Iowa Highway 78
Encyclopedia
Iowa Highway 78 is a 59 miles (95 km) long state highway which runs from east to west in southeastern Iowa
. The route begins east of Martinsburg
at Iowa Highway 149
, and ends at U.S. Route 61 east of Morning Sun
. The route has existed since the 1920s, when it was a short spur route
between Olds
and Winfield
. By the 1950s, the route reached its current extents.
in Keokuk County
at an intersection with Iowa 149. Iowa 78 heads east, serving the communities of Pekin
, Ollie
, and Richland
. East of Richland, it intersects Iowa 1; the two routes cross into Washington County, running together
for 7 miles (11.3 km). At Brighton
, the two routes split – Iowa 1 to the north and Iowa 78 to the south. It briefly ducks into Jefferson County
before entering Henry County
near Coppock
.
Between Wayland
and Winfield
, Iowa 78 has a stair-step route, with short sections of north–south road followed by longer stretches of east–west road. Through Olds
, Iowa 78 runs parallel to the US
/ Iowa 27 expressway to the east before intersecting it south of town. South of Winfield, it again becomes an east–west route, where it passes through Morning Sun
. Four miles (6.4 km) east of Morning Sun, the route ends at US 61.
which connected Winfield
to Primary Road No. 40 at Olds
. By 1947, the route had been extended in both directions. It began at Iowa 77 in Richland
in the west, and ended at U.S. Route 61 in the east. The original section from Olds to just south of Winfield was the only fully paved road at the time. The short segment from Iowa 78 to Winfield was designated Iowa 249. That segment was turned over to Henry County
on July 1, 2003. By 1952, the route had been extended west to Iowa 149 near Martinsburg
, absorbing most of Iowa 304, which served Ollie
. The section from Iowa 78 to Ollie remained as Iowa 304 until 1980. Before the US 218 / Iowa 27 freeway was built, Iowa 78 overlapped US 218 through Olds. After the expressway opened in 1999, US 218 was placed onto the new road while Iowa 78 stayed on the old two-lane alignment.
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The route begins east of Martinsburg
Martinsburg, Iowa
Martinsburg is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census. The only businesses open to the public in Martinsburg is McBeth Wrecker and Auto Service and periodically a gas station/convenience store with restaurant....
at Iowa Highway 149
Iowa Highway 149
Iowa Highway 149 is a highway which runs from south to north in Iowa. It has a length of . Iowa 149 begins at U.S. Route 34 in Ottumwa and ends at Williamsburg at Interstate 80. The first of Iowa 149 are overlapped by U.S. Route 63 Business, the former route of U.S. Route 63 through...
, and ends at U.S. Route 61 east of Morning Sun
Morning Sun, Iowa
Morning Sun is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 872 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Morning Sun is located at ....
. The route has existed since the 1920s, when it was a short spur route
Spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
between Olds
Olds, Iowa
Olds is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olds is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and Winfield
Winfield, Iowa
Winfield is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. By the 1950s, the route reached its current extents.
Route description
Iowa Highway 78 begins two miles (3.2 km) east of MartinsburgMartinsburg, Iowa
Martinsburg is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census. The only businesses open to the public in Martinsburg is McBeth Wrecker and Auto Service and periodically a gas station/convenience store with restaurant....
in Keokuk County
Keokuk County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,511 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,931 housing units, of which 4,408 were occupied.-2000 census:...
at an intersection with Iowa 149. Iowa 78 heads east, serving the communities of Pekin
Pekin, Iowa
Pekin is a small unincorporated community in northwestern Jefferson County, Iowa, United States.-Education:Pekin is the location of a regional school system, which draws students from Farson, Hedrick, Martinsburg, Ollie, Packwood, and Richland, as well as from the surrounding countryside.The school...
, Ollie
Ollie, Iowa
Ollie is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 224 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ollie is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, and Richland
Richland, Iowa
Richland is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 587 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
. East of Richland, it intersects Iowa 1; the two routes cross into Washington County, running together
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
for 7 miles (11.3 km). At Brighton
Brighton, Iowa
Brighton is a city in Washington County, Iowa, United States. It part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 687 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brighton is located at ....
, the two routes split – Iowa 1 to the north and Iowa 78 to the south. It briefly ducks into Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,843 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,594 housing units, of which 6,846 were occupied.-2000 census:...
before entering Henry County
Henry County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,145 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,280 housing units, of which 7,666 were occupied.-2000 census:...
near Coppock
Coppock, Iowa
Coppock is a city in Henry, Jefferson, and Washington Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 57 at the 2000 census.The Washington County portion of Coppock is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Wayland, Iowa
Wayland is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 945 at the 2000 census. From 1851 to 1880 the town was known as .-Geography:Wayland is located at ....
and Winfield
Winfield, Iowa
Winfield is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Iowa 78 has a stair-step route, with short sections of north–south road followed by longer stretches of east–west road. Through Olds
Olds, Iowa
Olds is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olds is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Iowa 78 runs parallel to the US
U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends away at...
/ Iowa 27 expressway to the east before intersecting it south of town. South of Winfield, it again becomes an east–west route, where it passes through Morning Sun
Morning Sun, Iowa
Morning Sun is a city in Louisa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 872 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Morning Sun is located at ....
. Four miles (6.4 km) east of Morning Sun, the route ends at US 61.
History
Primary Road No. 78 was created in the 1920s as a 5 miles (8 km) long spur routeSpur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
which connected Winfield
Winfield, Iowa
Winfield is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
to Primary Road No. 40 at Olds
Olds, Iowa
Olds is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olds is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. By 1947, the route had been extended in both directions. It began at Iowa 77 in Richland
Richland, Iowa
Richland is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 587 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
in the west, and ended at U.S. Route 61 in the east. The original section from Olds to just south of Winfield was the only fully paved road at the time. The short segment from Iowa 78 to Winfield was designated Iowa 249. That segment was turned over to Henry County
Henry County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,145 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,280 housing units, of which 7,666 were occupied.-2000 census:...
on July 1, 2003. By 1952, the route had been extended west to Iowa 149 near Martinsburg
Martinsburg, Iowa
Martinsburg is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census. The only businesses open to the public in Martinsburg is McBeth Wrecker and Auto Service and periodically a gas station/convenience store with restaurant....
, absorbing most of Iowa 304, which served Ollie
Ollie, Iowa
Ollie is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 224 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ollie is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. The section from Iowa 78 to Ollie remained as Iowa 304 until 1980. Before the US 218 / Iowa 27 freeway was built, Iowa 78 overlapped US 218 through Olds. After the expressway opened in 1999, US 218 was placed onto the new road while Iowa 78 stayed on the old two-lane alignment.