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Interstate 74 in Iowa

Interstate 74 marker

Interstate 74
Route information
Maintained by Iowa DOT
Length: 5.386 mi (8.668 km)
Existed: August 30, 1968 – present
History: Under construction 1968–1974
Major junctions
West end: I-80 in Davenport
 
East end: I-74 / US 6 at the Mississippi River
Location
Counties: Scott
Highway system
US 71 US 75

Interstate 74 marker

Interstate 74 (I-74) is the central freeway through the Iowa Quad Cities. It roughly divides Davenport to the west and Bettendorf to the east. The Interstate Highway begins at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) at the northeastern edge of Davenport and continues into Illinois at the Mississippi River by crossing the I-74 Bridge. The freeway was built in stages during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The northern half of the interstate was built atop farmland in northeastern Davenport, while the southern half was built near the existing U.S. Route 6 (US 6) corridor through Bettendorf. After the approaches to the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge were rebuilt for interstate traffic, it was completed and opened to traffic on November 26, 1974.

The Iowa and Illinois departments of transportation are planning a major reconstruction project along I-74. The 7-mile-long (11 km) corridor will be widened from four lanes to six. A new river crossing will be built to replace the aging bridges. Eastbound motorists on I-80 wishing to use I-74 east of the Quad Cities are suggested to use I-80 east around town for this reason.

I-74 begins at a trumpet interchange with I-80 on the northern edge of Davenport where it heads to the south. From I-80 to the East 67th Street overpass, the freeway is surrounded by farmland on either side. South of the overpass, it passes a residential area to the east and a commercial area to the west. The East 53rd Street exit provides access to shopping centers on both sides of the interstate.


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