MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Chestnut and Pine Street intersections with West 7th Street will be open to traffic by the end of the work day today (Oct. 26) according to city project managers. The reconstruction of 7th Street is part of Phase 4A of the West Hill Sewer Separation Project.
The opening of these two intersections allows traffic on 7th Street from Cedar to Linn. However, the Linn Street intersection and the Spruce Street intersection will remain closed until next week as KE Flatwork continues to backfill with dirt and clean these two blocks.
Once these two intersections are opened, KMA Flatwork will return to complete underground work on Locust Street. This is the final section of Phase 4A and all work is expected to be completed before the December contract deadline.
MDCRP PROJECT UPDATE
The final portion of the Mississippi Drive Corridor Reconstruction Project (MDCRP), the two phases from the railroad crossing on 2nd Street to Mad Creek, will be completed over the next several weeks with a project end date of Nov. 30. KE Flatwork has completed pouring the eastbound driving lane along with part of the westbound lane from Mad Creek to the Family Dollar store.
KE Flatwork will complete sidewalk and median work before switching the detour to Family Dollar from Oak Street back to 2nd Street. At that time, the westbound section from Family Dollar to the railroad will be completed along with sidewalk and landscaping.
RIVERSIDE PARK MOSTLY OPEN
The City of Muscatine reopened Riverside Park but cleanup continues after the October 2018 Mississippi River flood that crested at 20.7 feet on Oct. 13, 2018. Riverside Park from Iowa Avenue downriver towards the basketball courts is now open along with Dick O’Brien Parkway from Cedar Avenue towards the new boat ramp.
The section from Cedar Street to Iowa Avenue will remain closed through the early part of next week due to a heavier amount of mud to be cleaned up.
The Mississippi River is currently at 17.2 feet and falling. The Army Corps of Engineers forecasts that the river will be below flood stage (16.0 feet) late Sunday and continue to fall to 14 feet by November 2.
DETOURS
The detour for the MDCRP will remain in effect until the completion of the entire project. The detour routes traffic from Grandview Avenue, up Main Street to 8th Street to Washington and to Park Avenue. Traffic will be allowed the length of Mississippi Drive to Mulberry Avenue and east on 2nd to Oak Street. However, through traffic to the Highway 92 bridge will have to use the main detour route or the secondary route (5th street for cars and 8th Street for trucks) to reach the Highway 92 bridge.