(July 1, 1980-July 1, 2003)
WEST End: Geode State Park, Henry/Des Moines county line
Facing west on 79 (February 2002)
Photo by Jason Hancock
EAST End: Stop sign, US 34, Middletown, Des Moines County
Phase 1: IA 79
Facing east on 79 (February 2002)
Photo by Jason Hancock
Facing east on 79 (8/14/05)
The barbed wire at left surrounds part of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. The plant's existence here is likely responsible for the creation of the first rural four-lane segment in Iowa, running west from Burlington. About sixty years later, in November 2005, that rural four-lane was bypassed by a "modern" freeway to the north. (This photo is after decommissioning, but the 34 and arrows were the same before.)
Facing west on 34 (February 2002)
Photo by Jason Hancock
Phase 2: County Road 79
Facing west on 34 (12/27/04)
Photo by Jason Hancock
Des Moines and Louisa counties did something different with their spurs: They kept the numerical designation. This lasted for a little over two years.
Facing northwest (8/14/05)
The bridges in the background are for the new four-lane around Danville and Middletown, which opened after these pictures were taken. (What will old 34 be? Good question, especially considering that's three miles of four-lane road that's being vacated. But then again, that didn't stop old 20 from being turned over east of Waterloo.)
Facing southeast, but heading east, on 34 (8/14/05)
Phase 3: County Road J20 at US 34
Facing southeast, but heading east, on 34 (10/21/05)
This "phase" only lasted a few months. When I came past here in August 2005, old IA 79 was still signed as County Road 79 (Phase 2). Then, by late October, "J20"s had been pasted on the shields (left) - J20 was the designation for 79 prior to 1980. In November, the 34 bypass opened, leaving the old route with an as-yet-unknown designation.
Facing west on 34 (10/21/05)
Phase 4: County Road J20 at unmarked Old US 34
Facing west on old 34 (6/18/18)
Facing west on old 34 (6/18/18)
The J20 designation was not extended along old 34 to West Burlington. Personally, I think that's a mistake. The road in Middletown has been converted to three lanes and has a couple of four-way stops.
Facing southeast on old 34 (6/18/18)
Facing east on new 34 (12/23/05)
Photo by Jason Hancock
The intersection with 79 is off to the right of the photo.
Facing east on the eastbound offramp (12/23/05)
Photo by Jason Hancock
Facing northwest on old 34 (12/23/05)
Photo by Jason Hancock
The really long bridges, like those on new IA 60 south of Alton, span the old route and parallel railroad tracks. This is just north of the 79 intersection, which can be seen in an August 2005 photo higher up on this page.
Facing northwest on old 34 (6/18/18)
IA 163 was added through here in 2012. Eventually, single-panel signs will replace these sets.
Facing northwest on old 34 (6/18/18)
It's shorter, distance-wise, to follow old 34 through Danville to New London — and westbound, it's a right-turn-on-right-turn-off the segment of expressway that overlaps the diagonal — but time-wise it may not be.
Last seen: 2003
Page created 5/7/02; last updated 3/26/07 4/7/18