Iowa Highway 122
Encyclopedia
Iowa Highway 122 is an east–west route in Cerro Gordo County
which connects the county's two largest cities, Clear Lake
and Mason City
. The length of the highway is 12 miles (19.3 km). Much of the route is constructed as a four-lane expressway
with at-grade intersections.
with Interstate 35
on the eastern edge of Clear Lake. The route, overlapped
by U.S. Route 18 Business, begins as a four-lane divided highway, serving the Mason City Municipal Airport
before entering Mason City proper. Between Eisenhower and Jefferson Avenues in Mason City the highway is undivided. This road is the primary east–west artery through Mason City.
At Jefferson Avenue, Iowa 122 separates into a pair of one-way streets, remaining in this configuration through the downtown area where the Park Inn Hotel
, one of Frank Lloyd Wright
's few commercial buildings, resides. Iowa 122 intersects U.S. Route 65 at Federal Street. US 18 Business turns to the south to follow US 65. The one-way streets rejoin at Massachusetts Avenue forming an undivided four-lane road. The Iowa 122 designation ends at the eastern city limits of Mason City, just beyond North Iowa Area Community College
.
project. The bypassed segment of US 18 was designated as Iowa Highway 122.
Highway 122 originally incorporated all of the bypassed segment of US 18. Highway 122's original eastern terminus was at Rudd
, at the junction with Floyd County Road T26. In 2000, a new segment of Highway 122 opened east of Rudd, connecting 122 with 18 directly. In 2001, the segment between Nora Springs
and Rudd was turned over to Floyd County
. In 2003, the segment between Mason City and Nora Springs was turned over to Cerro Gordo County.
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 44,151 in the county, with a population density of . There were 22,163 housing units, of which 19,350 were occupied.-2000 census:...
which connects the county's two largest cities, Clear Lake
Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,161 at the 2000 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related businesses. Clear Lake is also a major stop on Interstate...
and Mason City
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
. The length of the highway is 12 miles (19.3 km). Much of the route is constructed as a four-lane expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
with at-grade intersections.
Route description
Iowa Highway 122 begins at a diamond interchangeDiamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
with Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
on the eastern edge of Clear Lake. The route, overlapped
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...
by U.S. Route 18 Business, begins as a four-lane divided highway, serving the Mason City Municipal Airport
Mason City Municipal Airport
Mason City Municipal Airport is a public airport located in the northern part of Lake Township, five miles west of the central business district of Mason City and just northeast of Clear Lake, both cities in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA. The airport covers and has two runways...
before entering Mason City proper. Between Eisenhower and Jefferson Avenues in Mason City the highway is undivided. This road is the primary east–west artery through Mason City.
At Jefferson Avenue, Iowa 122 separates into a pair of one-way streets, remaining in this configuration through the downtown area where the Park Inn Hotel
Park Inn Hotel
Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank are two adjacent commercial buildings located in downtown Mason City, Iowa which were designed in the Prairie School style by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Completed in 1910, the Park Inn Hotel is the last remaining Frank Lloyd Wright designed...
, one of Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
's few commercial buildings, resides. Iowa 122 intersects U.S. Route 65 at Federal Street. US 18 Business turns to the south to follow US 65. The one-way streets rejoin at Massachusetts Avenue forming an undivided four-lane road. The Iowa 122 designation ends at the eastern city limits of Mason City, just beyond North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
The North Iowa Area Community College is a community college in Mason City, Iowa.-History:NIACC began as Mason City Junior College in 1918, becoming the first public two-year college in Iowa. The first year there were 28 students, six instructors, and five fields of study under Principal James Rae...
.
History
Prior to 1999, the road currently designated as Highway 122 was a segment of U.S. Route 18. In that year, the state completed work on a new freeway segment of US 18, bypassing Mason City. This bypass was part of the Avenue of the SaintsAvenue of the Saints
The Avenue of the Saints is a highway in the Midwestern United States that connects St. Paul, Minnesota, and St. Louis, Missouri.-Missouri:Within Missouri, the Avenue of the Saints is Interstate 64, U.S...
project. The bypassed segment of US 18 was designated as Iowa Highway 122.
Highway 122 originally incorporated all of the bypassed segment of US 18. Highway 122's original eastern terminus was at Rudd
Rudd, Iowa
Rudd is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 369 at the 2010 census a decline of 69, or 14.4%, from 431 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rudd is located at ....
, at the junction with Floyd County Road T26. In 2000, a new segment of Highway 122 opened east of Rudd, connecting 122 with 18 directly. In 2001, the segment between Nora Springs
Nora Springs, Iowa
Nora Springs is a city in Cerro Gordo and Floyd Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, along the Shell Rock River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,532....
and Rudd was turned over to Floyd County
Floyd County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,303 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,526 housing units, of which 6,886 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. In 2003, the segment between Mason City and Nora Springs was turned over to Cerro Gordo County.
Previous designation
- From 1924 to 1960, this number was used for a no-longer-designated highway along Marquette, Locust, and Division Streets, between River Drive and Kimberly Road, in western DavenportDavenport, IowaDavenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
.