Charles City Main Street Project Causes North Grand/Main Intersection Closure

The Charles City Main Street rehab project is seeing its first major traffic interruption as construction resumes following the holiday weekend.

While much of the work has been focused from the Floyd County Courthouse to Clark Street downtown, Bill Ries with Veenstra & Kim, the project engineers, says, “Starting the morning of Tuesday, May 28th, the intersection of Lane Street and Main Street will be closed to all traffic to begin the construction of the planned realignment of North Main Street to North Grand Avenue.”

That closure could last up to six weeks.

Also this week, Ries says contractors look to pour the remaining sidewalk and sidewalk ramps on the east side of Main at the intersection of Riverside Drive. Once these ramps and sidewalks are open, sidewalk access on the east side of Main Street will be restored and pedestrian traffic will use the east side of Main Street to cross the bridge. After the east side is open, work on replacing pavement on the west side will begin.

Last week, the City Council approved modifying the approach to the construction after City engineer-in-training Brian Sullivan explained “value engineering” that is expected to shave about $46,000 off the final cost. 

Sullivan also noted that when it’s time for paving, Heartland Asphalt will resurface one half of the street from end-to-end before switching to do the other half of the street, allowing the street to remain open throughout.

Councilman Patrick Lumley and fellow Council members voted unanimously in favor of the adjustment.

The savings on the project cost will be split evenly between the City and the contractor.