The Interstate 35/First Street interchange in Ankeny will begin reopening Thursday as part of a phased reopening that will finish in November. Work on the $63 million project began in November 2017. According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Transportation, the reopening will start with First Street and the entrance ramp to northbound I-35. It will continue with the exit ramp from northbound I-35 to First Street next week. The entrance ramp from First Street to southbound I-35 is scheduled to open the week of Oct. 5, and the southbound exit ramp from I-35 to First Street is scheduled to open in early November. All dates are weather permitting. The new diverging diamond interchange design improves safety by eliminating left-turn crashes, and reducing crashes by 46%, according to a national study published in the Transportation Research Record.