Northwest 62nd Avenue Constrution Creates Commute Challenge

The commute between the east and west side of Johnston might be a bit inconvenient for residents this weekend.

Northwest 62nd Avenue will be closed from 6 p.m. today until 6 a.m. Monday, March 26. Construction closure spans from Northwest 86th Street to Pioneer Parkway in both directions.

Commuters who use Northwest 62nd Avenue will need to use Northwest 70th Avenue or the interstate for a detour.

Construction on Northwest 62nd Avenue began last fall and is scheduled to continue until November 2012.

With a mild winter, the project is .

Spring efforts will begin at the end of this month and focus on pavement widening and storm sewer installation from to South Drive.

This weekend's traffic interruption won't be the last.

In May, traffic is expected to be reduced to one lane in each direction and head-to-head from Crescent Chase to Meadow Crest Drive.

Project Overview
In September 2011, the city of Johnston began reconstruction of the busy roadway, which includes road widening and .

The city received a $6.3 million Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy grant for the project, which was possible because of the 633 jobs created by Pioneer Hi-Bred.

In all the project includes widening Northwest 62nd Avenue from Northwest 86th street to Meadow Crest Drive to two lanes in each direction. A second bridge over Beaver Creek will also be constructed.

Four roundabouts will be installed at the entrance to Pioneer west of Beaver Creek, South Drive, Pioneer's Carver Entrance and Pioneer Parkway.

The project has been divided into four stages.

Stage 1 consists of permanent and temporary pavement widening and the construction of the new Beaver Creek bridge. A completion of June 2012 is expected.

Stage 2 consists of constructing the new westbound lanes from the First Baptist Church to South Drive and the new eastbound lanes from South Drive to Pioneer Parkway. A completion of August 2012 is expected.

Stage 3 consists of construction the new eastbound lanes from First Baptist Church to South Drive and the new westbound lanes from South Drive to Pioneer Parkway. A completion of October 2012 expected.

Stage 4 consists of miscellaneous pavement and sidewalk construction throughout the corridor, with a  completion set for November 2012.

Roundabout Education
The city of Johnston has dedicated time to educating residents of the use of roundabout.

On Tuesday, March 27, the city will provide information on safely navigating a multi-lane roundabout from 7 to 9 p.m. at the .

Roundabout fact sheets and a scale model demonstrations will be available.

Additional roundabout education opportunities will be announced this spring.

Residents are encouraged to stop by City hall or the library to see a color display of the Northwest 62nd Avenue Improvement Projects.