MUSCATINE, Iowa – Warmer temperatures have brought the return of street construction to Muscatine with the West Hill Sewer Separation Project kicking the season off on Thursday, March 21. Phase 4B of the project will focus on 8th Street from Cedar to Linn over the course of the 2019 construction season.
Prime contractor KE Flatwork, Inc., will be closing off 8th Street from Cedar to Iowa at the close of business on Wednesday, March 20, and that will also close Sycamore from the #7 alley to the #8 alley. Milling of the asphalt will take place on Thursday, March 22, weather permitting, with work on these two blocks expected to be completed by the end of June.
The detour for the construction will be 7th Street. Parking on 7th from Cedar to Broadway will be reduced to just one side (river side) throughout the project. Truck traffic will be detoured to the bypass.
The second part of the project will focus on 8th Street from Iowa to Linn. That work is expected to start in early June, weather permitting, and be substantially completed by the end of September. The entire Phase 4B project is scheduled to be completed by early October, weather permitting.
SECOND STREET REPAIR
Drivers have seen the orange barrels sitting at the intersection of 2nd and Cedar for the last several weeks after the discovery that a manhole was collapsing in that intersection. Crews from the Department of Public Works (DPW) investigated and determined that an old brick sewer line was starting to decay and will need to be replaced.
City crews were at work today replacing the manhole and completing a concrete patch in the intersection. Replacement of the decaying portion of the sewer system will be part of the 2nd Street Revitalization Project that is slated for the 2020 or 2021 construction season, but is still in the development stage.
POT HOLE FILLING
The winter of 2018-2019 has created an unusual amount of pot holes and the lingering cold, damp weather has not allowed DPW crews to fill these crevices as quickly as drivers would like. Still, the City has been able to put two DPW crews out working to fill in potholes with cold patch on a daily basis and will continue to do so.
One of the areas of emphasis this week has been North Houser Street from Lucas to Hershey where wet conditions from natural springs flowing onto the pavement have created icy conditions and numerous potholes. DPW crews were out today spreading salt on the street this morning and were blow drying potholes to fill with cold patch this afternoon.
The City reminds residents that this effort will continue and asks for patience from drivers. The list of potholes is long but residents are still able to call DPW to report the location of potholes.
RIVERSIDE PARK CLOSED
Riverside Park remains closed due to Mississippi River flooding. The river is expected to remain at moderate flood levels through the next 10 days or more after cresting at 19.34 feet Monday morning. The forecast calls for the river to fall to 18.4 feet Wednesday before rising again to 19.3 feet over the weekend. Rainfall and/or melting snow in the Upper Mississippi Valley region (Minnesota and Wisconsin) may change forecast crests.
No traffic or parking is permitted inside Riverside Park at the present time.