes=Eastern end of US 14 overlap

}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=45.539

|exit=—

|road={{jct|state=MN|CSAH|45|county1=Steele}}

|notes=Former US 65

}}

{{MNint|exit

|type=concur

|mile=46.739

|exit=—

|road={{jct|state=MN|I|35|US|14|dir2=west|location1=Minneapolis|location2=St. Paul|city3=Albert Lea|city4=Waseca}}

|notes=Western end of US 14 overlap; I-35 exit 40

}}

{{Jctbtm|col=8|keys=concur,incomplete}}

{{Further2|Interstate 380|U.S. Route 18|U.S. Route 161|Avenue of the Saints|}}

{{Infobox road small

|state=IA

|type=US-Bus

|route=218

|location=Mount Pleasant

|formed=2003

}}

U.S. Highway 218 Business (US 218 Bus.) was designated along a former routing of US 218 through Mount Pleasant, the northernmost {{convert|0.7|mi}} are officially known as Iowa 438. The routing was created as a result of construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor through Iowa. The new Avenue of the Saints corridor took US 218/Iowa 27 and US 34 around the eastern and northern edges of Mount Pleasant. The Iowa 438 section of US 218 Bus. serves as a connector from southbound US 218/Iowa 27 to westbound US 34.

{{-}}

{{Infobox road small

|state=IA

|type=US-Bus

|route=218

|location=Waverly

|formed=December 1998

|length_mi=6.6

|length_ref=

}}

US 218 Business (US 218 Bus.) in Waverly was designated December 2, 1998, on the old segment of US 218 after it was routed around Waverly. The business route spans {{convert|6.6|mi|km}}. It intersects Iowa 3 in downtown Waverly and the two routes run concurrently for about {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}}. South of Iowa 3, US 218 Bus. is officially known as Iowa 116. US 218 Bus. begins at exit 198 on US 218/Iowa 27 south of Waverly and ends at exit 205 on US 218/Iowa 27.

{{-}}

{{Infobox road small

|state=IA

|type=US-Bus

|route=218

|location=Charles City

|formed=2000

}}

US 218 Business (US 218 Bus.) in Charles City was designated along the old alignment of US 218 in 2000 after the construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor created a bypass around Charles City. Upon its designation, the route was officially known by two Iowa state highways: Iowa 337 and Iowa 162. Iowa 337 was turned over to local jurisdictions in 2001 and Iowa 162 was turned over in 2006 after US 18 was relocated through Charles City.{{-}}

{{start srbox}}

{{Ia browse|previous_type=IA|previous_route=415|route=Iowa 438|next_type=IA|next_route=922}}

{{Ia browse|previous_type=IA|previous_route=110|route=Iowa 116|next_type=IA|next_route=117}}

{{s-end}}

{{reflist}}

{{Attached KML}}

{{Commons category|U.S. Route 218}}

• [http://usends.com/218.html Endpoints of US highway 218]

{{US 18}}

18-2

18-2

18-2

2

Category:Transportation in Lee County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Henry County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Washington County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Johnson County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Linn County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Benton County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Black Hawk County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Bremer County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Chickasaw County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Floyd County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Mitchell County, Iowa

Category:Transportation in Mower County, Minnesota

Category:Transportation in Dodge County, Minnesota

Category:Transportation in Steele County, Minnesota