South 24th Street Widening

[icejammer]

Council to discuss housing, road improvements

The council will also hold a public hearing on an agreement with HGM Associates for engineering services to widen South 24th Street from four to five lanes from 27th to 23rd avenues.

A second public hearing will involve the city's intent to purchase ground from businesses along that stretch of South 24th Street to make room for the widening project.

That section of South 24th Street handles 15,000 vehicles per day, according to the latest traffic count. What's more, developments like Bass Pro Shops, the Mid-America Center, casino expansion, the Star Cinema Theater and future projects will add more traffic in the future, according to the city's Public Works Department.

"We're only going to see an increase in traffic and it is already a busy corridor," City Engineer/Public Works Director Greg Reeder said.

The fifth lane will provide a left-turn lane that is not there now, he said. The project will also include a reshaping of the intersection at 23rd Avenue.

[MTO]

It would be nice if they could relocate the semi traffic around there some how too.

[Stargazer]

This must be the densest stretch of truck dealers, truck service shops, truck stops, etc, etc... for hundreds of miles along I-80.

[MTO]

Most be when sometimes you cant see the horizon at times.
But I bet the f350 diesel truck guys who go to bass pro enjoy it.

[icejammer]

Street widening project closer to reality

The project will involve the acquisition of right of way, primarily along the west side of South 24th Street. Plans call for acquiring two total parcels and partial acquisition of four other parcels.

The preliminary schedule calls for design work and land acquisition during 2007, with construction to start late in 2007 or early the following year, Reeder said.

The total cost is $6,030,000, with most of it coming from federal funds. The city's cost share is $1,150,000 in sales tax revenue and $850,000 in general obligation bonds.

It wouldn't appear that this project will do much, if anything, in touching the truck stops and other associated businesses, but I think the day is coming, if certain folk have their way.  Unfortunately, the eminant domain law passed by the Iowa Legislature last year, if upheld in a court of law, is going to make that a little tougher to do.

[icejammer]

. . . the council will be asked to use the power of eminent domain for total or partial acquisition of various properties along South 24th Street to allow for widening of that street.

Public Works Director Greg Reeder said he's simply asking that the power of eminent domain be available if need be. Negotiations to buy the properties from the owners are underway, he said.

"We've made offers to some and doing appraisals on others," Reeder said. "It may turn out we may not need eminent domain."

The city plans to widen to five lanes the section of South 24th from 27th to 23rd avenues. This would allow for a left-turn lane that currently doesn't exist. The additional lane and a new alignment at 23rd Avenue will require acquisition of right of way mostly along the west side of 24th Street, according to the Public Works Department.

The city plans total acquisition of Starlite Communications and C.B., 2304 S. 24th Street, and Boyer's Diesel, 2420 S. 24th St. Partial acquisition will involve Sapp Brothers Oasis, Pilot Travel Center, Sinclair and some vacant ground.

[icejammer]

Reconstruction of South 24th Street, 23rd Avenue intersection moving forward

Changes for motorists will occur Saturday on a major street reconstruction project in Council Bluffs.

According to the city’s Public Works Department, motorists on South 24th Street between 23rd and 27th avenues will switch over to new pavement on the west side of the street, so that the second phase of the project can begin.

This second phase will involve the removal and replacement of the two east lanes on 24th Street, plus the north lanes of 23rd Avenue just west of its intersection with 24th Street.

The project involves the widening of 24th Street, plus a new design at the intersection of 24th Street and 23rd Avenue, according to City Engineer Matt Cox. . . .

A long-range goal is to widen 24th Street even further to the south to its junction with Interstate 29/80, Cox added. . . .

[Brad]

I drove through here on Saturday.  Apparently right after the change was made.

Its going to be a nice change when the MAC has big events.  I think it will really speed things up.

[thenewguy]

I drove through here on Saturday.  Apparently right after the change was made.

Its going to be a nice change when the MAC has big events.  I think it will really speed things up.

One thing that I found out (as i'm sure you did, as well) is that so many people try to leave the north side of the MAC to exit onto 23rd ave, while going down the access road behind bass pro and bluffs run and exit onto 24th by the truckstop is much quicker.  I'm sure others have found out about that route though, and will surely not seem like the speedy secret exit as it does now.

[icejammer]

FINALLY!

Widening of South 24th Street planned for spring

The final phase of a widening project for a busy Council Bluffs street will begin this spring. . .

The widening to five lanes that includes a designated left-turn lane has already occurred on 24th Street from 23rd Avenue to the north property line of the Sapp Brothers Co. The City Council on Monday evening gave the go-ahead to complete the widening phase from the Sapp Brothers property line south to 27th Avenue/Mid-America Drive. . .

[Brad]

That's great news.  I take that street all the time.