Coralville council okays bridge work

CORALVILLE - The City Council is moving ahead with plans to use the $27 million I-JOBS provided late last year to provide flood recovery and protection.

During its regular meeting Tuesday, the council approved the work to be done on the First Avenue Clear Creek Bridge Reconstruction Project. This project is part of a larger plan to revamp Coralville's First Avenue, which suffered significant flooding in 2008.

Work includes raising and lengthening the bridge over Clear Creek, making the street five lanes, elevating it up to Sixth Street, adding flood walls and building a tunnel near the bridge for the trail system.

The council unanimously approved the work on the bridge, saying construction would begin in March and be complete before “the snow flies” later this year. This initial phase is expected to cost $3 million, which is only a fraction of the $27 million the city received from I-JOBS.

In other business, the city purchased a lease agreement not to exceed $2 million for the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts.

City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said the money would be spent to lease the second floor of the building that will house a community theater. He said the city would only lease the second floor if no businesses stepped forward to purchase the 14,000-square-foot area. He told the council two people have already expressed interest in the space.

The council also agreed to hold a public hearing on Feb. 11 on the Iowa River Landing Wetlands Park Phase II, which would include adding a pedestrian bridge and trails in the area near the Marriott Hotel.

Additionally, the council changed the its next meeting from its usual Tuesday time slot to Feb. 11 because of schedule conflicts for many of the council members.