Iowa City, Johnson County near road construction milestones

IOWA CITY — Two of three construction projects that for months have tested the ability to get around town in or near Iowa City are expected to conclude soon — but one will power on through winter and bring traffic pattern changes with it.

Here are updates on all three: — the downtown Iowa City streetscape project, the flood control Gateway Project involving Dubuque Street and the temporarily missing link on Highway 965.

DOWNTOWN

Pedestrians should have to navigate the maze for only about another month — but that's still two months behind schedule.

Work to update underground utilities and improve sidewalks on Washington Street have created ever-changing walkways to businesses there since April.

Scott Sovers, a senior civil engineer, said the completion date was Sept. 30, but the work took longer because the utility-dense area 'made it very challenging.'

The Washington Streetscape Project is part of the city's larger downtown streetscape plan, which guides street and utility expenditures in the area over the next 10 to 15 years. This year's work has focused on the 100 and 200 blocks of Washington Street.

Last week, Linn Street was reduced to one lane on the northbound side between Iowa Avenue and College Street to accommodate work to connect a new water main.

Sovers said he anticipates the Linn Street reduction will be the last change in traffic control before this part of the project is done. He said he expects a mid- to late-November completion.

Sovers said the city still estimates this portion to cost about $5 million, despite the delay.

The winding sidewalk paths around the construction work were created to allow access to businesses there, which remained opened.

Karen Kubby, co-owner of Beadology Iowa on Washington Street, said the construction has dampened her jewelry and bead business but she won't know by just how much until the end of the year. She said she hopes it won't negatively affect the holiday shopping season because the boost that creates in sales usually helps her get through the next year's first quarter.

Kubby said she understands why the sidewalk and utility improvements needed to be done, and described the impact as 'survivable.'

'It's a project we sorely needed,' Kubby said. 'We're really pleased that the investment is being made downtown and it will last decades.'

GATEWAY

Work on the multiyear Gateway Project on Dubuque Street and Park Road is set to continue through the winter, although the traffic pattern should change in the near future, said Special Project Administrator Melissa Clow.

The project is one of the city's final flood mitigation efforts left over from the 2008 floods.

Overall, the project should raise Dubuque Street by 10 feet, or 1 foot above the 100-year flood stage; and the Park Road Bridge to 1 foot above the 200-year flood stage.

Right now, Dubuque Street traffic in the area is limited to one lane in each direction, traveling on what was the roadway's southbound lanes.

When the traffic pattern switch is made, cars still will be limited to one lane in each direction but they'll be shifted to temporary lanes on the northbound side. A left-turn lane onto Park Road will be added.

Clow said structural work will continue through the winter, which means crews will begin to construct the new Park Road Bridge and a retaining wall.

The whole project isn't set to be done until August 2018. It is expected to cost about $60 million.

HIGHWAY 965

A new deck for the Highway 965 Bridge over the Iowa River was poured last month, but crews need to finish a few more tasks before it can reopen, said Rob Winstead, assistant Johnson County engineer. No date has been set, but Winstead said he expects work to be done at the end of November.

Barrier rails still need to be poured and crews need to finish approach paving and some pavement markings.

'Pouring the concrete barrier rails will take some time and we still need decent weather for that,' Winstead said.

Cracks in the bridge deck were discovered last May by maintenance workers. First the bridge was limited to one lane of traffic and now is closed for repairs, expected to cost under $1 million.