Bridge construction work over Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63, between 5th Street West to Lakeside Drive in Ottumwa, will require closing the roadway to traffic beginning Monday, June 1, until late June, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Chariton construction office.

The existing concrete girder bridge on West Park Boulevard about 1.4 miles north of U.S. Business 34, and the pedestrian bridge on Ottumwa Street, about 0.9 miles north of U.S. Business 34, will be removed during the closure of Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63. Afterwards, the West Park Blvd. bridge will be replaced with a pretensioned, prestressed beam bridge. During this phase of the project, traffic on Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63 will remain open.

During the three-week road closure, motorists will be directed to use an official off-site detour (see map). The detour will follow U.S. 34 and U.S. 63/Iowa 163.

  • Motorists wishing to travel northbound on Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63, north of 5th Street, will need to go east on U.S. 34 and then northwest on U.S.63/IA 163 to the Iowa 149/U.S.63 interchange (exit 40).
  • Motorists wishing to travel southbound on Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63, south of Lakeside Drive toward downtown Ottumwa, will need to go north on Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63 onto southeast U.S.63/Iowa 163 and then onto U.S. 34.
  • Local traffic will have access to Iowa 149/U.S. Business 63 except for the closure between 5th Street West to Lakeside Drive in Ottumwa.