Project of the Week: 27th Avenue SW from 6th Street to L Street

Repairing the aging road surface on 27^th Avenue SW presented some unique challenges - but it also presented some unique opportunities to help out the neighborhood.

One resident approached the city about re-grading his yard, to make it easier to mow.

Another had drainage issues, leading crews to discover a broken tile that tied into the back of an old intake.

In both cases, the contractor was happy to lend a hand.

"It is rewarding to be able to not only improve the street, but to help out residents," says Construction Manager Michael Roberts.

Communication is key

Work on 27^th Avenue SW was extensive. It featured not only the repaving of the street, but underground storm sewer improvements, new intakes and the addition of subdrain that will help the drainage issues in this neighborhood.

"27th Avenue SW presented a few issues that we haven't seen on other residential streets," says Roberts. "The right of way on 27th Avenue is only a couple feet behind the curb. This required us to seek temporary easements from all residents and businesses along the project. We'd like to thank them for their patience and understanding as we completed this project."

Project Engineer Lee Gourley said that crews used temporary rock to allow access to driveways as they worked, limiting the time that residents would not have driveway access during the project. Communication is key, he says.

"Individual owners typically call in with access questions, and we discuss the process and walk them through it," Gourley says. "We try to meet them on site to discuss and provide the best solution possible."

The work is made possible by Paving for Progress, a program that exists solely for the maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of public streets. Seventy-five percent of the program's projects are in residential neighborhoods like 27^th Avenue SW.

The program is funded by a one percent local option sales tax, meaning the repairs are funded by both Cedar Rapids residents and visitors who shop and dine in our community.

Investing in the future

Residents often ask how streets are selected for repair each year. The City uses a 10-year management plan using pavement condition data collected on every street in Cedar Rapids. The data is collected by a vehicle that drives the surface of the roads and collects data on texture, pavement distress, and roughness.

Fresh data is collected every two years, and the plan is updated accordingly. Key Goals include:

• Fully reconstruct some of the roads in worst condition
• Perform less costly preventative maintenance to extend the life of additional roads, investing in those roads before they reach the end of their service life
• Make improvements to residential neighborhoods that have long been neglected
  
  

"The City is very grateful for residents' support of the Paving for Progress program," says Doug Wilson, Engineering Manager for Paving for Progress. "Without the local option sales tax being approved by voters twice, the program wouldn't exist, and roads like 27^th Avenue SW would continue to deteriorate. Instead, we have been able to repair so many streets over the past 12 years."

Learn more about Paving for Progress here.

Project of the Week puts a spotlight on work happening all over the City every day. Each week, we will take a closer look at projects that are investing in our community's roads, trails, Flood Control System, and more. See previous installments here:

October 29: Fifth Avenue SE
October 22: FY27 Large Diameter Sewer Inspections
October 15: FY26 Downtown Sidewalk Repair
October 8: Ellis Lane Tie-Off
Oct. 1: 2^nd Street SW

September 24: ROADEO and winter snow training
September 17: Bever Avenue and Green Valley Terrace
September 10: 3^rd Street SE
September 4: Jacolyn Drive NW

August 27: Blairs Ferry Road Sidewalk Infill
August 20: Downtown Railroad Crossing Repair
August 13: 3^rd Street SW
August 6: CIPP Sewer Repairs

July 30: 6^th Avenue SW from 1^st Street to 2^nd Street
July 24: 4^th Street Trail Extension
July 17: 12^th Street SE/Coe Road
July 10: 34^th Street SE
July 3: Roundhouse

June 25: Mount Vernon Road
June 18: Grande Avenue SE
June 11: O Avenue NW Time Check Elevation Project
June 5: Nassau Street

May 28: Cedar Lake
May 21: Tree of Five Seasons Park
May 14: 20th Street NW
May 7: 18th Avenue SW

April 30: Alliant Energy LightLine™
April 23: 42nd Street
April 16: The 3rd Avenue Bridge