^Looking north from the western split from US Route 30, west of Cedar Rapids, May 2022.
US Route 218, in Iowa, runs from the southeastern corner of the state to north-central portions of the state. For most of its time in Iowa, US Route 218 is either directly involved in the Avenue of the Saints expressway (Iowa Route 27), or it's following a route similar to it. The southern end of US Route 218 is at US Route 136 in Keokuk, the town in Iowa's very southeast corner. From there, US Route 218 heads northwest to join Iowa Route 27 near Donnellson. This puts US Route 218 on the Avenue of the Saints expressway, northward past Mount Pleasant to Iowa City. At Iowa City (Coralville, technically), US Route 218 and Iowa Route 27 pick up a new designation of Interstate 380 as they cross Interstate 80. At Cedar Rapids, US Route 218 trades its concurrency along Interstate 380 and Iowa Route 27 for a concurrency westward along US Route 30's freeway. About 15 miles to the west, US Route 218 continues north as its own two-lane surface road through Vinton and La Porte City. It then reaches its next destination, Waterloo, where it picks up the northernmost mile of Interstate 380 as it crosses US Route 20. As Interstate 380 fizzles out in downtown Waterloo, US Route 218 continues through town, meeting Iowa Routes 57 and 58 at an interchange in Cedar Falls. Once again, US Route 218 is concurrent with Iowa Route 27 and the Avenue of the Saints past this point. At Charles City, US Route 18's westbound journey joins along, and soon after, US Route 218 leaves Iowa Route 27 with that westward highway. US Route 218's remaining time in Iowa is spent zigzagging northward and westward to the Minnesota border, by way of Osage and St. Ansgar. At Lyle, Minnesota, US Route 218 meets the state line and departs from the state of Iowa.
My photo of US Route 218 comes from a southbound onramp to the Avenue of the Saints from Iowa Route 92. This is part of an interchange east of Washington, Iowa. In this area, US Route 218 is concurrent with Iowa Route 27, the numerical designation for the Avenue of the Saints that connects St. Paul, Minnesota, with St. Louis, Missouri. The signage here faces north at the start of the onramp. This photo was taken on the first day of the eastern Iowa trip that occurred between June 30 and July 1, 2017.
Below, you will see many more photos taken along US Route 218 in Iowa. For the portion of US Route 218 concurrent with Interstate 380, see the Interstate 380 page.
Below, you will see many more photos taken along US Route 218 in Iowa. For the portion of US Route 218 concurrent with Interstate 380, see the Interstate 380 page.
US Route 218's southern end marker at US Route 136 in Keokuk.
US Route 218 heads northward from its southern end at US Route 136 in Keokuk.
US Route 218's exit to Iowa 2 near Donnellson.
US Route 218, heading down the Avenue of the Saints (Iowa 27), meets Iowa 16 near Houghton, Iowa.
Southbound US Route 218 at the southern extent of its concurrency with US Route 34 in Mount Pleasant.
Looking south where US Route 218 joins US Route 34 to the south and east at Mount Pleasant.
This photo looks south at the junction where US Route 218 meets Iowa 78, at the tiny town of Olds.
Northbound US Route 218 approaches the junction in Vinton where it splits off to the southern start of Iowa 150.
A jog west from Vinton interrupts US Route 218's otherwise northward progression; as US Route 150 bends back toward the north, it meets the eastern end of Iowa 8.
US Route 218 approaches an interchange with Iowa 57 and Iowa 58 from the north. At this interchange, the southward US Route 218 exits toward the east into Waterloo, while Iowa 27 continues south onto the Iowa 58 expressway. Iowa 57 also begins here, and heads west into Cedar Falls and beyond.
US Route 218 moving southward out of Minnesota over the Iowa state line.