Iowa State Highway 2
Encyclopedia
Iowa Highway 2 is a 257 miles (413.6 km) long state highway which runs across the southernmost tier of counties in the U.S. state
of Iowa
. At no point along its route is Iowa 2 more than 15 miles (24.1 km) from the Missouri
state line. Iowa 2 stretches across the entire state; from the Missouri River
near Nebraska City, Nebraska
to the Mississippi River
at Fort Madison
. Prior to becoming a primary highway, the route was known as the Waubonsie Trail.
just east of Nebraska City, Nebraska. It goes northeast and then east as an expressway until meeting Interstate 29
. It then continues east as a two-lane highway until meeting U.S. Highway 275 and turning north. It continues north, bypassing Sidney
with U.S. 275, and turning east east of Sidney. It goes east and meets U.S. 59 at Shenandoah
and then U.S. 71 at Clarinda
, which is served with Business Route 2. It continues east through New Market
and meets Iowa Highway 148
at Bedford
. After intersecting Iowa Highway 25
east of Bedford, it passes through Benton
before beginning an overlap with U.S. Highway 169 through Mount Ayr
. After passing through Kellerton
, Iowa 2 intersects Interstate 35
at Decatur City
.
Iowa Highway 2 continues east through Decatur City and meets U.S. Highway 69 in Leon
. It continues east and intersects U.S. Highway 65 before entering Corydon
, where it intersects Iowa Highway 14. After passing through Promise City
, it goes through Centerville
, where it intersects Iowa Highway 5. It later intersects Iowa Highway 202
near Moulton
and then begins a concurrency with U.S. Highway 63 which ends in Bloomfield
.
After Bloomfield, Iowa Highway 2 turns southeasterly to pass through Pulaski
, Milton
, and Cantril
, then turns briefly northeast. It turns east, intersects Iowa Highway 1 south of Keosauqua
, then turns southeast towards Farmington
. At Farmington, Iowa 2 meets Iowa Highway 81
and crosses the Des Moines River
. It continues east and meets U.S. Highway 218 and Iowa Highway 27 at Donnellson
. From there, it then meets U.S. Highway 61 and they overlap into Fort Madison. At Fort Madison, the overlap ends and Iowa 2 ends when it crosses the Fort Madison Toll Bridge to enter Illinois
.
on an old alignment of Iowa 2. It follows State Street east into Clarinda. At 16th Street (Glenn Miller
Avenue), IA 2 Bus. heads south until its junction with US 71 Business. Both routes follow Washington Street east towards US 71. Iowa 2 Business follows US 71 south to IA 2 to complete the business loop.
, to Burlington
. PR No. 3 was overlaid upon the Waubonsie Trail from the Missouri River to Fort Madison
. From Fort Madison, it overlappped the Mississippi Valley Scenic Highway, a precursor to the Great River Road
. By 1947, the route had been renumbered Iowa 2 and the section between Fort Madison and Burlington was no longer part of the route.
The segment west of Interstate 29 was constructed as an expressway in 1986 with the plan of connecting Lincoln, Nebraska
with Interstate 29 using a divided highway.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Iowa
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...
. At no point along its route is Iowa 2 more than 15 miles (24.1 km) from the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
state line. Iowa 2 stretches across the entire state; from the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
near Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at Fort Madison
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, situated on the Mississippi River, is a city in and one of the county seats of Lee County, Iowa, United States. The other county seat is Keokuk. The population was 10,715 at the 2000 census...
. Prior to becoming a primary highway, the route was known as the Waubonsie Trail.
Route description
Iowa Highway 2 begins at the Nebraska City BridgeNebraska City Bridge
The Nebraska City Bridge is a four-lane girder bridge over the Missouri River connecting Otoe County, Nebraska with Fremont County, Iowa at Nebraska City, Nebraska....
just east of Nebraska City, Nebraska. It goes northeast and then east as an expressway until meeting Interstate 29
Interstate 29 in Iowa
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Interstate 29 is a north–south Interstate Highway which closely parallels the Missouri River. I-29 enters Iowa from Missouri near Hamburg and heads to the north-northwest through the Omaha-Council Bluffs and the Sioux City areas. It exits the state by crossing...
. It then continues east as a two-lane highway until meeting U.S. Highway 275 and turning north. It continues north, bypassing Sidney
Sidney, Iowa
Sidney is a city in Fremont County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,300 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fremont County and is one of the smallest county seats in Iowa....
with U.S. 275, and turning east east of Sidney. It goes east and meets U.S. 59 at Shenandoah
Shenandoah, Iowa
Shenandoah is a city in Fremont and Page Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 5,546 at the 2000 census.Once referred to as the "seed and nursery center of the world," Shenandoah is the home to Earl May Seed Company and the radio station KMA, founded by Earl May...
and then U.S. 71 at Clarinda
Clarinda, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,572 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,180 housing units, of which 1,928 were occupied....
, which is served with Business Route 2. It continues east through New Market
New Market, Iowa
New Market is a city in Taylor County, Iowa, United States. The population was 456 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Market is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and meets Iowa Highway 148
Iowa Highway 148
Iowa Highway 148 is a highway which runs in a north–south direction in southwestern Iowa. It has a length of . The southern end of Iowa Highway 148 is at the Missouri border southwest of Bedford and just northeast of Hopkins, Missouri. The highway continues south into Missouri as Missouri...
at Bedford
Bedford, Iowa
Bedford is a city in Taylor County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County. Lake of Three Fires State Park is located a few miles northeast of Bedford.-History:...
