Third Street closure extended; progress made on other projects
by City of Muscatine
September 22, 2019

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The street closure on 3rd Street will last longer than anticipated and Pine Street is now closed from 7th to 8th Street with the race to complete 2019 construction enters the fall season.

Work is moving forward in two major projects in Muscatine, the Full Depth Patching Project (FDPP) and Phase 4B of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project (WHSSSSP). While the Full Depth contract has a Spring 2020 completion date, Phase 4B of the West Hill project is scheduled to be substantially complete by Nov. 22, 2019.

THIRD STREET CLOSURE – The City Council approved the closure of Third Street between Sycamore and Iowa on July 3, 2019, but it was not until Sept. 9 that Bush Construction was ready to close the street to replace a water line to the Hershey Building. The closure was expected to last one week but unexpected problems cropped up during the excavation that will require further inspection and problem solving according to City Engineer Jim Edgmond. The closure will probably extend into October. Entrance to the CBI parking lots will be maintained during the closure. Drivers should find alternate routes of travel during this closure.

BLOCK OF PINE STREET CLOSED – A one block section of Pine Street, from 7th to 8th streets, is now closed to traffic as KE Flatworks, Inc., begins the pavement restoration process as part of Phase 4B of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project. Drivers are asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes of travel. A detour for parishioners of St. Mary & Mathias Parrish has been established with the MAP available on the City web site.

PORTION OF 8TH STREET REOPENS – The 200 block of East 8th Street is now open to traffic as KE Flatworks, Inc., pulled back the barricades to just west of the Sycamore Street intersection Thursday, Sept. 12. Sycamore Street was reopened to traffic several weeks ago.

City of Muscatine project managers anticipate that work on Iowa Avenue along with work on the intersection at Iowa and 8th will be completed by Monday, Sept. 23. If the timetable is not delayed by weather, KE Flatworks, Inc., will pull back the 8th Street barricades to just west of the Iowa Avenue intersection and open Iowa Avenue and 8th Street to the Iowa Avenue intersection to traffic.

The Phase 4B detour along 7th Street will remain in effect as work continues on the project west of the Iowa Avenue intersection.

FULL DEPTH PATCHING PROJECT – The 2019-2020 Full Depth Patching Project is working on South Houser Street between Musser Street to Grandview Avenue. Heuer Construction is using a temporary traffic light at both ends of extended lane closure for traffic control. Patching has been completed on the south bound lane with repairs currently underway in the north bound lane.

Drivers are advised to use alternate routes if possible and to use caution when travelling through the work areas.

South Houser Street the second of five sections that are scheduled to be repaired during the 2019-2020 fiscal year under a $919,875 Full Depth Patching contract awarded to Heuer Construction on July 15, 2019. Other sections to be repaired include Lake Park Boulevard from 2nd Avenue to Park Avenue, University Drive from Highway 61 to Highway 22, and, if time and money permit, Fulliam Avenue from Kindler to Devitt and from Houser to Green Acres.

WEST HILL SEWER SEPARATION PROJECT – Pavement restoration of Iowa Avenue between 7th and 8th streets has been completed along with sidewalks, driveways, alley ways, and a retaining wall on Iowa Avenue. KE Flatwork, Inc., is backfilling, adding topsoil, and seeding the area in preparation of reopening Iowa Avenue along with 8th Street up to the Iowa Avenue intersection the week of September 23.

Phase 4B underground work is focused on 8th Street from Chestnut to Linn along with potions of Chestnut, Pine, and Fuller streets. KMA Excavating, the underground subcontractor, is working to wrap up sanitary and storm sewer work along with water main work within the next two weeks.

The Pine and Fuller intersections are fully closed due to the underground work. A detour for parishioners attending St. Mathias has been established by the City with signage in place along the detour route.

Phase 4B is part of a $2.4 million three-year contract with KE Flatwork, Inc., that separates the storm and sanitary sewers, installs new water main lines, and restores the pavement. Phase 4B work is to be substantially completed by November 22, 2019.

Phase 4C will be completed during the 2020 construction season.

ALLEY ASPHALT OVERLAY PROJECT – Bids are currently being accepted for a reduced 2019-2020 Alley Asphalt Overlay Project. Six alleys are on the amended list. Bids will be opened on Sept. 19 and presented to the City Council for approval at the October 3 meeting.

LOT 7 BIO-RETENTION CELL – Department of Public Work crews are wrapping up work on the bio-retention cell in City of Muscatine Parking Lot 7 (across from City Hall). The last layer of mulch was being spread Friday (Sept. 13) and City officials anticipate that leased parking will resume September 16. Follow along with the project on the Stormwater Operations page on the city web site.

2ND & MULBERRY ROUNDABOUT – The Muscatine City Council approved awarding the $2.1 million contract for construction of the 2nd Street and Mulberry Roundabout to Heuer Construction at the August 15 meeting. A construction timetable has not been completed but City project managers and the contractor hope to complete most underground work before the winter construction shutdown.

Project managers for the City of Muscatine will conduct meetings with all business owners along the 2nd Street corridor from Oak to Pine before and during the construction process. The construction work will be completed in stages to keep any disruption to downtown business at a minimum.

In addition to awarding the construction contract, the Council also approved the contract for the demolition of one of the two buildings that will be removed to make room for the roundabout. Valley Construction was awarded the $26,500 contract to demolish and remove the building at 515 East 2nd Street. The City is now in the process of reviewing bids for the demolition and removal of the second building.

WEST SIDE TRAIL – Heuer Construction was awarded the $1.2 million contract that will construct 1.26 miles of paved pedestrian and bike trail on Houser Street that will connect the Kent Stein trailhead with Discovery Park. Construction will begin in October and will have some impact on traffic along Houser Street.

Updates on the work will be available on the City of Muscatine web site (www.muscatineiowa.gov/construction) and on the City of Muscatine social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).

Recent Stories

Recent Shows

Get Discover Muscatine in Your Inbox

Select list(s):
en_USEnglish