The Highway 75 and County Road C-80 intersection — the site of a serious crash involving a Remsen St. Mary’s activity bus and an SUV on Nov. 15 — has long been on the Iowa Department of Transportation’s monitoring list due to growing development and increased traffic in the area.
Neighbors say they’ve raised concerns for months, especially after a March 2025 crash at the same intersection claimed the life of a 64-year-old man. Last week’s bus collision, which injured more than a dozen people, has accelerated action.
According to Iowa DOT District 3 Engineer Jessica Felix, several immediate and long-term improvements are now underway:
Traffic cameras monitored the C-70 and C-80 intersections for 60 hours in June 2025. The diagnostic report is now under internal review.
Portable message boards were placed on Nov. 19, alerting drivers to watch for turning vehicles. Those have since been replaced.
Permanent “Watch for Turning Vehicles” signs with flashing yellow beacons were installed on Nov. 21 at both C-70/US 75 and C-80/US 75.
All new signposts now include reflective strips for enhanced nighttime visibility.
A reduced speed limit to 55 mph is expected within the next month, pending formal approval processes.
Felix also noted that enforcement has remained steady along the corridor, with the Iowa State Patrol, Plymouth and Woodbury County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Hinton Police Department all working together to monitor traffic.
Longer-term geometric improvements are already in design.
“Intersection control — geometric changes, signing, and lighting — to the US 75/C-70 and US 75/C-80 modifications are in design,” Felix said. “Iowa DOT is working on the delivery schedule for implementation, and those details will be forthcoming in the next three to four months.”
This story and photo are courtesy of media partner KTIV in Sioux City