. After intersecting Iowa Highway 25
Iowa Highway 25
Iowa Highway 25 is a north–south highway in the southwest and west-central portion of the state. Highway 25's southern terminus is at its junction with Iowa Highway 2 seven miles south of Clearfield. This intersection occurs in the middle of a curve on Highway 2. Its northern terminus is at...
east of Bedford, it passes through Benton
Benton, Iowa
Benton is a city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States. The population was 40 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Benton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
before beginning an overlap with U.S. Highway 169 through Mount Ayr
Mount Ayr, Iowa
Mount Ayr is a city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,822 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ringgold County.-Geography:Mount Ayr's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 40.714210, -94.236892...
. After passing through Kellerton
Kellerton, Iowa
Kellerton is a city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States. The population was 372 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kellerton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Iowa 2 intersects Interstate 35
Interstate 35 in Iowa
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Interstate 35 runs north–south through the Des Moines area, parallel to US 65 and US 69. Segments of the Interstate Highway overlap with Interstate 80 and Iowa Highway 27, Iowa's designation for the Avenue of the Saints....
at Decatur City
Decatur City, Iowa
Decatur City is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 199 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Decatur City is located at ....
.
Iowa Highway 2 continues east through Decatur City and meets U.S. Highway 69 in Leon
Leon, Iowa
Leon is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Decatur County.The city is located near the Little River Lake Recreation Area...
. It continues east and intersects U.S. Highway 65 before entering Corydon
Corydon, Iowa
Corydon is a city in Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,585 in the 2010 census, a decline from 1,591 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County....
, where it intersects Iowa Highway 14. After passing through Promise City
Promise City, Iowa
Promise City is a city in Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 105 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Promise City is located at ....
, it goes through Centerville
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,528 in the 2010 census, a decline from 5,924 in the 2000 census. After the turn of the 20th century Centerville had a booming coal mining industry that attracted many European immigrants...
, where it intersects Iowa Highway 5. It later intersects Iowa Highway 202
Iowa Highway 202
Iowa Highway 202 is a short state highway in southern Iowa. The route begins at the Missouri state line, where it continues as Missouri Route 202, and ends at Iowa Highway 2 north of Moulton.-Route description:...
near Moulton
Moulton, Iowa
Moulton is a city in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 658 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Moulton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and then begins a concurrency with U.S. Highway 63 which ends in Bloomfield
Bloomfield, Iowa
Bloomfield is a city in Davis County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Davis County.-Geography:Bloomfield is located in the southeastern part of Iowa near the Missouri border....
.
After Bloomfield, Iowa Highway 2 turns southeasterly to pass through Pulaski
Pulaski, Iowa
Pulaski is a city in Davis County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.- Corn Show :The Pulaski Corn Show, held annually on a September weekend, is a citywide celebration with a parade.-Geography:...
, Milton
Milton, Iowa
Milton is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 550 at the 2000 census. The town was founded by settlers from Milton, Delaware in 1844.-Geography:Milton is located at ....
, and Cantril
Cantril, Iowa
Cantril is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 257 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cantril is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, then turns briefly northeast. It turns east, intersects Iowa Highway 1 south of Keosauqua
Keosauqua, Iowa
Keosauqua is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-History:...
, then turns southeast towards Farmington
Farmington, Iowa
Farmington is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 756 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Farmington is located at , on the east bank of Des Moines River....
. At Farmington, Iowa 2 meets Iowa Highway 81
Iowa Highway 81
Iowa Highway 81 is a state highway that runs from south to north in southeastern Iowa. It begins at the Missouri state line southwest of Farmington, where it continues as Missouri Route 81 and ends at Iowa Highway 2 in Farmington...
and crosses the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
. It continues east and meets U.S. Highway 218 and Iowa Highway 27 at Donnellson
Donnellson, Iowa
Donnellson is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 963 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Donnellson is located at ....
. From there, it then meets U.S. Highway 61 and they overlap into Fort Madison. At Fort Madison, the overlap ends and Iowa 2 ends when it crosses the Fort Madison Toll Bridge to enter Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Clarinda business loop
Iowa Highway 2 Business begins at the western edge of ClarindaClarinda, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,572 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,180 housing units, of which 1,928 were occupied....
on an old alignment of Iowa 2. It follows State Street east into Clarinda. At 16th Street (Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
Avenue), IA 2 Bus. heads south until its junction with US 71 Business. Both routes follow Washington Street east towards US 71. Iowa 2 Business follows US 71 south to IA 2 to complete the business loop.
History
The current Iowa Highway 2 was designated in 1920 as Primary Road No. 3 (PR No. 3). The 285 miles (458.7 km) long route connected Nebraska City, NebraskaNebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
, to Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
. PR No. 3 was overlaid upon the Waubonsie Trail from the Missouri River to Fort Madison
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, situated on the Mississippi River, is a city in and one of the county seats of Lee County, Iowa, United States. The other county seat is Keokuk. The population was 10,715 at the 2000 census...
. From Fort Madison, it overlappped the Mississippi Valley Scenic Highway, a precursor to the Great River Road
Great River Road
The Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal, and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States...
. By 1947, the route had been renumbered Iowa 2 and the section between Fort Madison and Burlington was no longer part of the route.
The segment west of Interstate 29 was constructed as an expressway in 1986 with the plan of connecting Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
with Interstate 29 using a divided highway.