This Iowa City street is getting a $9.6 million upgrade

IOWA CITY — The City of Iowa City is planning an estimated $9.6 million reconstruction of Court Street, between Muscatine Avenue and First Avenue. Construction is set to begin in early 2025 and finish in fall 2027.

The project will include complete replacement of the street and sidewalks, upgrades to the utility lines in the area, new traffic signals and a new joint utility trench that would move utility lines underground.

Sidewalks will be moved further from the road and provide ADA access, which project consultants say are not up to standard in the area.

Through traffic in the area will be limited for the duration of the project, with local access only for residents.

Court Street connects the east side of Iowa City to the downtown area and provides access to City High School.

The project will soon be open for bids, with an expectation that a contract will be awarded in early January.

Project to be completed in three phases

The majority of construction in 2025 will be spent on installing the joint utility trench, which will provide space underground for electricity and communication lines in the area.

During 2026, most of the construction will be focused on improvements to the roadway

The majority of work in 2027 will focus on the areas near City High. Project managers are planning the work for summer 2027, when school is not in session, to limit disruptions.

Incentives offered for timely completion

The project was supposed to start years ago, but was postponed due to delays in construction on the city’s Rochester Avenue project. In order to avoid delays, the city is offering incentives and disincentives to ensure the project is completed in a timely manner.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com