Intersection to remain open until April 27

Engineers for the Iris Street reconstruction project say they don?t anticipate closing the Monroe and Iris streets intersection until the week of April 27.

However, starting next week, traffic on North Iris Street will be reduced to one lane and there will be flaggers to help direct traffic.

The reason for traffic reduction to one lane is that Jones Contracting will begin setting up and pouring the recreational trail on North Iris Street, north of the railroad tracks. Traffic will only be reduced to one lane during daytime hours.

Cole Construction is continuing with installation of the storm sewer south of Monroe Street on the west side of Iris Street.

Warner Engineering Associates, Inc., the engineering firm for the project, said there will be no changes in traffic patterns or road closures for the project until the week of April 27.

There is a temporary roadway on the east side of Iris Street for traffic to access the bowling alley, Anderson Equipment and Sloan Printing. However, that roadway is only for those people doing business with firms on the east side of Iris Street and there is no outlet to Iris Street on the north end.

Engineers also emphasized there is no reason for any semi trucks to be turning onto Iris from Washington Street. All semi traffic should continue to Washington Street to Grand Avenue and then north on Grand to Mapleleaf Drive for access to businesses north of the railroad tracks.

The west Innovarrie parking lot is not to be used for traffic between Washington and Monroe streets, engineers said.

Another update will be released late next week.