^Looking west from Iowa 15 in Armstrong, May 2022,
Iowa Route 9 is an important east-west highway across Iowa, spanning the northernmost row of counties in the state. It runs from South Dakota to Wisconsin, serving as the main east-west route through virtually all of Iowa's northernmost counties. The western end is actually along the short east-west section of the border between South Dakota and Iowa; northwest of the border crossing, Iowa Route 9 becomes South Dakota Highway 42, a highway bound for Sioux Falls. The eastern end of Iowa Route 9 is a bridge across the Mississippi River into Wisconsin, where the road becomes Wisconsin Highway 82. That eastern terminus is at the town of Lansing, Iowa. Iowa Route 9 connects many of northern Iowa's towns, like Rock Rapids, Estherville, Armstrong, Forest City, Spirit Lake, and Decorah.
My photo of Iowa Route 9 comes from its junction with the expressway carrying Iowa Route 60, near Sibley, Iowa. The aperture faced west as this photo was taken, situated in the northeast quadrant of the interchange. The sign assembly notifies westbound traffic on Iowa Route 9 that the turn to the southbound onramp is just ahead, beyond the underpass. I took this photo in September 2019, as part of the northern Iowa trip.
Here is a bunch of additional photos taken along Iowa Route 9:
Here is a bunch of additional photos taken along Iowa Route 9:
Eastbound travelers encounter this junction at the northern end of Iowa 182, where Iowa 9 turns left to resume heading eastward.
Iowa 9 parts with US Route 75 after a short east-west concurrency near Rock Rapids. This signage faces east at westbound drivers.
On its westbound journey, Iowa 9 meets an interchange with Iowa 60 near Sibley.
Eastbound travelers on Iowa 9 reach the east end of the state highway's concurrency with US Route 169, near Lakota.
Farther east along Iowa 9's journey toward the east, Iowa 15 joins from the south in Armstrong, for a short concurrency.
Iowa 15 splits with Iowa 9 farther east in Armstrong.
Eastbound motorists on Iowa 9 encounter US Route 69 for the first time. The two routes join southward through Leland.
Looking east along Iowa 9 in Riceville.
Heading east on Iowa 9 as it crosses US Route 63 south of Lime Springs.
Iowa 9 continues eastward through Cresco, where it meets the south end of Iowa 139.
Iowa 9 goes as far east as it can go within the state of Iowa, turning north in Lansing to access Iowa 26 and a bridge helping travelers continues east across the Mississippi River into Wisconsin.
Looking north at the point where travelers can turn eastward onto the bridge into Wisconsin. This shows the end marker for Iowa 9.
Looking west at signage where Iowa 9 meets Iowa 26 and the bridge eastward into Wisconsin. In other words, this is the signage seen by westward drivers deposited from the bridge into Iowa.
Looking east at the bridge carrying travelers across the Mississippi River out of Lansing, Iowa, and into Wisconsin.