24/7 Towing & Roadside Help in Grinnell, Iowa
I-80 Roadside, Iowa answers (319) 319-4889 24/7 for tows in Grinnell and from I-80 exit 182 south of town; towing starts at $124 and a lockout at $85.
I-80 calls answered 24/7. You agree to the price and timing before anyone rolls out.
- Towing from $124.
- Jump start from $85.
- Car lockout from $85.
- Flat tire change from $98.
Prices start at the amounts shown. Availability, the hour, the miles involved, the weather and the vehicle type can add to them. The final price is settled on the call, before anyone heads out to you.
Tell us which way you were heading on I-80 and the nearest exit or mile marker.
Key takeaways
- A tow in Grinnell or from I-80 exit 182 starts at $124, 24/7.
- Exit 182 is about 3.4 miles south of central Grinnell on West Street.
- In a Grinnell snow emergency, cars left on streets or alleys may be towed.
- Tell us a street address, a cross street or the rail crossing near you.
Highways and rail through Grinnell
Three highways serve Grinnell. I-80 runs toward Des Moines and Davenport, US 6 toward Des Moines and Iowa City, and Iowa 146 toward Le Grand and New Sharon. The town's I-80 exit is exit 182, Iowa 146, at mile 182.2, south of town.
Two freight railroads cross at a diamond in Grinnell. One is the Iowa Interstate Railroad mainline, with about two trains a day. The other is Union Pacific's Oskaloosa Subdivision, with about three. A rail crossing near you makes a good landmark to give us. Grinnell is in Poweshiek County, with ZIP codes 50112 and 50177 and about 9,495 people in the Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.
Rest areas and overnight parking
On I-80, Iowa DOT's Grinnell rest areas, one for each direction, sit at milepost 180. They are two miles west of the Iowa 146 exit. In town, the city keeps two public parking lots downtown. Its downtown resident parking area is for permit holders only from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., so check the signs before you leave a car overnight.
Getting a tow in Grinnell
For emergencies, call 911. The Grinnell Police Department is at 1020 Spring Street, with office hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It lists its dispatch line as (641) 623-5679.
To get the car moved or started, call us at (319) 319-4889. In town, a street address, a cross street or the nearest rail crossing tells us where you are. On I-80, say exit 182, which Grinnell rest area you are in or the mile marker, and your direction. We quote the price and timing on the call. Wait belted in with the hazards on, or behind the guardrail if you have to leave the car.
Grinnell snow emergency towing
When Grinnell declares a snow emergency, parking is banned on all city streets and alleys. The ban lasts until the emergency expires, or until the snow has stopped and the street is cleared to its full width. The city warns that vehicles left on a street, in an alley or in a city lot without a city parking permit may be towed at the owner's expense. Its snow emergency hotline, 641-236-9427, plays a recorded message saying whether one is in effect.
Outside the city limits, Poweshiek County's truck plows and spreaders do not normally run between 4 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. Its winter road policy also says the county does not aim for dry pavement.
Grinnell College lots and I-80 closures
On the Grinnell College campus, Campus Safety enforces parking in college-owned lots. Parking on city streets is the City of Grinnell's job. Under college policy, vehicles with three or more unpaid campus tickets are subject to towing.
On I-80, the March 15, 2026 blizzard closure took in Grinnell's exit. It ran from mile marker 142 near Altoona to mile marker 240 near Coralville. If the interstate shuts while you are in town, read what to do when I-80 closes before heading out.
Tow prices in Grinnell
In Grinnell, towing is from $124 and a winch-out from $130. A flat tire change is from $98, a jump start from $85, a car lockout from $85 and a fuel delivery from $85. Police and impound tows, snow-emergency tows included, are set by the city and paid by the owner.
Dead batteries and county ditches
Grinnell's January normal low is 10.2°F, by NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for the Grinnell station. That is cold enough to finish off a weak battery. If the battery will not take a charge after a jump, a new one is priced on the call.
On Poweshiek County roads outside town, a slide into a ditch the plows have not reached calls for a winch-out. We quote one when the car can be reached safely from the road.
Questions about Grinnell
Can I get a tow in Grinnell in the middle of the night?
Yes. Call (319) 319-4889 at any hour, and we send a tow truck in Grinnell or to I-80 exit 182. Towing starts at $124, and you get the final price before anyone is sent. For a crash or an injury, call 911 first, then call us once everyone is safe.
Will my car be towed in a Grinnell snow emergency?
It can be. During a declared snow emergency, parking is banned on all city streets and alleys. Cars left on a street, in an alley or in a city lot without a permit may be towed at the owner's expense. The hotline, 641-236-9427, tells you whether an emergency is on.
Can my car be towed from a Grinnell College lot?
Yes, under college policy, once it has three or more unpaid campus tickets. Campus Safety enforces the college-owned lots, while city streets fall under the City of Grinnell. If you are locked out or stuck with a dead battery in one, a lockout there starts at $85.
How far is Grinnell from I-80?
About 3.4 miles from central Grinnell to the Iowa 146 interchange at exit 182. The drive runs south on West Street and takes roughly 6 minutes in normal conditions. That estimate comes from an OSRM route computed in November 2026; snow or traffic can stretch it.
Can I park overnight downtown in Grinnell?
Check the signs first. The city keeps two public parking lots downtown, but its downtown resident parking area is for permit holders only from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. During a snow emergency, a car in a city lot without a city parking permit may be towed at the owner's expense.