McGregor Main Street construction begins...again
Phase two of McGregor’s two-year Main Street construction project began as scheduled April 1, despite cold, rainy conditions. Main Street was closed from Third to Seventh streets, and contractors began erecting fencing, barriers and signage before digging started. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
Phase two of McGregor’s two-year Main Street construction project began as scheduled April 1, despite cold, rainy conditions.
Main Street was closed from Third to Seventh streets, and contractors began erecting fencing, barriers and signage before digging started. There will still be normal accessibility to drive through and park in most of the downtown business district. Traffic will also be able to pass in front of St. Mary Catholic Church, on Seventh Street, until July. State highway access will be opposite of last year and should come from the north, from Marquette.
The project has been in the works since 2019, to address excessive inflow and infiltration to McGregor’s over-100-year-old sanitary sewer system. Phase one—through the city’s downtown—was completed in 2023. This final phase will include utility upgrades and reconstruction of Main Street, eventually stretching from Third Street to St. Mary Catholic Church and around the corner onto Buell Avenue, ending just before the middle school.
Phase two will be split into three phases: Area A from Third to Fifth streets, Area B from Fifth to Seventh streets and Area C on Seventh Street, from C Street to Buell Avenue.
While work on Area A is completed from now until July, one-way traffic will be maintained on Third Street to allow access from Ann to Main Street. C Street will be accessible from Seventh Street, but there will be no outlet onto Main Street until area A construction is complete.
Area B will be utilized for staging while contractor Portzen Construction works on area A, then work will progress to B once the first phase is done.
The biggest impact in phase two will be parking—or the lack of it. Main Street residents will have to park elsewhere because they will not have access to their driveways or garages within the construction zone. Temporary “no parking” signs will also be placed on C and Ann streets due to the traffic uptick and narrowness of the streets. Additionally, Ann Street will have several speed bumps to slow traffic.
ATV and UTV use will be permitted on sidewalks to help residents access their homes and to transport groceries, garbage and other items. Those who need assistance with these tasks should contact the city of McGregor.
Residents, business owners and other frequent visitors are urged to sign up for McGregor’s community notification system and monitor the city of McGregor website and Facebook page for project updates.
Construction is anticipated to wrap up by late September.
