MUSCATINE Iowa – The intersection of Chestnut Street and 7th Street will be closed to traffic starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday (May 30) as work on the West Hill Sewer Separation Project Phase 4A continues to move up the 7th Street hill.
KMA Excavating is finishing up sanitary sewer work in the 100 block of West 7th Street and will move into the intersection and 200 block of West 7th Street this week. The Chestnut Street intersection will remain closed until the intersection is repaved. The 100 and 200 blocks of West 7th Street will also remain closed until paving is completed.
Work in the 100 block of West 7th Street is wrapping up and that is allowing the paving contractor, KE Flatwork, to begin preparing 7th Street from Iowa Avenue to Cedar Street for paving. Removal of the old pavement from curb to curb and grading is set to begin later this week or the first of next week depending on the weather. The tentative plan is to pave the Iowa intersection first and continue down the hill toward Cedar Street.
Construction officials and City of Muscatine project managers are optimistic that the Iowa Avenue intersection will be open by the end of June, just in time for the Fourth of July parade. The section from Iowa Avenue to Cedar, including the Sycamore Street intersection, will be reopened as soon as the contractor and project managers complete their final inspection of the paving project. A date for that inspection has not been determined as yet.
Drivers are not allowed to drive into or park in the areas where work is being done or the areas where work has been completed until the prime contractor opens up those areas to local traffic. Residents in the 200 block of West 7th Street will be notified soon as to when parking will not be allowed in that block as work continues to move forward.
City Inspector Steve Dalby reminded residents that the work site is a dangerous area especially for children. With the summer holiday beginning Thursday, parents are urged to not allow any children to play on or near any of the construction equipment. Parents are also urged to keep children away from any of the trenches whether they are open or filled in as these areas are unstable.
Drivers are also reminded that they need to plan alternate routes for their morning and evening commutes during construction.