Iowa Highway 3
# Iowa Highway 3

Iowa Highway 3 (Iowa 3) is a state highway that runs from east to west across the state of Iowa. It is the longest state highway in Iowa, at 323 miles (520 km) long. Iowa 3 begins at the South Dakota state line where it continues as South Dakota Highway 50 and ends at the Northwest Arterial at the Dubuque city limits. It is designated the American Veterans Memorial Highway for its entirety. It is located approximately halfway between Interstate 80 and Interstate 90.

## Route description

Iowa 3 runs for 323 miles (520 km) across the northern third of the state, roughly midway between US 18 to the north and US 20 to the south. All of Iowa 3 east of Le Mars has been listed on the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.

Iowa 3 begins at the Big Sioux River where it continues west into South Dakota as South Dakota Highway 50. Shortly after entering Iowa, the highway intersects Iowa 12. Iowa 3 traffic turns north onto Iowa 12 and the two highways travel together toward Akron. There, the two highways split as Iowa 3 heads east toward Le Mars where it meets U.S. Highway 75 (US 75) and its business route. The highway continues east toward Remsen and Marcus where it meets Iowa 140 and Iowa 143 in each respective town. At Cherokee, the highway intersects US 59 and skirts the northeastern edge of town. North of Aurelia, Iowa 3 meets Iowa 7. Northeast of Truesdale, Iowa 3 intersects US 71.

Continuing east, Iowa 3 intersects Iowa 4 in Pocahontas. Between Pocahontas and Gilmore City, Iowa 3 meets Iowa 15. Iowa 3 intersects US 169 in Humboldt. East of Humboldt, Iowa 3 is overlapped briefly by Iowa 17 near Goldfield. Iowa 3 overlaps US 69 east of Clarion. Between Latimer and Coulter, Iowa 3 meets I-35 at a diamond interchange. East of that interchange in Hampton, Iowa 3 intersects US 65. At Allison, Iowa 3 is briefly overlapped by Iowa 14. Iowa 3 meets Iowa 188 south of Clarksville.

West of Waverly, Iowa 3 intersects US 218 / Iowa 27, the Avenue of the Saints highway, at an interchange. Through Waverly, Iowa 3 is overlapped by US 218 Business before that route turns south to rejoin US 218. Just north of Denver, Iowa 3 intersects US 63 at a diamond interchange. At Oelwein, Iowa 3 overlaps Iowa 150 before continuing east towards Iowa 187. From Strawberry Point to near Edgewood, Iowa 3 overlaps Iowa 13. East of Edgewood, Iowa 3 enters the Driftless Area, where the terrain changes markedly from gently rolling farmland to steep bluffs; the intersection with Iowa 38 is located on the edge of the Driftless Area. At Luxemburg, Iowa 3 meets US 52 and Iowa 136. The next 22 miles (35 km), from Luxemburg to Sageville, are particularly curvy because of the terrain. At the city limits between Sageville and Dubuque, Iowa 3 ends at the Northwest Arterial, which carried Iowa 32 prior to 2020.

## History

### Original Iowa 3

    Now known as Iowa Highway 2; that road was renumbered in 1939

### Current Iowa 3 (as routed in 1920)

    No. 12 – Westfield to Akron
    No. 27 – Akron to Le Mars
    No. 5 – Le Mars to near Aurelia
    Gap between Aurelia and Pocahontas
    No. 10 – Pocahontas to Strawberry Point
    No. 13 – Strawberry Point to near Edgewood
    Gap between Edgewood and Luxemburg
    No. 20 – Luxemburg to Dubuque

### Designated Iowa 3 on May 15, 1945

    Extended to SD 50 in 1949
    Overlapped by Iowa 5 until 1969
    Rerouted through Dubuque due to reconstruction of US 61/US 151

### Dubuque changes

    SW Arterial constructed
    US 52 rerouted
    Iowa 3 ends at NW Arterial

This is the second state highway to be designated Iowa 3. The first Iowa 3 existed from 1920 to 1941, and was an east–west route across the southern part of Iowa, beginning at Fort Madison and ending at the western border of Iowa near Nebraska City, Nebraska. The current Iowa 3 route was designated in 1945.

Originally extending from Iowa 12 in Akron to Dubuque, Iowa 3 was co-signed with Iowa 5 from Akron to near Aurelia. In 1949, Iowa 3 was extended along Iowa 12 from Akron to its current western end at the Big Sioux River.

