MUSCATINE, Iowa – Concrete was being poured on a three block stretch of 8th Street today (July 26) despite the early morning rain that did not slow down the process and may have helped. Progress is also being made on North Houser Street and the sewer repair on 2nd Street is near completion.
KE Flatworks moved their big paver in and finished prep work on Thursday for paving 8th Street from just before the Cedar Street intersection to just short of the intersection with Chestnut Street. The paver lays down the middle two lanes of the street and should provide a smoother service for drivers when traffic is restored.
Next week KE Flatworks will use their curb and gutter paver to complete both sides of the street and then begin work on sidewalks, driveways, and the connections to Cedar, Sycamore, and Iowa.
Sycamore has been paved and some sidewalk and driveway work has been accomplished. Iowa Avenue is still begin prepped for paving, however.
This section of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project Phase 4B is tentatively scheduled to be completed and reopened to traffic by the end of August.
KMA Excavating will be back on site next week to resume underground work on the final stage of Phase 4B (Chestnut to Linn). Work on this section is scheduled to be substantially completed by the end of October.
As this work progresses and the Pine Street intersection closed, a detour with special signage will be put in place for parishioners of Saints Mary and Mathias Parish. Drivers who use Pine Street from 8th to 11th should watch for signs as the street will be a one way street at certain times of the week.
NORTH HOUSER STREET – Tiling up the hill from Hershey Avenue to Lucas Street on the east side of North Houser Street is progressing while Heuer Construction has been cutting out and prepping sections of the pavement for new concrete. Work is expected to continue through next week with this section of North Houser Street remaining closed to traffic.
Residents who normally use this section of North Houser Street are advised to use the Highway 61 bypass. Residents are also reminded that Fletcher Avenue remains closed to traffic from Hershey Avenue to the top of the hill.
Tiling is being installed to help alleviate one of the biggest problems with the North Houser Street hill area … water from several springs on the east side of the road spilling onto the pavement. Over the years and through the seasons that has allowed many large pot holes and other damage to the pavement. Tiling will also be installed on the west side as part of the West Side Trail Project that is expected to begin later this fall.
This will be the first of five sections of Muscatine streets that will be repaired under a $919,875 Full Depth Patching contract with Heuer Construction during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Other sections to be repaired under this contract include South Houser Street from Musser to Grandview, Fulliam Avenue from Kindler to Devitt, Fulliam Avenue from Houser to Green Acres, Lake Park Boulevard from 2nd Avenue to Park Avenue, and University Drive from Highway 61 to Highway 22.
A tentative schedule for repairs to the other sections included in the contract has not been released as yet.
2ND STREET SEWER REPAIR – Hometown Plumbing and Heating wrapped up repairs to a sewer line in the 100 block of East 2nd Street on Thursday with concrete poured on Friday. The half block of 2nd Street will remain closed through the weekend as the concrete cures.
The needed repairs to the lateral sewer line was actually identified earlier this year when a cavity was found underneath the pavement on the south side of the 100 block of East 2nd Street. The cavity was caused by a leak from a joint in the line underneath the pavement that washed away some of the dirt.
City officials investigated the cavity and closed off parking over the affected area, but further examination and repairs could not start at that time due to the high river levels.
The sidewalk remains open for customers of the local businesses but parking is limited on that block of 2nd Street due to the repair work.
---
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).