Iowa City Council to set hearing for intersection redesign at Burlington and Madison

Iowa City is gearing up for a $1.4 million construction project at the intersection of Burlington and Madison streets. At next Tuesday's City Council meeting, councilors will vote on whether to set a public hearing for the project — the next step towards completion.

The project will widen Burlington Street from Madison Street to Front Street. It will designate continuous buffered bike lanes from Madison Street to Riverside Drive. In addition, there will be traffic and pedestrian signal improvements, ADA sidewalk construction and some utility work at the intersection. 

The project will have three sources for funding: Surface Transportation Block Grant fund (a federal program for public federal-aid roads that requires a 20% non-federal match), 3R funds (IDOT funding for resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation projects) and general obligation bonds.

Back in 2010, Cedar Rapids-based engineering firm Anderson-Bogert designed the project, but it was delayed by what a memo from the city described as "uncertainty regarding development in the area and other factors."

In addition to the Kum & Go, UI Lindquist Center and UI Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, the intersection will soon be home to the $50 million Stanley Museum of Art. 

In 2017, Anderson-Bogert was brought back in to complete the plan based on the changed intersection. Last month, these plans were submitted to the Iowa Department of Transportation. 

While IDOT will let the bid in December, administration and inspection of construction will be performed by Iowa City. 

Providing it advances, the intersection construction is expected to be finished by fall 2020. 

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Zachary Oren Smith writes about government, growth and development for the Press-Citizen. Reach him at zsmith@press-citizen.com or 319 -339-7354, and follow him on Twitter via @zacharyos.