By Anelia K. Dimitrova
A busy intersection in Cedar Falls, under construction since June 9, re-opened on Friday, Sept. 19.
The completion of 18th and Main streets overhaul marks an important stage in the Main Street Reconstruction Project, which the city started in 2023 with the goal to upgrade the infrastructure and navigation from Sixth Street to University Avenue, including replacing traffic lights with roundabouts.
As part of the project, the storm sewer, the sanitary sewer and the water main were replaced along the corridor.
On Friday afternoon, vehicles flowed around the 18th Street roundabout and some drivers, used to taking the detour for months, appeared to be pleasantly surprised by the open road. There are also crosswalks and islands for pedestrians as well as sheltered bus stops on both sides of 18th Street, near the fire station and next to Hansen’s Dairy store.
In a livecast on social media, Ben Claypool, the city’s principal engineer, told the host, Amanda Huisman, the city’s communications specialist, that the opening of that intersection marks the “substantial” completion of the project.
But, he added, intermittent lane closures are to be expected as the city works with the contractor to wrap up some finishing work, like landscaping, or other “miscellaneous” items, such as a repair or replacement of a sidewalk panel. That work is expect to go through next spring or early summer, Claypool said
He noted the roads will remain open for traffic.
Claypool added that working with utilities and replacing the infrastructure is a lot more time-consuming than doing only surface work or adding a roundabout.
“It made the construction process arduous and long lasting but fortunately, we are at the end of it,” he said.