Downtown work finishes up for 4th


Local painter Tom Tecklenburg gives a fresh coat of paint to the Center X Archery building at 632 Sumner Ave. on a warm afternoon, Wednesday, June 24. Tecklenburg says he likes the openness of the downtown streetscape without the old aluminum awnings. He thinks the fabric coverings will be a nice touch for some buildings. Humboldt Independent photo.

By KENT THOMPSON
The $1.37 million Humboldt Downtown Revitalization Project is nearing completion.
Following a bit of a rocky start late last summer, construction progressed quickly in the late fall and this spring.
“All of the concrete work should be done by today (Thursday) and the sub-contractor Lawn Ranger, will be spraying to keep weed growth down in the open areas,” Humboldt City Administrator Travis Goedken said. Sande Construction of Humboldt has been the general contractor for the project. North Central Iowa Service installed new street lights last week.
“We are not putting in compost yet in the open sections. We will be putting in 4-inch river cobble (stones) and large limestone outcroppings (slabs for people to step on). Those will be going in with liner under it and then we will backfill the rest with compost. The first phase will have compost, which will be dug back for the river cobble and limestone outcroppings,” Goedken said.
That work will be done early this fall.
“We stayed away from any trees because the public said they did not want those. The in-ground planting areas will provide better water quality and drainage control for the downtown area,” the city administrator said.
“Some of the planting areas are larger than others because of the degree of slope between the curb and the back of the sidewalks. The areas around More Than Floors and US Bank are two examples,” Goedken said. “They both have steep inclines.”
Goedken said city leaders are pleased with the work and he hopes the public is too.
“Having the stop signs has helped slow traffic down and helps give people a chance to really look at our downtown and the improvements. I’ve heard no complaints about the flow of traffic,” the city administrator said.
Goedken said he hasn’t heard as much about the bump out intersections since the project has been under way, but more about the planter areas.
The project is only about two weeks past the substantial completion date in the original contract.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet