I-235 and the Mixmasters (I-35/I-80): Towing and Roadside Help
On I-235 and at the two Mixmasters where it meets I-35/I-80, Des Moines Roadside Rescue tows from $124 and answers (515) 585-8351 24/7. Name the Mixmaster, west at exit 123 or east at exit 137, the ramp you were on and your direction.
Answered day and night, 24/7. Hear the price and the timing, say yes, and help is dispatched.
Tell us the road, the nearest exit or mile marker, or the cross street where you stopped.
Each price is a starting price. Availability, late hours, the distance, the weather and the vehicle can raise it. You get the final number on the call, before anything is set in motion.
Prices updated November 2026.
Key takeaways
- A tow off I-235 or a Mixmaster ramp starts from $124.
- The West Mixmaster is I-80 exit 123; the East Mixmaster is exit 137.
- The eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80 ramp is due to reopen at 6 a.m. on December 9, 2026.
- Tell us your direction, the last exit sign or overpass street, and main line or ramp.
West Mixmaster (exit 123) and East Mixmaster (exit 137)
I-235 runs through Des Moines between two big interchanges on the shared I-35/I-80 freeway. From west to east:
- Exit 123 is the West Mixmaster in West Des Moines, where I-35, I-80 and I-235 meet. 123A is I-235 east into Des Moines, signed as I-35 exit 72A westbound. 123B is I-35 south toward Kansas City and the Des Moines airport (I-35 exit 72B).
- Exit 137 is the East Mixmaster, where I-35 splits north toward Minneapolis and I-235 heads west into Des Moines. 137A is I-235, a left exit for westbound traffic, and 137B is I-35.
Between them, I-35 and I-80 run together for 14 miles around the north side of the city. Iowa DOT's construction pages call the two interchanges the Southwest Mixmaster and the Northeast Mixmaster.
Where I-80 splits from I-235 at the West Mixmaster
At the West Mixmaster, eastbound I-80 leaves the freeway on a flyover ramp to northbound I-35. The lanes that carry straight on become eastbound I-235. A driver who stays in the through lanes there ends up on I-235 heading into Des Moines, not on I-80. If you stop after that split, the road name matters: say I-235 eastbound, or the flyover to I-35, and we can place you.
Broken down on I-235: waiting safely in heavy traffic
I-235 averages about 94,800 vehicles a day, about 6% of them trucks, by Iowa DOT's 2025 traffic counts. If the car quits on I-235 itself, let it roll onto the right shoulder while it still can. Switch the hazards on and stay in your seat with the belt fastened. With that much traffic going by, the car is the safer place to sit unless you can step well away behind the guardrail. A car stuck in a live lane, a crash or anyone hurt is a 911 call first.
Southwest Mixmaster rebuild and ramp closures through 2029
Iowa DOT's $114.5 million Southwest Mixmaster project rebuilds the 1960s I-35/80/235 interchange. The work runs from north of University Avenue to the Ashworth Road overpass, and on I-80/235 from 60th Street to Valley West Drive. It adds flyover bridges from southbound I-35/80 to eastbound I-235 and westbound I-80. Construction starts in late 2026 and runs in stages through 2029. The ramp closures announced so far:
- Spring 2027 through 2029: the University Avenue entrance ramp to southbound I-35/westbound I-80.
- April to November 2028: the northbound I-35 to eastbound I-235 ramp.
- April 2028 to July 2029: the westbound I-235 to southbound I-35 ramp.
Northeast Mixmaster work and the I-235 to I-80 ramp closure
In 2026 the Northeast Mixmaster project moved eastbound I-80 traffic onto the old westbound lanes. The eastbound lanes and their bridges over Fourmile Creek and NE 29th Street are being rebuilt. The NE 38th Street bridge over I-80 has been closed since December 2, 2024.
The eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80 ramp closed at 8 p.m. on November 1, 2026. It is due to reopen at 6 a.m. on December 9, while crews connect ramps to the new eastbound I-80 pavement. If the car breaks down on the marked detour until then, tell us which road you were sent along.
Stopping on a Mixmaster ramp
- If the car still moves, keep going to the end of the ramp or the next exit; a Mixmaster ramp is a poor place to wait.
- If it stops on the ramp, steer as far right as the ramp allows, turn the hazards on and stay in the car with your belt on.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt or you are blocking a lane. Then tell us which ramp you are on, from which road to which.
Tow, jump start and fuel prices on I-235
A tow off I-235 or a Mixmaster ramp starts from $124. A jump start on the I-235 shoulder is from $85, and a spare-tire change is from $98. If the car ran dry in a Northeast Mixmaster backup, fuel delivery is from $85 plus the fuel. Distance to the shop, the hour, the weather and the vehicle can raise the price.
When you reach (515) 585-8351, three details place you. Tell us eastbound or westbound, and the last exit sign you passed or the street on the overpass above you. Then say whether you are on the main line or a Mixmaster ramp. The price and timing come on that call, before a tow truck or roadside technician is sent.
Questions
Which exit is the West Mixmaster, and which is the East Mixmaster?
The West Mixmaster is I-80 exit 123 in West Des Moines, with 123A for I-235 east and 123B for I-35 south. The East Mixmaster is exit 137, with 137A for I-235 and 137B for I-35 north. Name the one you are at when you call us for a tow.
When do the Southwest Mixmaster ramps close?
The first closure comes in spring 2027, when the University Avenue entrance ramp to southbound I-35/westbound I-80 shuts through 2029. The northbound I-35 to eastbound I-235 ramp closes from April to November 2028. The westbound I-235 to southbound I-35 ramp closes from April 2028 to July 2029. A tow from a Mixmaster detour starts from $124.
Is the ramp from eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80 open?
Not until December 9, 2026. Iowa DOT closed it at 8 p.m. on November 1 and set it to reopen at 6 a.m. on December 9, while crews connect ramps to new eastbound I-80 pavement at the Northeast Mixmaster. If the car fails on the detour, call (515) 585-8351, 24/7, for a tow.
How busy is I-235 through Des Moines?
I-235 averages about 94,800 vehicles a day, about 6% of them trucks, by Iowa DOT's 2025 counts. That traffic makes a stopped car in a lane a 911 call first. Once you are on the shoulder, stay buckled in, and we can tow the car off I-235 or jump it there.