Muscatine construction projects are looking to the skies and hoping for drier weather as May comes to a close with the wet weather this past week delaying some projects and slowing down others.
Two additional street closures/lane restrictions were announced Friday (May 28) by Department of Public Works officials. Drivers are asked to find alternate routes if possible.
Parking will not be permitted on the north side of West 8th Street from east of Chestnut to east of Pine as part of a sewer repair for St. Mary and Mathias Church. Traffic wanting to go north on Chestnut Street from West 8th will not be permitted, but southbound traffic on Chestnut Street will be able to turn onto West 8th Street. The parking restrictions and traffic restrictions will go into effect on Wednesday (June 2) and continue to the following Saturday (June 5).
West 8th Street will be closed to through traffic from Lucas to Climer starting Tuesday (June 1) as part of Phase V of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project (WHSSP). Hagerty Earthworks, Inc., the prime contractor for Phase 5 will begin pavement removal on Tuesday and follow with sanitary sewer installation in this section of West 8th.
Phase V of the WHSSP has seen 60 feet of sanitary pipe installed from the West 8th Street manhole through the property at 891 West 8th Street. Rising groundwater and recent rains have slowed down the progress as the contractor installed pumps to drain the trenches to increase the safety for workers. The contractor tentatively plans to work in the street for the next four weeks, weather permitting.
Hagerty Earthworks, Inc., was awarded the $6.03 million contract for Phase V of the WHSSP. This phase includes replacing sewers on West 8th Street from Broadway to Lucas, on Climer Street from West 8th Street to Lucas, Logan Street from Lucas to Climer, Lucas Street from 912 Lucas to Fletcher Avenue, and through the ravine between Climer and Lucas.
The first year of the two-year project will focus on West 8th Street and Climer Street.
STREET & ALLEY ASPHALT OVERLAY PROJECT
Paving of the nine alley and nine street segments, part of the 2020-2021 Street & Alley Asphalt Overlay Project, is underway with Manatts hoping to complete all segments by June 4, weather permitting. James Place and Washington Street have been completed along with two alley segments off of Hawthorne Lane and one of two segments off of Lincoln Boulevard.
The contractor anticipates completing Houser Street early next week before finishing work on all remaining segments.
Remaining street segments include: Houser Street (Cedar to Mulberry), Indiana Street (Schley to Benham), Benham Avenue (Indiana to Wisconsin), Dewey Avenue (Indiana to Oregon), Busch Street (Hershey to Mill), and Cypress Street (East 2nd to Alley).
Remaining alley segments include: Alley #3 Pine and Linn St (3rd to 4th), Alley #6 Chestnut and Iowa (5th to 6th), Alley #2 Hagerman Lane and Lorenz (Terrace Heights to Roscoe), Alley #4 Cedar and Walnut (7th to 8th), Alley #8 Cedar and Mulberry (8th to 9th), Alley #7 Harrison and McArthur (Lincoln to Grand), and Alley #5 Jackson and Monroe (Lincoln to Grand).
PARK AVENUE 4-to-3 LANE CONVERSION
The traffic pattern on Park Avenue changed on May 17 as full depth patching in Stage 2 was completed and the east half of the Washington Street and Park Avenue intersection was opened to traffic.
Park Avenue traffic is currently restricted to the eastern two lanes for Stage 3 (the east side of Park Avenue from just south of Colorado through the Washington Street intersection). Two way traffic will be maintained in the eastern two lanes of Park Avenue.
Work in the west half of the Washington Street and Park Avenue intersection continues with subcontractor Heuer Concrete, Inc., working to replace a manhole that was discovered to have collapsed during pavement removal. Full depth patching of the western two lanes of Park Avenue from Colorado to Washington is also underway with the contractor anticipating being able to pave and open the western half of Park Avenue the first week of June.
Once the west half is opened, the eastern two lanes will be closed for full depth patching as part of Phase 3B with traffic restricted to the western lanes. The final phase of the full depth patching will take place in the Colorado/Clay intersection with Park Avenue along with traffic signal modification.
Milling of the old asphalt overlay and placement of a new asphalt overlay along with paint stripping from Cypress on East 2nd Street to Washington is anticipated to begin around June 21.
2nd STREET STREETSCAPE PROJECT
A lot of construction activity is currently underway in the 100 block of East 2nd Street as KE Flatwork, Inc., removes and replaces the curb and gutter, completes full depth patch in several areas of the driving lane, and removes and replaces the sidewalk on both sides of the street. The 100 block of East 2nd Street is currently closed to all traffic after it was discovered that a sewer lateral needed repaired. KE Flatwork, Inc., will also be completing the repair next week while also moving ahead with removal and replacement of concrete in the block.
The current schedule has the 100 block of East 2nd Street completed by June 14 when work will move into the East 2nd Street and Iowa Avenue intersection. The contractor anticipates the intersection being closed June 14-July 26.
Grandview Avenue Reconstruction Project
Pavement removal has been completed in the southbound lanes of Grandview Avenue from Pearl to Musser Street with sanitary and storm sewer work underway. Reconstruction of the southbound lanes will begin once the underground work has been completed starting near the Pearl Street intersection.
Traffic is currently restricted to northbound traffic only from Main to Musser streets. Southbound traffic is detoured to Oregon, Stewart Road, and onto Sampson before returning to Grandview. The contractor indicates that the intersections of Oregon, Warren, and Musser will be kept open as much as possible.
Repaving of the southbound lane is anticipated to be completed in August when the northbound lane will be closed, removed, and repaved before the construction season ends in November. The tentative schedule is dependent on the weather.
Heuer Construction, Inc., was awarded the $7.74 million contract for the two-year Grandview Avenue Reconstruction Project that will remove and replace the pavement from Main Street to approximately 200 yards past Houser Street while adding sidewalks and additional streetscaping to provide a much more inviting corridor for residents and visitors.
Additional information on the project can be found on the City of Muscatine web site at Grandview Avenue Revitalization. A project schedule and portions of the updated plan for the corridor will be available soon on this site.
FULL DEPTH PATCHING PROJECT
The final segment of the FY 2020-2021 Full Depth Patching Project will begin on Tuesday (June 1) with work on Fulliam from Devitt to Hammond Street. Full depth patching of Fulliam from Hammond to Kindler will begin after the first block is completed.
All-American Concrete, Inc., will be using temporary traffic signals as traffic will be restricted to one lane during the patching process. The lane restrictions will begin Tuesday when the traffic signals are activated.
Drivers are reminded to slow down and use caution when travelling through the construction zone, obey traffic control devices, and be aware of workers. Use an alternate route if possible.
For more information on City of Muscatine construction projects click on CONSTRUCTION to visit the Department of Public Works Construction Projects page.
If you have a comment or concern, please email feedback@muscatineiowa.gov or pwrequest@muscatineiowa.gov. A staff member will respond within 24 hours.