{{Short description|State highway in Iowa, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=IA |type=IA |route=48 |map={{maplink-road|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Iowa Highway 48}}}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=Iowa 48 highlighted in red |length_mi=47.919 |length_ref=<ref name=IowaDOT>{{IowaDOT|2010-12-04|year=2009}}</ref> |direction_a=South |terminus_a={{Jct|state=IA|US|59}} at Shenandoah |junction={{Jct|state=IA|US|34}} at Red Oak |direction_b=North |terminus_b={{Jct|state=IA|US|6}} near Lewis |counties={{flatlist| *Page *Montgomery *Cass }} |previous_type=IA |previous_route=44 |next_type=IA |next_route=51 }} '''Iowa Highway 48''' is a {{convert|48|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} state highway which runs from north to south in southwest Iowa. It begins at the northern edge of Shenandoah at U.S. Highway 59 and ends at U.S. Highway 6 near Lewis. The highway has seen few changes since its creation.
==Route description== left|thumb|Iowa 48 runs north from its junction with US 34 in Red Oak Iowa Highway 48 begins in Shenandoah at an intersection with U.S. Highway 59 (US 59), which serves as the line separating Fremont County and Page County. It heads east for one mile (1.6 km) before turning to the northeast to become parallel to a line of the BNSF Railway.<ref name="DOT Rail">{{cite map|url=http://www.iowadot.gov/maps/msp/pdf/Rail_Base.pdf|title=Iowa State Railroad Map|publisher=Iowa Department of Transportation|date=July 1, 2008|accessdate=December 5, 2010}}</ref> It travels northeast for {{convert|6|mi}} and turns east shortly after passing through Essex. Three miles (4.8 km) east of Essex, Iowa 48 turns north at an intersection with Page County Road J20 (CR J20).<ref name="IowaDOT" />
From CR J20, Iowa 48 heads due north for {{convert|12+1/2|mi}} to the intersection with US 34 in Red Oak. From Red Oak, Iowa 48 continues due north for {{convert|8|mi}} until it turns east to cross the East Nishnabotna River and pass through Elliott before turning back to the north.<ref name="current DOT map">{{cite map|publisher=Iowa Department of Transportation|title=Transportation Map|url=http://www.iowadot.gov/maps/msp/pdf/current/stmapmain.pdf|year=2010|accessdate=December 5, 2010}}</ref> It then travels north for 6 miles to Griswold, where it intersects Iowa 92. Iowa 48 continues north for {{convert|5+1/2|mi}}, again crossing the East Nishnabotna, until its northern end at U.S. Highway 6 west of Lewis.<ref name="IowaDOT" />
==History== Originally, Iowa Highway 48 was a short highway connecting Shenandoah and Red Oak, roughly along the path the route takes today.<ref name="1926 Broer west">{{cite map|publisher=Rand McNally & Company|title=Junior Road Map: Western Iowa |url=http://broermapsonline.org/online/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/NorthCentral/Iowa/unitedstates1926ra_044.html|year=1926|accessdate=December 5, 2010}}</ref> By 1952, the route was in its present location and ended at US 6 west of Lewis. Only the original section had been paved at this time.<ref name=DOT1952>{{cite map|publisher=Iowa State Highway Commission|url=http://www.iowadot.gov/maps/msp/historical/pdf/1952_front.pdf|title=Iowa State Highway Map|year=1952|accessdate=December 5, 2010}}</ref> By 1976, the entire highway was paved.<ref name=DOT1976>{{cite map|publisher=Iowa Department of Transportation|url=http://www.iowadot.gov/maps/msp/historical/pdf/1976_front.pdf|title=Iowa State Highway Map|year=1976|accessdate=December 5, 2010}}</ref>
==Major intersections== {{Jcttop|length_ref=<ref name=IowaDOT />}} {{IAint |county1=Fremont |county2=Page |location=Shenandoah |mile=0.000 |road={{jct|state=IA|US|59|city1=Emerson|location2=Tarkio, Mo.}} }} {{IAint |county=Montgomery |location=Red Oak |mile=23.155 |road={{Jct|state=IA|US|34|city1=Corning|city2=Glenwood}} }} {{IAint |county=Cass |cspan=2 |location=Griswold |mile=42.172 |road={{jct|state=IA|IA|92|name1=Main Street|city1=Carson|city2=Cumberland}} }} {{IAint |township=Cass |ctdab=Cass |mile=47.919 |road={{jct|state=IA|US|6|city1=Atlantic|city2=Oakland}} }} {{Jctbtm}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Attached KML}} *[http://www.iowahighwayends.net/ends/ia48.html End of Iowa 48] at Iowa Highway Ends
048 Category:Transportation in Page County, Iowa Category:Transportation in Montgomery County, Iowa Category:Transportation in Cass County, Iowa