What to Do When I-80 Closes in Iowa
The short answer
If your car is stuck on a closed I-80 in Iowa, call I-80 Roadside, Iowa at (319) 319-4889, 24/7: a tow starts from $124. For the current closure limits, check Iowa 511 first.
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
- Iowa 511 shows current I-80 closures: 511ia.org, 511 inside Iowa, or 800-288-1047 from elsewhere.
- On March 15, 2026, Iowa officials closed I-80 from mile 27 to 121 and from 142 to 240.
- A closure has no set reopening time, and crews clear snow and ice before traffic moves.
- Iowa DOT warns drivers never to enter a closed I-80 or go around its barricades or gates.
How much of I-80 a storm can close
On March 15, 2026, Iowa officials closed every lane of I-80 in both directions from mile marker 27 to mile 121. The west end was the I-880 interchange in Pottawattamie County; the east end was the Jordan Creek Parkway exit in West Des Moines. At 8:45 that evening they closed a second piece, from mile marker 142 near Altoona to mile marker 240 near Coralville. Iowa DOT gave the reason as rain on freezing pavement, heavy snow and blizzard whiteouts that would leave many roads impassable. Between them, the two closures took in nearly all of the mile 17-117 stretch and all of mile 143-237.
Early reports can be wrong. KCRG’s 7:58 p.m. report that day put the western end of the closure at mile marker 8 near Council Bluffs. Iowa DOT’s later update corrected it to mile 27. Read the current limits on 511, not in a report from an hour earlier.
I-80 closures in eastern Iowa
On Dec. 13, 2025, Iowa DOT closed I-80 in both directions from Coral Ridge Avenue (exit 240) to Plainview Road (exit 284). Severe winter weather and several crashes kept it shut for most of the day, and it reopened at 9 p.m. That closure took in exit 271 and the whole mile 259-284 stretch. Iowa DOT turned on barriers and shut every entrance ramp to I-80 at the crossing roads. It warned drivers never to enter a closed roadway or go around barricades or gates.
Further west, Iowa DOT called I-80 impassable both ways on Jan. 12, 2024. The impassable stretch ran from just west of the I-380 interchange by Iowa City to the western edge of Iowa County, near Victor. Drifting snow, ice and crashed vehicles caused it.
Where to wait out an I-80 closure
On March 15, 2026, Iowa DOT advised I-80 travelers to seek shelter in the Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Iowa City/Coralville areas. It advised against detouring onto roads other than freeways, which have very limited shelter and traveler services.
In the December 2025 closure, Iowa DOT said travelers already inside the closed section would be allowed to exit. People sheltering at rest areas could stay there unless Iowa DOT or law enforcement told them to move.
How long an I-80 closure lasts
No reopening time is set in advance. A closure lasts until conditions improve. Then crews need time to clear snow and ice, and law enforcement may have to remove stranded vehicles before traffic moves again. After the March 2026 blizzard, westbound I-80 between mile 27 and mile 121 reopened just after 9 a.m. on Monday, March 16. The eastbound lanes stayed closed until conditions improved.
Iowa DOT says its crews work around the clock on snow and ice, and the 511 map shows snowplow locations as they move. Its January 2024 notice warned that the impassable stretch could not be driven until conditions improved. It told anyone who had to travel to check road conditions and plow locations at 511ia.org.
How to check if I-80 is closed
Iowa 511 carries the closure limits as they change: 511ia.org on the web, 511 from any phone inside Iowa, and 800-288-1047 from anywhere else. Look before you get on I-80 in a storm. Look again before you leave a rest area or a truck stop to rejoin it.
High winds on I-80
Wind is the other hazard on these open miles. For trucks, trailers and RVs, Iowa DOT’s advice in high winds is extreme caution, lower speed, more following distance and, where possible, a later start.
Getting a tow when your car is stuck in an I-80 closure
If anyone is hurt, or you are stranded somewhere unsafe on a closed I-80, dial 911. If the car is in a ditch or will not move, call (319) 319-4889: we answer 24/7. Whether a tow truck can reach a car inside a closed section depends on the closure and on what law enforcement allows. So we tell you the timing and the price before anyone is sent.
Do not walk along a closed interstate to look for help. A winch-out on these miles starts from $130 and a tow from $124.
Questions about When I-80 closes
Is I-80 closed in Iowa right now?
Check Iowa 511 for today’s I-80 closures: 511ia.org, 511 from a phone inside Iowa, or 800-288-1047 from elsewhere. This page records past closures and cannot show current ones. If your car is already stuck behind the gates or in a ditch, call (319) 319-4889 for a tow.
Can I still get a tow when I-80 is closed?
It depends on the closure and on what law enforcement allows. We answer calls 24/7 during an I-80 closure, as on any other day. When you call, we check whether a tow truck can reach your spot. Then we tell you the timing and the price, from $124.
What happens to cars left on I-80 during a closure?
Before I-80 reopens, Iowa DOT says, law enforcement may need to remove stranded vehicles. Crews also need time to clear snow and ice, and no reopening time is set in advance. Booking your own tow, from $124, lets you decide where the car is taken once the road allows it.
Where should I wait out an I-80 closure in Iowa?
In the March 2026 blizzard, Iowa DOT advised I-80 travelers to shelter in the Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Iowa City/Coralville areas. It warned against detours onto roads other than freeways, which have very limited shelter. In December 2025 it let people sheltering at rest areas stay unless told to move.
How long do I-80 closures in Iowa last?
There is no set reopening time: a closure lasts until conditions improve, then crews clear snow and ice. After the March 15, 2026 blizzard, westbound I-80 between mile 27 and mile 121 reopened just after 9 a.m. on March 16. The Dec. 13, 2025 closure east of Coralville lifted at 9 p.m. the same day.