I-80 Exit 142 in Altoona: Towing and Roadside Help at US-65
At I-80 exit 142 in Altoona, where US 65 heads north, Des Moines Roadside Rescue tows from $124 and answers (515) 585-8351 24/7. Tell us your direction and whether you stopped before or past the ramps.
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 from I-80 exit 142 in Altoona starts from $124.
- If the car can move, wait at the 24-hour Flying J Travel Center #913 by the ramps.
- Past exit 143 the 70 mph rural limit returns, and the next exit is 149.
- Stopped between exits east of Altoona? Give us the green mile marker number.
Where exit 142 is: US 65 and Iowa 330 in Altoona
Exit 142 sits at mile 141.7 in Altoona. It is signed for US 6 west, US 65 north and Iowa 330 north toward Bondurant and Marshalltown. US 65 leaves I-80 here, and US 6 joins it heading east. The exits around it:
- Exit 141: US 65 south, toward Pleasant Hill and the Des Moines airport.
- Exit 142: US 6, US 65 north and Iowa 330 north.
- Exit 143: Bondurant and Altoona.
After exit 143, the next exit east is 149, for Mitchellville. At exit 142, I-80 drops back to four lanes. Past the third Altoona exit, 143, the 70 mph rural speed limit resumes, so expect faster traffic.
Waiting for a tow at the exit 142 Flying J
Flying J Travel Center #913 at exit 142 is open 24 hours, with 350 truck parking spaces and 10 showers. If the car can make it off the interstate, wait there rather than on the shoulder. Give us the store name when you call.
Breaking down between Altoona and Mitchellville
East of exit 143, the next exit is 149 for Mitchellville, about six miles on. The 70 mph rural limit is back there, so a stop on that stretch puts you beside faster traffic. If the car is failing, get off at 142 or 143 rather than gambling on reaching the next exit.
Stopped between exits anyway? Read the green mile marker post nearest the car. Sit tight with your belt on and the hazards flashing, and keep out of the lanes on the driver's side. A crash, an injury or a car in a live lane is a 911 call.
I-80 blizzard closures and Northeast Mixmaster work
At 8:45 p.m. on March 15, 2026, in the blizzard, Iowa officials closed all lanes of I-80 in both directions. The closure ran from mile marker 142 near Altoona to mile marker 240 near Coralville.
West of the exit, the Northeast Mixmaster project ($76 million) is building four eastbound and four westbound I-80 lanes between the Mixmaster and US 65. It adds new bridges at NE 29th Street, NE 38th Street and Fourmile Creek. In 2026 eastbound traffic runs on the old westbound lanes while the new eastbound lanes are built. In that work zone, if the car still moves, carry on to exit 142 before you stop.
If the car quits at exit 142
- Still rolling? Take exit 142 and get off the ramp before you stop, so help can reach you away from interstate traffic.
- If it has stopped rolling, pull onto the right shoulder clear of the Altoona ramps, with the hazards on and your belt fastened.
- In a blizzard like the one that shut I-80 east of here in March 2026, leave at exit 142 and get indoors before you call.
Tow, jump start and winch-out prices at exit 142
A tow from exit 142 or the I-80 shoulder near Altoona starts from $124. A jump start on a US 65 ramp or in the truck stop lot is from $85. A spare-tire change is from $98. If a car slid into the median in snow, the winch-out is from $129. A long tow toward Newton or back into the metro can raise the price.
Call (515) 585-8351 for a tow, a jump start or a tire change at exit 142. You hear the full price and the timing on the call, before anyone is sent.
Questions
What if my car breaks down on I-80 between Altoona and Mitchellville?
Leave at exit 142 or 143 if the car still moves, because past 143 the next exit is 149, for Mitchellville. If you have to stop, use the right shoulder, keep your belt on and note the mile marker post. Dial 911 for a crash; otherwise call (515) 585-8351 for a tow, any hour.
Does I-80 east of Altoona close in blizzards?
It has. At 8:45 p.m. on March 15, 2026, Iowa officials closed all lanes of I-80 in both directions from mile marker 142 near Altoona to mile marker 240 near Coralville. If a closure strands you, get off at exit 142 and wait indoors before you call for a tow.
How many lanes does I-80 have at the US 65 exit in Altoona?
I-80 has four lanes at exit 142, where it returns to four from the wider stretch, and after exit 143 the 70 mph rural limit resumes. West of here, the Northeast Mixmaster project is building four lanes each way. A tow from that stretch of I-80 starts from $124.
Is the Flying J at Altoona exit 142 open all night?
Yes, Flying J Travel Center #913 at I-80 exit 142 in Altoona is open 24 hours, with 350 truck parking spaces. If the car can get there, wait inside instead of on the shoulder. Call (515) 585-8351 from the lot for a jump start, a tire change or a tow.