”I think we can have the intersection open by early to middle July,” City Engineer Tony Trotter said.

The intersection is being rebuilt to create turning lanes on all four sides. When the work is done, there will be a lane for left turns, a lane for traffic going straight ahead and a lane for right turns on each side of the intersection.The revamped intersection will look much like the one at First Avenue South and 25th Street.

Trotter said new storm sewers, sanitary sewers and water mains have been placed in the ground at the intersection. Sub-drains for the road and conduits that carry the wires to control the traffic signals are in place along with the rock base of the road. Paving is underway. Traffic signals still need to be installed.

As soon as the First Avenue South and 15th Street job is done, construction crews will move to Central Avenue and 15th Street to do a very similar project. Turning lanes will be created on all four sides of that intersection and new traffic signals will be installed.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Construction started in April on South 15th Street to add more functional turning lanes at the intersection First Avenue South. The city anticipates completion by the middle of July.

Trotter said that intersection is expected to be completed in late August.

Castor Construction, of Fort Dodge, has a $4,003,524.71 contract for the intersection jobs, plus some related work on both First Avenue South and 15th Street.

A couple of other big infrastructure projects are also underway or soon will be in Fort Dodge.

The intersection of Seventh Avenue North and 16th Street has been dug up in the opening phase of an effort to install new storm sewers and sanitary sewers throughout the neighborhood around Duncombe Elementary School, 1620 Sixth Ave. N. Rasch Construction Inc., of Fort Dodge, has a $3,444,145 contract for the project.

Beginning next Tuesday, installation of new storm sewers will begin near 13th Avenue South and 25th Street. The sewer will extend down 25th Street to 15th Avenue South. Crow River Construction, of New London, Minnesota, has a $2,438,211 contract for the work.

Repairs to 30th Street between Fifth and Eighth avenues south and Seventh Avenue South between 25th and 31st streets will begin in August, Trotter said. Fort Dodge Asphalt has a $585,989 contract for that job.

A paving project that will resurface parts of five streets will also begin in August. Fort Dodge Asphalt has a $542,158.47 contract to do that paving.