MUSCATINE, Iowa – The theme at the 57th periodic coordination meeting for the Mississippi Drive Corridor Reconstruction Project (MDCRP) was very simple … the project is closing in on the home stretch but this is when the hardest work has to be done. That point was emphasized again and again as Muscatine project managers, Department of Public Works staff, and representatives from Muscatine Power & Water and Alliant Energy met with prime contractor KE Flatwork to discuss work accomplished and work yet to be done.
A similar emphasis was sounded during the 14th periodic coordination meeting for Phase 4A of the West Hill Sewer Separation Project also held on Thursday (July 26) at Muscatine City Hall. Phase 4A cleared a major hurdle Friday (July 27) when 7th Street from Cedar to Iowa was reopened to traffic with KMA Excavating estimating that most underground work will be complete by Sept. 21.
The tentative date for completion for both projects is nearly a month ahead of the contract deadlines.
Two other infrastructure projects are just beginning in Muscatine or will begin soon including the full-depth concrete patch program and the alley asphalt overlay project.
UPCOMING CLOSURES/LANE RESTRICTIONS
July 30-August 3, 2018 - Park Avenue at Willow Street lane reduction. Muscatine Power & Water is replaced a water line on Willow and will be crossing Park Avenue. Traffic will be reduced to one lane for both directions during this time period. Drivers are urged to use caution when travelling through the work area and to find an alternate route if possible.
July 30-August 3, 2018 – Division Street will be closed from Evans to Warren Street. All-American Concrete anticipates starting the first phase of the $1.0 million Full Depth Concrete Patching Project with the only full closure of the project.
August 6-9, 2018 - Mississippi Drive will be closed from Iowa Avenue to Chestnut Street. Work includes repairs to the steps to the railroad pedestrian crossing at Chestnut Street, brickwork at the Iowa Avenue intersection, and sanitary sewer repair.
MISSISSIPPI DRIVE CORRIDOR (Iowa to Mulberry)
The focus for KE Flatwork is on completing the sidewalks, intersections, and the rail crossing at Cedar Street. Work wrapped up this week to rebuild the river side of Parking Lot Four between Sycamore and Cedar streets with the leased parking areas expected to be available Monday (July 29). Work on the Sycamore and Cedar intersections is ongoing along with installation of the sidewalk from Cedar to Walnut.
Hardscape Solutions Inc. installed brick pavers in the medians and crosswalks from Sycamore to Mulberry and Heister Masonry has been working on the District Monument that is located at the Walnut Street intersection.
The landscape subcontractor is expected mid-August, weather permitting. Muscatine Power & Water is not expected to begin installation of street lights and traffic signals along the remaining section of Mississippi Drive before August 20. Signage and wayfinding signs have yet to be installed along the entire Mississippi Drive corridor with that work awaiting the completion of modifications to the signs and pedestals. The installation should begin around the first part of September.
The tentative opening date for Mississippi Drive from Iowa to the #1 Alley on Mulberry Avenue is September 28, weather permitting, and that is nearly 60 days ahead of schedule.
MISSISSIPPI DRIVE CORRIDOR (2nd Street)
KE Flatwork has closed the Oak Street intersection with 2nd Street in the next phase of the 2nd Street reconstruction from Mulberry Avenue to Mad Creek. KMA Excavating has started storm sewer work in the Oak Street intersection and is investigating whether the sanitary sewer is out of the way of the storm sewer installation. Project managers indicated that not having to replace the sanitary sewer would knock several weeks off of the intersection closure.
KE Flatwork has removed the pavement in the Oak Street intersection and east on 2nd Street to just west of the Family Dollar store as the process to prepare these areas for repaving begins. The tentative schedule has the intersection and 2nd Street up to the Family Dollar store completed by Oct. 1, weather permitting.
The final section of the 2nd Street work, Mad Creek to just west of Family Dollar, will begin after the Oak Street intersection is reopened. This will complete the reconstruction with 2nd Street with a tentative opening date of Nov. 12.
MISSISSIPPI DRIVE CORRIDOR (Mulberry/2nd Street Roundabout)
The final section of the Mississippi Drive Corridor Reconstruction Project is the roundabout planned for the intersection of Mulberry Avenue and 2nd Street. The plans for that roundabout are in the final stages of preparation but the implementation of those plans is currently on hold.
WEST HILL PHASE 4A
KE Flatwork moved the barricades for 7th Street up to the west side of the Iowa Avenue intersection Friday (July 27) as the section from Cedar to Iowa was reopened to traffic. Work has already started on rebuilding the three block section from Iowa Avenue to Linn Street.
The updated scheduled for Phase 4A calls for KMA Excavating to have sanitary sewer work up to Spruce Street completed by August 6 with work then shifting to the storm sewer from Linn to Locust (Aug. 6-20). All underground work is tentatively scheduled to be completed by September 21.
Preparation for and paving of 7th Street from Iowa to Linn is tentatively scheduled to be completed by Sept. 10. The intersections with Chestnut and Pine are temporarily open but will be closed once the paving begins. KE Flatwork and city project managers are working on a schedule for the paving of this section. Paving of Linn to Locust is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 10-28 with paving of Spruce and Locust heading towards 8th Street tentatively scheduled Sept. 28-Oct. 26.
The tentative schedule prepared by KE Flatwork has Phase 4A wrapping up Nov. 9 which is 21 days ahead of the contract deadline of Nov. 30. All dates are weather dependent.
LINN STREET WORK
Underground work and repaving of Linn Street from Mississippi Drive to the #1 alley is continuing as Triple B Construction has finished repaving Linn Street and is now working on the #1 alley. Linn Street will remain closed to through traffic until all work is completed. Parking is available on the lower half of Linn Street.