Softball fans face detours

Intersection job south of sports complex prompts changes

Fort Dodge is preparing to welcome up to 30,000 people next week for the Iowa Girls High Athletic Union's state softball tournament.

All of the fans and teams will be converging on the community at a time when there is a lot of road work underway.

Construction at an intersection just south of Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex will force people who would typically head to the sports complex on 170th Street to take detours.

The intersection of Nelson Avenue and 170th Street is being converted to a roundabout.

The intersection remains open to northbound and southbound traffic. That means anyone heading to the sports complex from Fort Dodge can drive north on 15th Street and Nelson Avenue.

But 170th Street is closed on both sides of the intersection.

The City of Fort Dodge and Visit Fort Dodge are publicizing these detours for people who would approach the sports complex via 170th Street.

For those coming from the west

Traffic on 170th Street from U.S. Highway 169 will have to turn north on Orchard Road.

That traffic will take Orchard Road north to 160th Street. At the intersection of 160th Street and Nelson Avenue, traffic can turn south on Nelson Avenue to reach the main entrance of the sports complex.

Traffic can also continue east on 160th Street to the new parking lot on the east side of the sports complex.

For those coming from the east

Drivers who want to approach the sports complex area on 170th Street from the east will instead have to go north on Paragon Avenue to 160th Street.

At the intersection of Paragon Avenue and 160th Street, they will have to turn west onto 160th Street. From there, the options are going to the new parking lot or heading to Nelson Avenue and the main entrance.

The intersection of Second Avenue North and 15th Street will be rebuilt, but city officials say no work will be done there until July 27. The tournament will be over by that day.