Even with weather delays, McGregor Main Street project progressing well
By Audrey Posten
Even with weather delays, the second—and final—phase of McGregor’s Main Street construction project is progressing well, according to project engineer Alex Jaromin with Davy Engineering, who updated the McGregor Council at its July 17 meeting.
“[Contractor] Portzen Construction and the subcontractor are pushing along,” Jaromin said.
Weather permitting, Jaromin anticipates Main Street from Third to Fifth streets will reopen to vehicle traffic the first full week in August.
The contractor planned to complete sidewalk between Third and Fourth streets by the end of last week. Asphalt paving at side street tie-ins between Third and Fifth streets was set to occur this week along with sidewalk work on the even side of Main Street between Fourth and Fifth streets.
Utility work between Fifth and Seventh streets is getting underway as well, Jaromin shared. That section of Main Street, however, is not projected to reopen until late August or early September.
“With some delays with the weather, I don’t have a hard set date on that right now,” Jaromin said.
When Main Street from Third to Fifth streets reopens in two weeks, Jaromin said the next section—Seventh Street from Walton Street to Buell Avenue—will close. This will shut off direct access to and from the west side of McGregor and also force traffic from Walton Street to utilize C Street to reach Main Street.
“We’ll have to work out details for needing any traffic control and signage,” Jaromin said.
Now halfway through the second year of the Main Street project, Jaromin told the council it appears the work has been successful. Despite recent flooding, there has been no bypassing of the sanitary sewer.
“That goes to show, with the sanitary sewer work done last year and the work done already this year, how much it’s really sealed up that sewer that was infiltrated. It’s terrible to see these flooding events, but good to see that the bypassing of the sanitary sewer is not occurring,” he said.
Jaromin was hopeful that water in building basements has also lessened.
“There was a drain tile put in along the sewer from A Street to the south that’s connected to the storm sewer that can help alleviate some of that ground water pressure. That’s not to say some ground water can’t find its way into basements still, but it’s going to be ground water,” Jaromin added.
