General notes on traffic and traveling in the Quad Cities:

  • In the Quad-Cities, the Mississippi River runs east to west not north to south.  This can throw some people off when given directions. 

  • Of the three interestates that cross the Mississippi river, I DO NOT recomend the I-74 bridge; it is narrow and does not have emergency stopping lanes.  One accident and you are in a traffic jam. 

from I-88 Traveling West:

Take I-88 until it ends at exit 1.  Take exit 1B which is I-80 West toward Des Moines.  You will be running along the eastern edge of the Quad Cities.  After crossing the Mississippi River, the highway will eventually turn west.  Take the Brady Street/ US 61 South exit (exit # 295A) towards Davenport. You will be heading south.  Brady Street is US 61. 

Follow US 61 south to Locust street.  This step sounds easy enoiugh but it involves several street name changes as the traffic flows through town. This maybe confusing if you are looking at the street signs. At I-80, US 61 is Brady St.  As it flows into town, US 61 South becomes a one way street and is now called Welcome Way.  Continue on US 61 South/Welcome Way.  Just past the Kimberly Road (US 6) intersection, Welcome Way gentle curves to the right and flows into Harrison Street. Continue on US 61 South/Harrison Street until Locust.  (Look for the Village Inn on the left and an Eye Clinic on the right.)

Turn RIGHT (west) on Locust Street.  Take Locust Street 2.1 miles and the fairgrounds will be on the left side of the street.  Turn left on Clark Street just after the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Clark Street Gate is a couple 100 yards from the intersection.

Google Map 

from US-61 Traveling South:

Follow US 61 south to Locust street.  This step sounds easy enoiugh but it involves several street name changes as the traffic flows through town. This maybe confusing if you are looking at the street signs. At I-80, US 61 is Brady St.  As it flows into town, US 61 South becomes a one way street and is now called Welcome Way.  Continue on US 61 South/Welcome Way.  Just past the Kimberly Road (US 6) intersection, Welcome Way gentle curves to the right and flows into Harrison Street. Continue on US 61 South/Harrison Street until Locust.  (Look for the Village Inn on the left and an Eye Clinic on the right.)

Turn RIGHT (west) on Locust Street.  Take Locust Street 2.1 miles and the fairgrounds will be on the left side of the street.  Turn left on Clark Street just after the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Clark Street Gate is a couple 100 yards from the intersection.

Google Map

 

from I-280 (either traveling west on I-80 or traveling east on I-80 or traveling north on I-74)

If your coming on I-80 traveling east (from Iowa City), exit onto I-280 (exit 290) south.  Take the Locust Street exit (exit 4) east or left towards Davenport/St. Ambrose University.

If your coming on I-80 traveling west (from Chicago Metro Area), I-280 will go straight (when I-80 exits to the right to by pass the Quad-Cities on the north side).  Take I-280 (22.1 miles) along the south side of the Quad-Cities where it will eventually turn north and cross the Mississippi River.  On the Iowa side, take the Locust Street exit (exit 4) east or right towards Davenport/St. Ambrose University. 

If your coming on I-74 from the south (from Peoria), take the I-280 west /I-74 exit (if you go straight, the highway becomes I-80 and will take you around the north side of the Quad-Cities).  Take I-280 (22.1 miles) along the south side of the Quad-Cities where it will eventually turn north and cross the Mississippi River.  On the Iowa side, take the Locust Street exit (exit 4) east or right towards Davenport/St. Ambrose University.  (Note: I recommend not follow I-74 north to avoid the I-74 bridge)
 
Once on Locust street, follow it east for about 3.3 miles.  Turn right on Clark Street just before the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Clark Street Gate is a couple 100 yards from the intersection.  

Google Map

From I-74 traveling South:

Exit Middle Road Bettendorf.  Go west. Middle Road, Bettendorf will turn into Locus Street, Davenport in about a block.  It is about 5 miles from this exit to the Mississippi Valley Fair Grounds, which will be on your left (south) side of Locus St.  Turn left on Clark Street just after the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Clark Street Gate is a couple 100 yards from the intersection.

Google Map

From I-74 traveling North: 

(you will have to cross on the I-74 bridge, see above warning): 
Once you get to the Quad Cities area, I-280 and I-74 are the same highway.  I-74 splits off from I-280 bisecting the Quad Cities where as I-280 runs the underbelly of the Quad-Cities from East to West before turning north crosing the Mississippi river.  I recommend that you follow I-280 rather than taking I-74 North becasue of the I-74 bridge which has no emergency lanes (One fender bender and traffic is tied up).  

if you still decide to take I-74 north, Exit Middle Road Bettendorf.  Go west. Middle Road, Bettendorf will turn into Locus Street, Davenport in about a block.  It is about 5 miles from this exit to the Mississippi Valley Fair Grounds, which will be on your left (south) side of Locus St.  Turn left on Clark Street just after the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Clark Street Gate is a couple 100 yards from the intersection.