Clinton City moves forward on $15M federal-backed Manufacturing Drive; Bluff reconstruction set as larger multi-year project

Clinton City staff told the Capital Improvement Program committee that the major Manufacturing Drive reconstruction is proceeding under a federal reimbursement grant and that an even larger Bluff reconstruction will follow as a multi-year project.

Jason Craft, the city engineer assigned to the projects, said Manufacturing Drive was bid with a roughly $15 million federal match and additional state matching funds. "Manufacturing is already approved by the council," he said, adding that construction dollars for the next fiscal year include about $10.5 million in on-site work for manufacturing and that the Bluff work is estimated at roughly $18–19 million. He told the committee the Bluff project will include bridge removal, roundabout work and many retaining walls and utility relocations.

Why it matters: the two projects are central to the city’s 10-year plan and will shift pavement management priorities for several years. City staff said the federal grant for Bluff requires aggressive scheduling; the goal is to have key elements completed by the grant deadline in November. "That's what our grant agreement was with the federal government," Craft said.

Staff detailed phasing and access: the first Bluff phase (College Avenue to Quickstart) is expected to be closed for much of next year. Craft said crews will need to reconstruct intersections (including a roundabout at 19th), maintain access to businesses such as Cornerstone Wellness and Bluff Liquor, and coordinate with the nearby school. "We anticipate the contractor will be out there probably long hours, probably a lot of weekends," he said.

Funding and risk: committee members discussed the city’s borrowing capacity and how the two projects will affect pavement management spending. Chair Matt noted the city is targeting a 10-year funding approach with a 65% utilization goal so some pavement preservation spending will be scaled back for three years to accommodate Bluff work. Staff also said the federal grant for Manufacturing Drive is a reimbursement arrangement; the city expects the funds to remain available as the agreement has been signed.

Next steps: staff plan to finalize bid letting in March for the Bluff phases and to return with more detailed schedules and traffic-management plans. The committee will incorporate the projects into its ranking exercise before routing the prioritized CIP to the planning commission.