BUSINESS
NORTH End: Interchange, US 63, Wapello County
Facing north on Business 63/149
There is no "End Business 63" signage. The mileage sign is in all-caps, standard for cross roads at Iowa interchanges, but the all-caps Clearview had only been seen a couple of places before the Ottumwa bypass opened.
Facing north on Business 63/149
Back in 1997, when US 63 was rerouted and IA 149 extended, the DOT made the provision for 149 to eventually be extended southward along 63's route to US 34. On November 19, 2007, that became a reality. This makes Business 63 somewhat of a rarity, as the entire route is both still state-maintained and co-signed with other numbers.
Facing north on Business 63
The gigantic 63 and 149 shields at the interchange before the bypass opened were kept afterward; the big 149 is in the background.
Facing east, but heading south, on 63
To see pictures of the signs here before the bypass opened, see the IA 149 South page.
Surrounding area information: Junction US 34/South end of IA 149
Facing west on 34
The business route is posted along 34, probably made easier by adding "Business" markers above the existing shields.
Facing north on 63
Facing west, but heading north, on 63
SOUTH End: Traffic circle/roundabout, US 34, Ottumwa, Wapello County
Facing north on 63
The intersection of 34 and 63 was a complex set of stop signs for 40 years until a new intersection was built in 2006. For about a year, including the time these pictures were taken, 63 still followed its old route through Ottumwa. This, then, probably marks the first location where Clearview signs replaced signs that were already in Clearview. After I traveled the 63 bypass on the day it opened, workers were still putting up new signs on eastbound 34. New northbound 63 goes northeast with eastbound 34 instead of northwest with westbound 34.
All pictures by me: First-seventh (including split), 11/19/07; eighth-tenth, 7/16/08; eleventh and twelfth, 5/14/07
Page created 1/27/08; last updated 12/22/08