Prior to the building of a four lane US 61 / US 151, the eastern end of Iowa 3 was at the intersection of Bluff Street and U.S. Route 20, Dodge Street.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Big Sioux River | Big Sioux River | 0.000 | 0.000 | SD 50 west – Vermillion | Continuation into South Dakota |
| South Dakota–Iowa state line ||
| Plymouth | Westfield Township | 1.479 | 2.380 | Iowa 12 south – Sioux City | Western end of Iowa 12 overlap |
| Plymouth | Akron | 6.214 | 10.000 | Iowa 12 north (Loess Hills Scenic Byway) – Hawarden | Eastern end of Iowa 12 overlap |
| Plymouth | Johnson Township | 17.617 | 28.352 | CR K22 – Sioux City | Former Iowa 7 |
| Plymouth | America Township | 26.061 | 41.941 | US 75 / US 75 Bus. begins – Alton, Sioux City | Western end of US 75 Business overlap |
| Plymouth | Le Mars | 27.618 | 44.447 | US 75 Bus. north (5th Avenue West) | Eastern end of US 75 Business overlap; former US 75 |
| Plymouth | Remsen | 38.987 | 62.743 | Iowa 140 south / CR L14 north – Kingsley | |
| Cherokee | Marcus | 47.011 | 75.657 | Iowa 143 north / CR L36 south to US 20 – Marcus | |
| Cherokee | Cherokee Township | 60.441 | 97.270 | US 59 – Cherokee, Primghar | |
| Cherokee | Cherokee Township | 63.110 | 101.566 | CR C38 – Cherokee | Former Iowa 977 |
| Cherokee | Afton Township | 66.481 | 106.991 | Iowa 7 east – Aurelia | |
| Buena Vista | Scott–Lincoln township line | 81.508 | 131.174 | US 71 – Storm Lake, Spencer | |
| Buena Vista | Fairfield Township | 91.576 | 147.377 | CR N14 – Albert City | Former Iowa 197 |
| Pocahontas | Pocahontas | 106.208 | 170.925 | Iowa 4 – Pomeroy, Mallard | |
| Pocahontas | Garfield–Lake township line | 113.208 | 182.191 | Iowa 15 north / CR N65 south – Rolfe, Manson | |
| Humboldt | Humboldt | 129.190 | 207.911 | US 169 – Fort Dodge, Algona | |
| Humboldt | Lake–Norway township line | 138.203 | 222.416 | CR P66 – Thor | Former Iowa 302 |
| Humboldt–Wright county line | Lake–Liberty township line | 142.198 | 228.845 | Iowa 17 north – Renwick | Western end of Iowa 17 overlap |
| Wright | Goldfield | 145.054 | 233.442 | Iowa 17 south – Eagle Grove | Eastern end of Iowa 17 overlap |
| Wright | Grant–Lincoln township line | 159.210 | 256.224 | US 69 south – Jewell | Western end of US 69 overlap |
| Wright | Grant–Iowa township line | 161.100 | 259.265 | US 69 north – Belmond | Eastern end of US 69 overlap |
| Wright | Rowan | 164.382 | 264.547 | CR R65 | Former Iowa 353 |
| Franklin | Scott Township | 168.170 | 270.643 | CR S14 – Alexander, Meservey | Former Iowa 107 |
| Franklin | Scott Township | 172.284 | 277.264 | I-35 – Des Moines, Minneapolis | I-35 exit 165 |
| Franklin | Marion Township | 176.674 | 284.329 | CR S25 – Coulter, Latimer | Former Iowa 263 |
| Franklin | Hampton | 182.279 | 293.350 | US 65 – Iowa Falls, Mason City | |
| Butler | West Point Township | 197.759 | 318.262 | CR T24 – Bristow | Former Iowa 326 |
| Butler | Allison | 202.515 | 325.916 | Iowa 14 north – Greene | Western end of Iowa 14 overlap |
| Butler | Allison | 203.521 | 327.535 | Iowa 14 south – Parkersburg | Eastern end of Iowa 14 overlap |
| Butler | Butler Township | 210.010 | 337.978 | Iowa 188 north – Clarksville | |
| Bremer | Washington Township | 217.384 | 349.846 | US 218 / Iowa 27 – Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Charles City | |
| Bremer | Waverly | 219.880 | 353.863 | US 218 Bus. north (20th Street West) | Western end of US 218 Business overlap |
| Bremer | Waverly | 220.870 | 355.456 | US 218 Bus. south (Easton Avenue) | Eastern end of US 218 Business overlap |
| Bremer | Jefferson Township | 228.161 | 367.190 | US 63 – Denver, New Hampton | |
| Bremer | Maxfield Township | 233.693 | 376.092 | Quarter Avenue – Readlyn | Former Iowa 241 |
| Fayette | Jefferson Township | 249.711 | 401.871 | Iowa 150 north – Maynard | Western end of Iowa 150 overlap |
| Fayette | Oelwein | 252.232 | 405.928 | Iowa 150 south – Independence | Eastern end of Iowa 150 overlap |
| Fayette | Putnam Township | 266.048– 266.070 | 428.163– 428.198 | Iowa 187 – Arlington, Lamont | Roundabout; former Iowa 154 |
| Clayton | Strawberry Point | 271.771 | 437.373 | Iowa 13 north – Elkader | Western end of Iowa 13 overlap |
| Clayton | Cass Township | 273.414 | 440.017 | CR W68 – Backbone State Park | Former Iowa 410 |
| Clayton–Delaware county line | Lodomillo–Honey Creek township line | 277.512 | 446.612 | Iowa 13 south – Manchester | Eastern end of Iowa 13 overlap |
| Delaware | Elk Township | 284.102 | 457.218 | Iowa 38 south – Greeley | |
| Dubuque | Luxemburg | 300.344 | 483.357 | US 52 / Iowa 136 south (Andre Street) – Dyersville, Guttenberg | Former western end of US 52 overlap |
| Dubuque | Sageville | | | CR C9Y (Sherrill Road) / Great River Road south | Western end of Great River Road overlap |
| Dubuque | Sageville | 321.436 | 517.301 | CR D10 (John Deere Road West) | Former Iowa 386 |
| Dubuque | Sageville–Dubuque line | 322.922 | 519.693 | Northwest Arterial / CR Y35 (John Deere Road South) | Former Iowa 32 and Iowa 386 |
| Dubuque | Dubuque | 325.335 | 523.576 | Rhomberg Avenue | Former US 61 / US 151 |
| Dubuque | Dubuque | 326.263 | 525.069 | US 52 south / US 61 / US 151 / Great River Road | Former eastern end |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Closed/former Concurrency terminus ||||||
