(Radio Iowa) – Gates have been used on the Interstate-35 in northern Iowa for many years to close the roadway during winter storms. They are now being installed across the state, including an area in central Iowa near one of the state’s fastest growing cities. The D-O-T’s Bob Ellis says a blizzard in February led to the decision to install five gates on the northbound I-35 ramps in Ankeny. “Was that we had multiple accidents just north of 36th Street between 36th and Huxley, where the interstate pretty much closed itself, so those gates would come in handy where we just don’t let any more people get onto the system,” Ellis says. He says they work with local law enforcement to figure out when things are bad enough to close the gates and cut off interstate access. Ellis says they started putting the gates along Interstate 80 last year, starting in Altoona and heading east all the way to Davenport.

“They have come in handy over east and a few of the larger accidents, even in the not winter season that we were able to close, one of the gates just so people wouldn’t get on anymore,” he says. “Like if we had a detour traffic. But there again, we work together with local law enforcement and our traffic management center to make those determinations.” Ellis says they don’t use the gates very often to close down the interstates. “There have to be some pretty big reasons to close them,” he says. Ellis says the gates are another tool in their toolbox in dealing with the heavy traffic issues in central Iowa.

The Iowa DOT is adding gates to northbound I-35 ramps in Ankeny, and on I-80 from Altoona east. (DOT photo)

“There’s probably times before that we could have used them down here that we didn’t have them. We just found a specific time here, especially with the the road construction between Ankeny and Des Moines, with the temporary barrier walls that are out there, those caused us more issues this winter with blowing snow where the snow wouldn’t just go across the road like in normal. It was getting piled up and stuff and causing visibility issues,” he says. “So we decided you know what, we’re in a situation here to let’s just put some gates down here in case we need them.”

Ellis says the gates don’t cost a lot to install and can really help keep from allowing more cars and people to get onto the interstate when there are bad conditions.