Public Works outlines Stewart Road closure plan; contractor to start Aug. 18, detours expected

Muscatine County Public Works staff updated the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 11 about a Stewart Road reconstruction project, telling supervisors a contractor plans to start next week and that portions of the road will be closed with detours.

"They plan to be in next week. They're starting on the eighteenth, which is Monday," Brian, a county public-works staff member, said at the meeting. Staff said Metro Pavers attended a preconstruction meeting and intends to begin work on the furthest south portion of Stewart Road, roughly from Fruhland Road north to Taylor's Market. Detours will use Wiggins and PediVille roads.

Public Works said access to businesses will be maintained from at least one direction during staging and that the contractor may stage work in smaller segments to reduce impact on businesses. The county indicated the contractor hopes to complete the bulk of work by summer 2026, subject to weather and construction progress; staff said they expect to "button up" and possibly reopen portions for winter and resume in the following construction season.

County staff also reported recent storm damage in the Durant area, mainly loss of gravel on gravel roads and shoulder damage on paved roads, and said crews had been scoping and repairing those sites. Brian said a previous repair on New Era hill "worked like a champ." The county said it will send road-notification messages to affected jurisdictions, notify Muscatine City Council on request and share closure information with neighboring Louisa County and other stakeholders through an inter-county service bureau portal.

No formal board action was required; the update provided schedule, detour and coordination details.