Expect Franklin Ave. closures through summer

MT. PLEASANT — A project on Franklin Avenue will likely affect travel for those in southern Henry County for many months as the county road’s department plans to begin Hot Mix Asphalt paving along Skunk River Bridge south to Salem this spring.

Thanks to the Henry County Board of Supervisors awarding the over $4.8 million to Norris Asphalt Paving Company last week, work on the project should begin in the near future. However, according to Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss, this project not only costs more than originally anticipated, but also will close portions of the road for many months.

According to Hotchkiss, this project came in at 9.6% over his original estimate. While he says he doesn’t like that the cost is more expensive, the number makes sense with the scope of the project.

This big ticket project will be funded through approximately $2.6 million from Farm to Market funds, approximately $1.7 million of federal aid dollars, and half a million in safety improvement grant.

“This is a rather extensive project there is shoulder widening where we're doing a lot of dirt work,” Hotchkiss said. “We're doing culvert work with box culverts and we're extending and repairing some damaged ones under the road. And so there's a lot of different sequencing of subcontractors and coordinating through the summer of this. This will be a full drawn-out project. And so, I think some of the mobilizations and coordination are definitely more expensive than what I was anticipating on that.”

According to Hotchkiss, this extensive project which includes milling two inches of the exiting road off and putting four inches of new asphalt down, may stretch into next year, depending on the working days available.

“The Franklin Avenue Project is going to take the whole summer and there's going to be traffic concerns for the public,” Hotchkiss said. “So, we're going to have a detour in effect. The Road will be closed down completely at times and then it'll be open in other areas. So you will have a lot of gravel roads going on.”

Hotchkiss anticipates the project starting in early spring, possibly as early as April 1 depending on weather.

With affirmation from Hotchkiss, Supervisor Chad White stated that motorists from Salem and Hillsboro will help the project along especially in the beginning phases by going over to the Salem Stub to make their way to Mt. Pleasant.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com