DES MOINES, Iowa — A busy corridor of I-35/80 in the western part of the Des Moines metro will experience some big changes Monday night that will force some drivers to detour their routes until mid-August.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will be closing the southbound/westbound on-ramp to the interstate at Hickman Avenue (Highway 6) and the southbound/westbound off-ramp to the interstate at University Avenue. The closure is slated to begin at 9:00 p.m. on Monday and last until August 19th, according to the DOT.

Traffic can use the marked detours.

The closures are being done to allow the ramps to be redone and for the addition of 36 feet of paving in the southbound/westbound lanes. The DOT says the extra paved area will make it possible to achieve the ultimate four-lane design, and lanes will be opened in their final configuration as they are able. All of the lanes are expected to be open in 2027.

A closure in May will overlap with this work and include the closure of the eastbound/northbound on-ramp to I-35/80 from Hickman Avenue and the eastbound/northbound off-ramp to Douglas Avenue. That begins on May 5th and will last for 100 days. Detours will be marked for drivers.