Supervisors approve plans, cost estimate for downtown parking-lot and sidewalk replacement

The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 11 approved Resolution 08-11-25-01 to adopt plan specifications, the form of contract and the cost estimate for a downtown parking-lot and sidewalk replacement project.

County staff said the work is removal and replacement of existing pavement and sidewalks — not new paved area — at the parking lot on the northeast side of the jail and along Walnut Street and Fourth Street in front of the old jail. "So the project is, the removal and replacement of pavement at the the parking lot on the kind of the Northeast side of the jail and also, sidewalk along Walnut and sidewalk in front of the old jail on Fourth Street," a county staff member said.

The project will replace failing pavement and several damaged sidewalk panels. Staff said the Walnut Street work runs from the alley between the jail and the Public Safety Building and that the Fourth Street sidewalk work will run from Mulberry west to the west edge of the old jail. The county said the city agreed to pay for a portion of curb/sidewalk damage that resulted from a prior project.

Bids will be advertised in plan rooms and emailed to local contractors; county staff asked contractors to email if they want to be added to the bidders list. "We'll email to local contractors. If if anybody's would like to be included, please email me. My email's on the the notice to bidders," a county staff member said.

The board voted by roll call; the motion passed unanimously, recorded as 4-0.

The resolution approved the plans and made the project ready for formal bidding; staff did not give a construction start date at the meeting. The board did not take additional implementation steps at the meeting beyond approving the plans and directing the project to be advertised.