Earlier this week while traveling across Iowa on I-80 headed to Indiana I came upon a large, lighted message board bearing this most informative message:
I-80 CLOSED IN ILLINOIS
USE ALTERNATE ROUTE.
This sign was located west of Davenport. There was another one with identical information east of the I-80/I-74 junction in Bettendorf. I knew there was road construction on I-80 just across the river in Illinois. I figured there must have been a major accident that shut down the interstate, but where? The great state of Illinois has 160 miles of I-80 so stating I-80 is closed in Illinois isn't very helpful. It is more accurate than a sign stating that I-80 in Nebraska is closed, but still not very helpful for choosing an alternate route.
I got on the CB and found out that I-80 wasn't closed in Illinois. It was reduced to single lanes in both directions. At 10:00 in the evening traffic was flowing smoothly through the construction. Why did Iowa post messages that I-80 was closed in Illinois? If I-80 had actually been closed, why not add a location like a mile marker so motorists could find an alternate route?
Some day while traveling through Indiana or Ohio I hope to come across one of these overhead message boards that says:
MICHIGAN CLOSED
USE ALTERNATE ROUTE
I-80 CLOSED IN ILLINOIS
USE ALTERNATE ROUTE.
This sign was located west of Davenport. There was another one with identical information east of the I-80/I-74 junction in Bettendorf. I knew there was road construction on I-80 just across the river in Illinois. I figured there must have been a major accident that shut down the interstate, but where? The great state of Illinois has 160 miles of I-80 so stating I-80 is closed in Illinois isn't very helpful. It is more accurate than a sign stating that I-80 in Nebraska is closed, but still not very helpful for choosing an alternate route.
I got on the CB and found out that I-80 wasn't closed in Illinois. It was reduced to single lanes in both directions. At 10:00 in the evening traffic was flowing smoothly through the construction. Why did Iowa post messages that I-80 was closed in Illinois? If I-80 had actually been closed, why not add a location like a mile marker so motorists could find an alternate route?
Some day while traveling through Indiana or Ohio I hope to come across one of these overhead message boards that says:
MICHIGAN CLOSED
USE ALTERNATE ROUTE
