Iowa Highway 117
Encyclopedia
Iowa Highway 117 is a north–south route in Jasper County
. The length of the highway is 18 miles (29 km). In addition to serving several communities directly, Highway 117 also provides a shortcut between U.S. Route 65
and Interstate 80
east of Des Moines
.
. For its first mile (1.6 km), Iowa 117 runs west-to-east along Second Street, a former alignment of Iowa 163. At its former southern end, State Street, it turns north approaching the center of town. North of Prairie City, Iowa 117 travels due north for 5 miles (8 km) until Colfax
.
At Colfax, Iowa 117 turns west onto State Street. Outside of Colfax, State Street is Jasper County Road F48, which connects Mitchellville
and Newton
. After 3/4 mi, the highway turns north towards downtown Colfax where it crosses an Iowa Interstate Railroad
line and the South Skunk River
. One mile north of the river is a diamond interchange with Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 6.
North of Colfax, Iowa 117 passes through rolling farmland with houses dotted along the road. Three miles (3 miles (4.8 km)) from Mingo
, the highway begins curving to the north and west, parallel to Indian Creek. The last four miles (4 miles (6.4 km)) of Iowa 117 travel on creek bottoms, still adjacent to Indian Creek. Just 500 yards (457.2 m) from its northern end, Iowa 117 crosses Indian Creek one final time. It ends a four-way intersection with U.S. Route 65 and Iowa Highway 330
. The dominant road is a four-lane expressway connecting Des Moines
and Marshalltown
. South of the Iowa 117 intersection, the expressway is US 65 while north or the intersection is Iowa 330.
and Sabula
. The two highway designations were swapped on December 11, 1936. The highway originally extended northward to Colo
until 1940, when the segment between the current northern terminus and Colo was replaced by US 65.
In 2002, the northern terminus intersection was reconstructed. Previously, the roads which met at that point intersected one another at a sharp angle. The 2002 reconstruction changed this so the involved highways intersected at right angles to each other.
Jasper County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 36,842 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,181 housing units, of which 14,806 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. The length of the highway is 18 miles (29 km). In addition to serving several communities directly, Highway 117 also provides a shortcut between U.S. Route 65
U.S. Route 65
U.S. Route 65 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of Interstate 90 in Albert Lea, Minnesota...
and Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in Iowa
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Interstate 80 runs east–west between the Omaha-Council Bluffs area and the Quad Cities area, serving Des Moines and Iowa City. It was built along the U.S. Highway 6 corridor and as a result, three sections of Interstate 80 overlap US 6 in Iowa...
east of Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.
Route description
Iowa Highway 117 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with Iowa 163 on the edge of Prairie CityPrairie City, Iowa
Prairie City is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,680 at the 2010 census.-History:Prairie City was founded by James Elliot in 1856, for whom it was originally named; it was later changed because there was already another Elliot in the state. The first resident was...
. For its first mile (1.6 km), Iowa 117 runs west-to-east along Second Street, a former alignment of Iowa 163. At its former southern end, State Street, it turns north approaching the center of town. North of Prairie City, Iowa 117 travels due north for 5 miles (8 km) until Colfax
Colfax, Iowa
Colfax is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The town was founded in 1866, and was named for Schuyler Colfax, vice-president with U.S. Grant...
.
At Colfax, Iowa 117 turns west onto State Street. Outside of Colfax, State Street is Jasper County Road F48, which connects Mitchellville
Mitchellville, Iowa
Mitchellville is a city in Polk and Jasper counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,715 at the 2000 census.The Polk County portion of Mitchellville is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jasper County portion is part of the Newton...
and Newton
Newton, Iowa
Newton is a city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,254. It is the home of Maytag Dairy Farms and was formerly home to the Maytag Corporation's corporate headquarters until the Whirlpool Corporation acquired it in 2006...
. After 3/4 mi, the highway turns north towards downtown Colfax where it crosses an Iowa Interstate Railroad
Iowa Interstate Railroad
The Iowa Interstate Railroad is a Class II railroad operating in the central United States. The railroad is owned by Railroad Development Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-History:...
line and the South Skunk River
Skunk River
The Skunk River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States.It rises in two branches, the South Skunk and the North Skunk . The headwaters of the South Skunk are in Hamilton County in north central Iowa. It flows roughly due southward, to the west of...
. One mile north of the river is a diamond interchange with Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 6.
North of Colfax, Iowa 117 passes through rolling farmland with houses dotted along the road. Three miles (3 miles (4.8 km)) from Mingo
Mingo, Iowa
Mingo is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The population was 269 at the 2000 census. It is named for the historic Iroquoian Mingo people.-Geography:Mingo is located at ....
, the highway begins curving to the north and west, parallel to Indian Creek. The last four miles (4 miles (6.4 km)) of Iowa 117 travel on creek bottoms, still adjacent to Indian Creek. Just 500 yards (457.2 m) from its northern end, Iowa 117 crosses Indian Creek one final time. It ends a four-way intersection with U.S. Route 65 and Iowa Highway 330
Iowa Highway 330
A state highway in central Iowa, Iowa Highway 330 runs northeasterly from near Mingo in Jasper County past Albion, to just north of Marshalltown in Marshall County. Originally the two-lane, unpaved Iowa Highway 88 in the 1930s, and later Iowa Highway 64 until 1969, Highway 330 is now a four-lane...
. The dominant road is a four-lane expressway connecting Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
and Marshalltown
Marshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,552 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 26,009 population in the 2000 census. -History:...
. South of the Iowa 117 intersection, the expressway is US 65 while north or the intersection is Iowa 330.
History
Between July 1, 1920 and December 11, 1936, the road currently designated as Iowa Highway 117 was designated as Iowa Highway 64, while the original Iowa Highway 117 served as a highway between AnamosaAnamosa, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,494 people, 1,750 households, and 1,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,453.4 people per square mile . There were 1,884 housing units at an average density of 841.3 per square mile...
and Sabula
Sabula, Iowa
Sabula is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census. Sabula is the site of Iowa's only island city. The island has a beach and a campground. It also has a harbor with boat docks and storage sheds to store some boats during the winter...
. The two highway designations were swapped on December 11, 1936. The highway originally extended northward to Colo
Colo, Iowa
Colo is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 868 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.-Geography:...
until 1940, when the segment between the current northern terminus and Colo was replaced by US 65.
In 2002, the northern terminus intersection was reconstructed. Previously, the roads which met at that point intersected one another at a sharp angle. The 2002 reconstruction changed this so the involved highways intersected at right angles to each other.